Assistant Director of Career and Professional Development

Location: Hickory, North Carolina

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Career and Professional Development supports the Alex Lee Career and Professional Development Center by providing career advising, developing and implementing career-related programs and workshops, and fostering meaningful connections among students, alumni, employers, faculty and community partners. Through a special emphasis on vocational discernment, purpose exploration, and career readiness, this role helps students and alumni connect their strengths, values, interests and sense of calling with meaningful academic, professional and life pathways.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one career advising and coaching to students and alumni, including career exploration, vocational discernment, career assessment interpretation, résumé and cover letter reviews, interview preparation, job and graduate school search strategies and professional goal setting.
• Guide students in exploring the intersection of strengths, interests, values, purpose, identity and career aspirations, helping them discern meaningful pathways for work, leadership and experiences.
• Develop and facilitate workshops, programs and reflection experiences focused on career development, vocational discernment, life design, purpose exploration, professional identity and career readiness.
• Support students in connecting academic experiences, leadership roles, service opportunities, campus involvement and work experiences to long-term career and vocational goals.
• Promote student engagement in career development throughout the college experience, encouraging intentional reflection on learning, purpose and future aspirations.
• Assist with conducting partnership inventories and identifying opportunities for new strategic collaborations that advance student success and strengthen the university's connections throughout the region.
• Assist with facilitating career fairs, networking events, employer information sessions, alumni panels and other initiatives that connect students with professionals and career opportunities.
• Assist in tracking student engagement, career development outcomes and post-graduation outcomes to support institutional goals, strategic planning, accreditation, and reporting efforts.
• Utilize technology and data analytics to assess program effectiveness, identify emerging student needs, strengthen outcomes and inform strategic decision-making.
• Stay current on emerging trends and best practices in career development, vocational psychology, student engagement, employer relations, workforce readiness and higher education.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• One to three years of experience in career development, higher education, student affairs, workforce development, counseling or a related field.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, facilitation and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with technology and data platforms and the ability to learn new systems and assessment tools.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, student-centered environment.
• Strong organizational, project-management, customer-service and time-management skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to helping others with their career development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in counseling, human resources or a related field.
• Experience developing and maintaining strategic partnerships with employers, nonprofit organizations, community agencies, alumni or regional stakeholders.
• Familiarity with Handshake, career assessment tools, vocational discernment models, life design frameworks, strengths-based approaches and student development theory.
• Demonstrated ability to foster engagement, belonging, collaboration and meaningful connections among diverse groups of students and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of employer engagement, event planning, social media outreach and career development programming.
• Understanding of how experiential learning, leadership development, community engagement and academic experiences contribute to career and vocational development.

Application Process

While completing the application, candidates will be prompted to submit:

The university’s mission, vision, and values statements may be reviewed using About LR.

Lenoir-Rhyne University promotes a welcoming campus environment that is integral to the university's commitment to excellence in engagement and education. We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated experience nurturing a welcoming community, working with faculty, staff and/or students from all walks of life and/or incorporating varied perspectives and traditions in their current or previous positions. This commitment is rooted in our Lutheran tradition of fostering wisdom, nurturing vocation and preparing students for lives of purpose while serving the common good.

About Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private, comprehensive institution founded in 1891, with its traditional campus located in Hickory, North Carolina, a city of more than 40,000. The university has additional graduate centers in Asheville, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lenoir- Rhyne is less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 365,000. The university now offers more than 45 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs to approximately 2,400 students. Lenoir-Rhyne University seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build community, and promote responsible leadership for service to the world. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne is open to people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy

Lenoir-Rhyne University is committed to providing a workplace and educational environment, as well as other benefits, programs, and activities that are free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

LR is committed to creating a safe campus environment for all members of the LR community, including, but not limited to, those who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming. To that end, LR does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including sex stereotypes and sex characteristics), ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable law.

To ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws and regulations and to affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational program, activity and employment, LR has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair and impartial process for those involved in an allegation of discrimination or harassment, and for allegations of retaliation.

LR values and upholds the equal dignity of all members of its community and strives to balance the rights of the parties in the grievance process during what is often a difficult time for all those involved.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.