Director of Idea Center

Purpose for the Position: This position manages a team of high performers that serve as a catalyst for students to effectively prepare and navigate the path to success in their chosen career field, the IDEA Center provides academic and career coaching focused on helping students strategically plan and complete both their formal academic efforts and their internship/field experiences in ways that maximize their career outcomes.

Director Job Description: The Director of the IDEA Center oversees career and academic planning initiatives, including employer relations and internship and field experiences. The Director is keenly aware of today's current corporate and non-profit marketplace in order to grow and advance a strategic roadmap, equipping students to successfully transition into today's workforce. The Director also works in collaboration with the Alumni and Parent Relations Offices to increase involvement in preparing students for their job search and expanding internship and career opportunities. The Director and IDEA Center Career and Academic Planning Coaches, collaborate with academic departments to incorporate career pathway presentations and manage the internship for credit approval process. Director must be an engaging, natural strategic leader, who is dedicated and passionate about higher education, career development, graduation completion, student success, and keenly aware of today's current corporate and non-profit marketplace.

Essential Responsibilities:

1. Oversee all aspects of career and academic planning services that support the undergraduate students in over 30 majors.
2. Supervision of 5 administrators (one employer relations manager and 4 CAP Coaches), and 5 to 7 student workers. Responsibilities include recruitment, hiring, scheduling, training, staff meetings, performance reviews, strategic planning and professional development.
3. Budget management (currently in excess of $450,000 annually).
4. Oversee and integrate multiple programs in career and academic planning and advising, career information and education, job search preparation, employment services for graduates, internships/field experience, and grad school admissions guidance, to provide high-quality professional development services to students.
5. Participate in the decision making of best practices and policies for academic advising.
6. Work with Employer Relations Manager to collaborate with academic departments to develop partnerships between the university and external communities (corporations, the public sector and not-for-profit entities) to expand the number and type of experiential learning (i.e., job shadows, internships) and full-time employment opportunities for students.
7. Foster relationships and partnerships with academic departments to inform them of job market, career, and industry trends and employer/recruiting expectations; identify career paths and requisite skills for their students. Ensure productive and continuing goal-directed partnerships with academic deans and directors.
8. Work with Alumni and Parent Relations Managers to increase alumni involvement in preparing students for their job search, educating them about industries and career paths, expanding internship and career opportunities, and recruiting for their organizations.
9. Connect and interact with employers/recruiters on and off-campus.

1. Maintain a small counseling load that includes students from all class years.
2. Develop and manage data collection including Annual Report, annual profile surveys, daily activity and Outcome Survey and other data needed as determined by accreditation boards, ranking bodies, and the needs of other units within GFU. Manage office policies, procedures, and regulations focused on student usage of office services and resources.
3. Manage Faculty Advisory Board (iFAB Committee) that will help to carry out the goals and missions of the IDEA Center.
4. Communicate effectively and courteously with others, including employees, students and the public, in a spirit of teamwork, respect and customer service.

1. Support Admissions in their recruiting processes to include Genesis, Bruin Preview and Scholarship weekends that include speaking to large audiences and small parent sessions that address the college to career strategies the IDEA Center promotes.
2. By actions, words and lifestyle, be a Christian role model to students, whether through casual contact or in a formal supervisory role.
3. Demonstrate awareness, respect and appreciation for diversity of culture, background, race, sec, political views, expressions of faith, etc. and works well with a variety of people. Contribute to the university's continuing commitment to ethnic and gender diversity.

Associated Duties:

1. Serve on faculty/university committees, attend faculty meetings
2. Represent George Fox in statewide collaborations to include the Oregon College Talent Consortium, the industry lead Oregon Talent Council, Technology Association of Oregon, Portland Business Alliance and many other organizations that influence and work within college graduate hiring pipelines.
3. Comfortable with technology, including Handshake, PeopleSoft, and various Career Software and Assessments for students.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

1. Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
2. Proven success in working in a fast-paced environment demonstrating an enthusiasm for promoting the academic success and career development of students, as well as experience initiating and maintaining collaborative relationships and alliances with campus stakeholders (such as academic deans, Registrar, University Advancement, and Alumni Relations) to develop new community partnerships for potential internship and job opportunities.
3. Strong, forward-thinking, creative, innovative, results-oriented leadership skills.
4. Experience with organizational and strategic planning, assessment and data-informed decision-making, responsible stewardship of resources, and pursuit of new sources of support. Ability to establish a vision, goals and metrics for success and ability to design programs, services and initiatives that meet stakeholder needs. Must be self-directed, outcome oriented, and able and willing to work under pressure.
5. Management experience that demonstrates successful development and motivation of a team to reach and exceed student-oriented goals as well as budget management, project management, strategic planning, and assessment.
6. Proficiency with MS Word and Excel Demonstrated ability to master Internet-based recruiting programs and learn new technologies.
7. An evangelical Christian commitment and lifestyle consistent with the institution's goals, including signed agreement with GFU Statement of Faith and Community Lifestyle Statement and being in living agreement with same.

Preferred qualifications include:

1. Successful track record of employer outreach; experience in corporate recruiting/business development, company recruiting, corporate relations, or senior human resources.
2. Experience in initiating and managing campus level and/or community-based initiatives preferred.
3. Familiarity with counseling, knowledge of the developmental concerns associated with the undergraduate population preferred.
4. Familiarity with academic advising and major requirements preferred.
5. Experience with academic and career advising technology preferred.

For Your Personal Well-Being We Offer:

• A beautiful and peaceful campus environment with areas to walk and coffee shops and restaurants close by.
• A strong Christian vision and mission-led organization with opportunities for your growth and contributions.
• Wonderful Christian peers and a vibrant student population.
• Free Fitness Center membership.
• Free parking.
• Employee benefits.

We invite you to Be Known at Oregon's Nationally Recognized Christian University!

George Fox has been transforming student lives for over 125 years.

Each day we look to broaden our future for generations to come.

We have alumni from 52 countries and all 50 states.

We invite you to become a steward of our dreams using your God-given gifts.

**This position is subject to close at any time, regardless of the date on the posting.

Current Openings for Director of Idea Center Jobs at George Fox University - Staff and Administrator