Director, Career Education Initiatives

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $115,000 - $130,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Assistant Dean, Career Education & Advising (CEA), the Director, Career Education Initiatives is responsible for developing and leading a comprehensive career education strategy within Columbia Business School's (CBS)Career Management Center (CMC). The Director focuses on equipping students with the skills and knowledge required to excel in a rapidly evolving business landscape. Working with key stakeholders, this incumbent will oversee the student advising model, executing core career education offerings, and leading professional development initiatives for the CMC team.

The Director supervises two Associate Directors who manage the CMC Coaching and CMC Fellows programs. This position also involves directly advising students through individual coaching, small group workshops, and large-scale presentations, ensuring a consistent and high-quality career education experience for Columbia Business School's diverse student population. This role will provide a unique opportunity for a highly-talented, team-first professional with a passion for working with students to become part of a world-class, Ivy League institution.

For over a century, Columbia Business School has helped develop leaders and builders of enterprises who drive value for their stakeholders and society at large through our MBA, MS, PhD, and Executive Education programs. We are equally committed to cultivating new scholars and teachers, and to creating and disseminating pathbreaking knowledge, concepts, and tools which advance the understanding and practice of management through our faculty research and PhD programs.

Our vision is simple: to develop ideas and leaders that transform the world-from the very center of business. Our ever-evolving curriculum - featuring pioneering courses, STEM certification, and immersive experiential learning -prepares students to excel in key areas such as digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and innovation, twenty-first century finance, the intersection of business and society, and climate and sustainability. The CBS administration enables CBS' educational and scholarly mission through strategic and operational guidance and support, optimizing School resources through well-designed, transparent processes with a culture of respect for all.

Responsibilities

Program Development & Strategic Planning

• 
  

  Leads the creation, implementation, and continuous improvement of career education content development for core career education offerings across student populations including programs, seminars, and events.

  
  
• 
  

  Collaborate with the Assistant Dean to define goals, metrics, and strategies for career education initiatives, ensuring alignment with student needs and market trends.

  
  
• 
  

  Oversee the development of curriculum, marketing, and evaluation plans for education sessions.

  
  
• 
  

  Ensures ongoing training and professional development for CMC advisors, coaches, and fellows.

  
  
• 
  

  Delivers relevant education programs and seminars to enhance student career readiness.

  
  

Career Coaching & Advising

• 
  

  Provides personalized coaching to MBA students on a wide range of career planning and job search strategies.

  
  
• 
  

  Collects and analyzes data to inform advising strategies and program effectiveness.

  
  
• 
  

  Assists with administrative tasks as needed to support advising and program delivery.

  
  

Team Leadership & Relationship Management

• 
  

  Supervises and mentors Associate and Senior Associate Directors in the development and delivery of career education workshops programs. Partners with them by providing strategic oversight to CMC fellows and CMC coaching programs.

  
  
• 
  

  Builds and maintains strong relationships with select professional student clubs, Centers and Programs, and affiliated student leaders.

  
  
• 
  

  Collaborates with the CMC Coaching Program to provide as-needed industry support to student clubs.

  
  
• 
  

  Participates in all-office events and initiatives, including on-campus recruiting, career fairs, orientation, student, and recruiter surveys, monthly All Hands meetings and departmental and team off-sites. Advises the Employer Relations team on development of policies and procedures related to the on-campus recruiting program as well as on individual student issues.

  
  

External Representation

• 
  

  Represents office in interactions with a wide range of internal and external constituents, including faculty, Dean's office, Executives-in-Residence, administrators in other departments, professionals from the private and public sectors, and counterparts at peer schools as needed.

  
  
• 
  

  Performs other duties as assigned.

  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required; MBA highly preferred. Minimum 5-7 years related experience.
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver career advising/coaching in either a corporate or academic setting.
• Strong knowledge of software including MS Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with CRM tools a plus.
• Ability to travel when requested (up to 5% of time).
• Outstanding interpersonal/relationship management, communication, and writing skills, previous advising/mentoring experience, teaching and/or presentation skills a must. Customer service orientation and proven ability to excel in a high-volume environment.
• Ability to balance independent delivery of work with strong team work/collaborative orientation.
• Experience managing others in a customer-focused environment a plus.
• Ability to work flexible, long hours and early mornings/late evenings on a seasonal basis to meet student needs; some evening and weekend work may be necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA, HR, Higher Education or other Master's degree, along with 7+ years related experience strongly preferred. Superior business and political acumen, demonstrated ability to lead.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.