Associate Director of Career Services

PLNU is a Christian liberal arts university in the evangelical, Wesleyan tradition, offering quality undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. We provide higher education in a vibrant Christian environment where minds are engaged and challenged, character is modeled and formed, and service is an expression of faith. PLNU is an institution that is committed to reflecting the rich diversity of God’s kingdom. We therefore encourage applications from culturally diverse candidates.

Benefits:

We are pleased to offer attractive benefits and resources. This includes benefits such as health, dental, tuition benefits for employees and dependents, competitive retirement matching, vacation and sick time, and 15 paid holidays per year. In addition, we have many opportunities to engage with our community including staff chapel and a robust wellness program.

Job Summary:

PLNU is seeking a strategic and collaborative Associate Director of Career Services to help advance the university’s Career Ecosystem strategy and strengthen career readiness outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students. This role partners across academic and co-curricular areas to expand employer engagement, experiential learning opportunities, and workforce-connected programming while supporting scalable systems and meaningful student career development experiences.
Salary:
Pay range $ 72,000 - $75,000
Actual salary offered is determined by the candidate’s experience, education, skills, and other factors, including internal equity and university funding resources.

Job Status:

Full time

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Job Description:

What We’re Looking For

• Passion for student career development, workforce readiness, and creating meaningful post-graduate pathways

• Experience building and maintaining strategic partnerships with employers, alumni, faculty, and community organizations

• Strong understanding of career development, employer engagement, workforce trends, and experiential learning practices

• Ability to lead projects, implement strategic initiatives, and support scalable student engagement efforts

• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills with the ability to collaborate across diverse stakeholder groups

• Strong analytical and organizational skills with experience using data to support decision-making and continuous improvement

• Experience utilizing career services technologies, CRM systems, and workforce-related platforms

• Ability to think strategically while also supporting operational execution and student engagement efforts

• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to mentor and support professional staff and student employees

• Knowledge and experience working with a diverse population is preferred

What You’ll Be Doing

• Support implementation and expansion of PLNU’s Career Ecosystem strategy across undergraduate and graduate programs

• Develop and implement a comprehensive employer and strategic partnership strategy

• Develop and strengthen employer, alumni, and industry partnerships that create career-connected learning opportunities for students

• Collaborate with faculty, academic departments, Student Affairs, Advancement, and campus partners to align career readiness initiatives with workforce trends and institutional priorities

• Serve as a liaison between PLNU and industry partners to support experiential learning, internships, mentorship, and employment pathways

• Support employer-facing events, networking opportunities, industry panels, and recruitment initiatives

• Assist in integrating career education and labor market trends into academic and co-curricular student experiences across multiple modalities

• Develop and support career advising programs, workshops, presentations, and student engagement initiatives

• Lead initiatives that increase student awareness, participation, and engagement with Career Services resources and programming

• Develop systems and processes for tracking employer engagement, student participation, and career outcomes data

• Utilize assessment and reporting practices to evaluate program effectiveness and support strategic planning efforts

• Support optimization of career technologies and employer relationship management systems including Career Forge, Indeed, and related platforms

• Assist the Director of Career Services with strategic planning, operational management, and implementation of departmental initiatives

• Provide mentorship, training, and support to professional staff and student employees

• Contribute to the development of operational systems, communication strategies, policies, and procedures that support departmental effectiveness and scalability

• Perform additional duties and projects in support of departmental and university priorities

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Counseling, Business, Human Resources, Student Affairs, or a related field

• Minimum of 4–6 years of progressive professional experience in career services, employer relations, workforce development, student success, experiential education, or related areas

• Demonstrated experience developing strategic partnerships and collaborating with diverse stakeholders including faculty, employers, alumni, and university leadership

• Experience leading strategic initiatives, managing projects, and implementing scalable programs or systems

• Strong understanding of career development, workforce trends, employer engagement, and student career readiness

• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills

• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities with experience using data to inform strategy and decision-making

• Experience with career services technologies and platforms such as Handshake, Career Forge, CRM systems, or related tools

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, access, student success, and inclusive excellence

• Evidence of Christian commitment and active church involvement. In addition, staff agree to live in agreement with PLNU’s Community Life Covenant.

• The job offer is contingent on the successful completion of a background check. PLNU will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local "Fair Chance" laws

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience implementing or supporting a Career Ecosystem model within higher education

• Experience supervising and developing professional staff

• Experience managing budgets, contracts, and operational systems

• Familiarity with accreditation, workforce alignment initiatives, and career outcomes reporting

• Experience developing employer engagement strategies that scale across multiple academic disciplines

Physical Requirements:

• The work is primarily sedentary and may require sitting for extended periods of time.

• Use of computer equipment: computer keyboard, mouse, and monitor.

• Ability to read documents, email and other correspondence, and reports on paper and computer monitor.

• Ability to communicate effectively with others in person and by phone. 

• Ability to stand, stoop, push, pull, and lift up to 10 lbs. 

• This position operates in a hybrid environment and may require occasional evening or weekend work

• Occasional travel to employer or partnership sites and participation in university events may be required

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At PLNU, we believe in pursuing calling together. Deep and meaningful relationships between students, faculty, and staff is vital in nurturing our shared community and expressing God’s love. We are looking for enthusiastic candidates to join us in empowering our students to reach their greatest personal, spiritual and professional potential. 

Point Loma Nazarene University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures.