Senior Career Counselor, Health Sciences

Position Summary: 

Career Counselors provide career counseling and advising services to undergraduate,
certificate, graduate, and professional students, as well as alumni up to one year after graduation in designated departments, schools and
industries/professions. The primary components of this role include direct advising, program development and delivery, teaching for-credit
career development courses, collaborating with faculty, staff, community organizations and employers, along with administrative duties.
Career Counselors educate students on the career development process and opportunities that exist (internships and experiential learning,
jobs, graduate school), and serve as a resource within the team, proactively increasing advising team knowledge on their assigned industries
and areas of specialization for effective cross-training. They are responsible for being both resourceful specialists and generalists in the
field of career development, understanding and building relationships with a variety of student services and academic departments across
campus, addressing any issues or service gaps through innovation and relationship development, and providing mentorship and training to
student staff at the graduate and undergraduate level within the VCU Career Services team. Senior Career Counselors are also responsible for
supervising undergraduate and/or graduate student staff to support VCU Career Services resources and expand impact and reach. This position
is housed on the MCV Campus and supports health sciences students and recent graduates (.75 FTE at 30 hours/week) and reports directly to
the Associate Director for Health Sciences Career Advising. 

Members of the VCU Career Services team also regularly engage in
professional development, including in-house and external training and conference opportunities, to make sure we are able to best serve
students and alumni, to stay current with industry standards and changes, to revise program and services to reflect trends, and to increase
our office’s visibility, both at VCU and on a broader scale. 

Team Diversity Statement:

At VCU Career
Services, we affirm and celebrate the diversity of the VCU community. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all are
welcomed, respected, and supported as they contribute their unique and important ideas, skills, and perspectives to the world. We actively
promote and are deeply invested in the work of diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, multicultural competence, and constant
learning. As a team of individuals representing a diverse set of intersecting identities, we will continue to advocate and make positive
change that helps open new doors to professional connections for VCU students, alumni, employer partners, and community members. Our staff
is dedicated to providing equitable access to services and resources for VCU students and alumni as they consider career options, engage in
experiential learning, apply for employment and volunteer positions, and pursue graduate/professional education.

Core
Responsibilities: 

Career Counseling/Advising (40%): 

• Advise undergraduate students, graduate/professional
  students and recent graduates in individual and small-group settings about exploring career and education options and developing effective
  experiential learning, job search, and graduate and professional school search strategies.
• Assist students in exploring career
  options and identifying sources of experiential education to further learn about their careers and industries of interests and to develop
  necessary skills/knowledge.
• Educate students on how to research employers, network, and engage in the internship/job search process
  using current technology.
• Maintain awareness of industry/market trends and to engage students in employer/alumni programming.
• Administer and interpret assessment instruments to assist students and alumni with self-appraisal. Conduct periodic evaluations of
  career development tools as necessary.
• Develop, contribute, and update career exploration and development information on the
  website; utilize technology and resources in the delivery of service to students

Teaching and Program Development/Delivery
(25%): 

• Teach and/or help facilitate for-credit career development-related courses (live or online) annually.
• Create and
  present workshops, programs, and outreach sessions on a variety of career topics to educate and prepare students for the world of work.
• Work with key stakeholders (e.g., faculty, staff, students, campus partners) to design, prepare and deliver career/industry and
  employment specific events and workshops that facilitate student learning and skill development.
• Represent VCU and Career Services
  in local and national professional associations and conferences in order to stay current with industry standards and changes, revise
  programs to reflect trends, and increase the center’s visibility among professionals in the field. 

Relationship Management and
Campus Collaboration (15%): 

• Build and strengthen relationships with external and internal stakeholders, including
  faculty/staff, employers, and other campus units.
• Serve as VCU Career Services liaison to designated academic departments and
  university departments to assess and meet the needs of our academic stakeholders and to promote collaboration across departments and majors
  by focusing on industry-specific programming.
• Serve as VCU Career Services internal expert on assigned industries. Devise and
  implement strategy in conjunction with employer & experiential development team for assigned areas with the goal of preparing students to
  enter those fields.
• Engage and involve alumni and industry professionals to participate in programs/events, as well as to learn
  industry content information relevant to student preparation, in partnership with employer & experiential development
  team
• Participate in various campus events involving prospective students, alumni, and families to engage those stakeholders in our
  services and programs. Participate in departmental, division, and/or university committees to represent VCS as assigned. 

Leadership and Strategic Initiatives (20%): 

• Supervise undergraduate and/or graduate student staff to support overall
  programming and service delivery.
• Oversee key programs and initiatives in support of VCU Career Services operations and strategic
  projects, including the Suit Yourself Closet (SYC) in Hunton Student Center, in partnership with the SYC team in the Commons.
• Play
  an active role in the collection and reporting of assessment data that serves as a driver for strategic decisions within VCU Career
  Services.
• Contribute actively to the development, adaptation, and implementation of the VCU Career Services Strategic Plan through
  collaboration and project work.
• Respond to and/or refer appropriately based on direct outreach from prospective and current
  students, families, employers, faculty, and staff
• Perform other duties to support team operations and strategic plan, as
  assigned.

Minimum Hiring Standards: 

• Master’s degree with emphasis on counseling, student affairs,
  education, healthcare, science, technology, environment, math, or related field.
• One year of experience in higher education,
  recruitment, or related field; relevant graduate assistantships and internships will be considered.
• Experience advising college
  students and/or young professionals on career-related topics.
• Exceptional communication (written, oral, presentation)
  skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in designing and delivering presentations.
• Ability and interest to teach courses focused on
  career development and student success.
• Ability to embrace change and to organize and effectively manage multiple priorities,
  programs, and projects.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally in the office environment and to interface with employers,
  students, alumni, faculty, and university administrators.
• Ability to use independent judgment and resourcefulness to identify
  options and develop solutions for unique or unprecedented situations.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse
  faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred
Qualifications:

• More than one year of experience in higher education, recruitment, or related field; relevant graduate
  assistantships and internships would be considered.
• Ability to use relevant database systems, (e.g. Handshake, Symplicity, Microsoft
  Excel)
• Experience directly supervising student, part-time, or professional staff members
• Experience teaching undergraduate
  courses.
• Willingness to contribute to outcomes assessment and evaluation strategies.
• Project management
  experience.
• Understanding and use of career development theories.
• Awareness of trends within higher education, career
  services, student services, and the employment marketplace.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using career assessment instruments (e.g.,
  MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory, CliftonStrengths/StrengthsQuest)
• Experience working at VCU or a similar institution (public, urban,
  and research-focused, with a large number of first-generation, transfer, and non-residential students).

Other Position
Details: This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement with up to 40% weekly telework, but this standard could change in
the future depending on Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success (SEMSS) Division priorities and campus policy. This role is
structured at 75% FTE working 30 hours/week (schedule structure to be determined by selected candidate and their
supervisor).

Position Number: FAA040     

Position Title: Senior Career Counselor, Health Sciences

Department: 1918
VCU Career Services

Role Code: 35224 Senior Specialist SS 1

Position Type: Exempt

Salary: $34,500 (.75 FTE, 30
hours/week)

ORP Eligible?: No

Open Date: 05/23/23

Close Date: 6/11/23