The University of Georgia (UGA) invites applications and nominations for the position of Executive Director of Career Center. The University of Georgia is seeking a dynamic, collaborative, and strategic leader to serve as the next Executive Director of its Career Center.

The mission of the UGA Career Center is to prepare students for meaningful careers following graduation. To advance that mission, the Career Center offers a wide range of programs and services to engage and support undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, faculty, staff, and employers. These programs and services fall within four broad areas of focus: career consulting, employer relations, mentorship, and faculty support. 

The Executive Director oversees all aspects of Career Center operations, including visioning, strategic and financial planning, revenue generation, program development and delivery, technology utilization, assessment and evaluation, and human capital development and management. 

The Executive Director will lead a team currently comprised of more than 30 professional staff, 15 graduate assistants, and 15 undergraduate student workers. Therefore, the incumbent must have demonstrated experience managing layered and results-oriented teams, including experience with recruiting, training, evaluating, and motivating professional staff.  

The budget of the Career Center derives from multiple funding sources. The Executive Director must have demonstrated experience managing complex budgets, generating revenue through fundraising, programming, and other efforts, and aligning organizational goals with budgets.

The Executive Director must also be a strong collaborator who can convene academic, industry, and government stakeholders to advance the mission and goals of the Career Center. This individual must also be a highly visible leader on campus, in the Atlanta metro area, regionally, and nationally, to build and strengthen partnerships with employers, donors, alumni, and others who support career outcomes of UGA students.

The Career Center is pursuing a strategy to expand the impact of its mission at the University of Georgia. The strategy includes three directions:

1. deepen integration into the academic affairs of the institution;
2. evolve and expand employer relations; and
3. strengthen alignment with key university stakeholders

The Executive Director must have demonstrated experience with developing and executing organizational strategy, data-driven decision making, and change management to effectively advance these strategic areas of focus.

The Executive Director reports to the Senior Executive Director of Business Engagement and Career Connections and serves as a member of the leadership team of the Division of Development and Alumni Relations.

The University of Georgia Career Center is the provider of centralized career services to undergraduate, graduate students, and alumni at The University of Georgia.  Career Center staff work collaboratively with faculty and staff of all departments to enhance the career success of University of Georgia students/alumni.  Several of the “nuts & bolts” services the UGA Career Center provides to its students include career counseling, job search training, and opportunities to connect with employers. 

The Career Center also serves as a corporate gateway to the University by helping employers meet key faculty/staff, understand culture and curriculum, and successfully recruit UGA students and alumni.  A broad group of corporate, government, and nonprofit employers recruit at the University of Georgia, and the Career Center facilitates this process through career fairs, on-campus interviews, and a variety of recruiting and educational programs and events.

More information about the Career Center can be found at https://career.uga.edu.

Responsibilities:

65 % Time - Executive Leadership

• Oversee all aspects of the Career Center’s operations, including visioning, strategic and financial planning, revenue generation, program development and delivery, technology utilization, assessment and evaluation, and human capital development and management. 
• Ensure the successful implementation of programs and services across the Career Center, including establishing measures of success, systematically evaluating effectiveness, and making data-driven improvements.
• Develop a compelling vision, brand identity, and strategy to expand the impact of the Career Center on UGA students, alumni, faculty, staff, and employers.
• Build a healthy culture within the Career Center that emphasizes collaboration, professionalism, customer service, innovation, communication, and results.
• Lead a team of direct reports (currently 7), including setting and evaluating performance goals, promoting skill and professional development, and promoting positive team dynamics.
• Establish and lead an advisory council of university leaders who can support the growth of the career center.
• Ensure strong, mutually beneficial partnerships between the Career Center and UGA’s schools, colleges, and major administrative units, including Instruction, Public Service and Outreach, and Student Affairs.
• Regularly conduct a comprehensive self-study of the Career Center to guide its growth and development, including within the first 12 months in the role.

25 % Time - External Partnerships and Engagement

• Develop and execute a strategy to drive revenue through corporate partnerships and private fundraising.
• Expand partnerships with state, regional, and national employers, including developing a strategy to align efforts with UGA’s academic priorities and the State’s economic development opportunities.
• Represent UGA within the business community and relevant state, regional, and national associations, such as National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), etc.

10 % Time - UGA Service and Support

• Serve as a member of the university-wide business engagement council and other university-level and division-level committees as needed.
• Lead, participate in, and support staff meetings, division meetings, and office events and activities.

Minimum Qualifications:

Requires at least a baccalaureate degree in the field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree from an accredited university.
• At least ten years of relevant professional experience.
• At least five years supervising professional staff.
• At least five years of budget management experience.
• At least three years’ experience leading career services in a higher education setting.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and/or Competencies:

Knowledge

• Knowledge of hiring and workplace trends and their implications for career development and placement.
• Knowledge of technology applications in the career services field.
• Knowledge of best practices, principles, and standards governing higher education career services.

Experience

• Experience setting, operationalizing, and executing short- and long-term goals for organizational growth.
• Experience forming internal and external partnerships to advance organizational goals.
• Experience fostering and managing multiple multifaceted enterprise-level relationships.
• Experience hiring, supervising, leading, and supporting diverse teams of professional staff.
• Experience with budget planning and management.
• Experience generating revenue through fundraising opportunities and programmatic initiatives.
• Experience setting and meeting individual-level and team-level performance metrics.
• Experience conceiving, organizing, and managing complex projects and programs.
• Experience using technology to expand impact and gain efficiencies.
• Experience collaborating across multiple constituencies inside and outside the organization.

Abilities

• Ability to lead a large team through change and innovation.
• Ability to communicate effectively (in written and oral form) and respectfully with diverse stakeholders, including executive higher education and business leaders.
• Ability to translate complex ideas and information into common language.
• Ability to navigate complex academic and corporate organizations to accomplish goals.
• Ability to create, organize, compare, and interpret data to drive business insights and decisions.
• Ability to effectively coach and mentor direct reports and other staff.

Additional Division Expectations:

• Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment.
• Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising reporting are expected of all fundraisers. All fundraisers will be held accountable for meeting this expectation.

Since our founding in 1785, the University of Georgia has operated as Georgia’s oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 235 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton.

UGA employs approximately 3,000 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 43,000 students including over 32,000 undergraduates and over 10,500 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly formed School of Medicine.

As one of the top public universities in the nation, UGA offers a culture of academic excellence and opportunity made all the richer by our renowned faculty, diverse community of scholar-citizens, and vibrant student life program.

Applications: Applicant screening will begin immediately. Candidates are encouraged to submit their materials by April 27, 2025; however, screening will continue until the position is filled. The application packet should include a cover letter detailing how the applicant’s credentials and experience meet the needs, responsibilities, and qualifications stated above and a current resume.

All applicants must apply online at https://www.ugajobsearch.com. Please see the job posting at: https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/414067

To request a descriptive Opportunity Profile for this position, provide a nomination, or seek additional information, please contact Anjanette Russell, Primary Consultant with the UGA Search Group, 770-596-7596 or adsmith@uga.edu. Letters of recommendation or a simple nomination should include the name and contact information for the nominee.

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

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