Associate Director, Career and Professional Development Advising

Engineering a world of possibilities

The transition from student to professional is integral to the success of Mines graduates and to the mission of Mines as an institution. The Associate Director of Career and Professional Development Advising fulfills the mission to maximize professional development of students and recent graduates at Mines, to oversee first destination employment outcomes, and to supervise the delivery of career and professional development advising and programming.

The Associate Director leads the design, coordination, and continuous improvement of advising services, professional development resources, and institution wide programming, supervising the delivery of career and professional development advising while guiding curriculum, resource development, and a cohesive strategy for workshops, events, and engagement initiatives. The role also oversees the production of comprehensive graduate outcome surveys and the annual first destination report, ensuring data accuracy, accessibility, and strategic use in institutional planning.

Central to this leadership is the strategic integration and advancement of Professional Advantage, the Vallejo Irvine Program (VIP) for Professional Development, and Mines’ broader professional development ecosystem, ensuring these initiatives collectively deliver high impact, inclusive, and scalable professional development experiences that meet the evolving needs of Mines’ diverse student population.

Through data driven decision making, cross campus collaboration, strong professional staff supervision skills, and a commitment to professional development, the Associate Director strengthens Mines’ capacity to prepare students for graduate school, industry roles, entrepreneurial ventures, and emerging fields. This leadership position plays a critical role in shaping the professional readiness of Mines graduates and elevating the visibility and impact of Professional Advantage, VIP, and all Career Center professional development and career\-readiness initiatives across campus.

This is a full\-time, 12\-month professional exempt position.

NOTE: this Position may be eligible for occasional hybrid work, following a training period and subject to Leadership approval at that time.Primary ResponsibilitiesStrategic and operational leadership with professional development programs

Provides leadership in managing programs, directing initiatives, and setting strategic goals that deliver career guidance, professional development, and job‑search support to all students and recent graduates, ensuring equitable access to high‑quality advising services.

• Oversees the scheduling and delivery of individual and group advising—both appointment‑based and drop‑in—to support instruction in career exploration, résumé and CV development, cover and thank‑you letter writing, interview preparation, offer negotiation, and other essential job‑search competencies.
• Leads and advances key professional development initiatives, including Professional Advantage, the Second‑Year Signature Experience, and the Vallejo‑Irvine Program (VIP), ensuring alignment with institutional goals and student needs.
• Instructs students and recent graduates on the use of the online recruiting system and communicates Career Center policies and procedures to support effective engagement with services.
• Supports the continued execution and expansion of Career Center academic courses, including CSM250: Engineering Your Career Path, and CSM550: Navigating Career Success, ensuring courses are high quality and relevant.
• Designs, schedules, and delivers presentations and career‑related workshops for current students, prospective students, and graduates, contributing to a comprehensive professional development ecosystem.
• Maintains a small caseload of student advisees, providing individualized career, job‑search, and professional development advising.

Data management and Reporting Responsibilities

• Leads the strategic design, implementation, and continuous improvement of all first‑destination data collection and analysis efforts, including developing outreach plans, managing data workflows, and establishing staff goals, timelines, and performance benchmarks.
• Partners closely with the Office of Institutional Research and Strategic Analytics to maintain and enhance Tableau‑based outcomes dashboards, and provides training to Career Center staff and campus stakeholders to ensure effective use of data tools.
• Supervises data entry processes and oversees the generation of statistics measuring student engagement and post‑graduation outcomes, including part‑time technical roles, summer positions, cooperative education, full‑time employment, graduate school enrollment, and continuing education.
• Produces annual and one‑year follow‑up reports on post‑graduation survey results, including detailed salary analyses and trend summaries.
• Serves as the operational lead, in collaboration with the Director, for Career Center software systems supporting professional development, advising, and data management; evaluates, implements, and maintains vendor solutions to ensure optimal functionality.
• Contributes to the development of the Career Center Annual Report by providing accurate, comprehensive data and narrative content related to first‑destination outcomes and advising engagement.
• Responds to internal and external requests for employment and outcomes information, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and alignment with institutional reporting standards.
• Collects and analyzes program data, preparing periodic and ad hoc reports to support decision‑making, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Maintains program records and statistical information related to graduate employment outcomes and program effectiveness.

Supervision and Administrative Oversight

• Provides thoughtful, intentional supervision of the Assistant Director for Career and Professional Development and the Career and Professional Development Advisors, ensuring high‑quality delivery of Mines Career Center programs and services to students, graduates, and campus stakeholders.
• Oversees all aspects of staff supervision including hiring, evaluation, professional development, and, when necessary and with appropriate approvals, termination, while offering guidance, coaching, and support that fosters staff growth and long‑term professional success.
• Exercises administrative oversight of transactional and fiscal responsibilities associated with the Associate Director role and supervised positions, including management of the area budget, personal P‑Card, budget projections, and reconciliation in collaboration with the Career Center Administrative Assistant.

Support of Career Center Efforts and Other Duties as assigned

• Serves as a key member of the Career Center leadership team, contributing to the strategic development, growth, and execution of Career Center priorities and initiatives, including providing meaningful support for major efforts such as Career Days.
• Assumes Director‑level responsibilities when needed, representing the Career Center at meetings, stewarding delegated projects, and ensuring continuity of leadership; such delegation is based on capacity and is not intended to be indefinite.
• Actively participates in Student Life and broader Mines community, attending relevant meetings, engaging in cross‑campus initiatives, volunteering when appropriate, and ensures involvement in campus‑wide programming and service from direct supervisees.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in student affairs, career development or counseling, college student personnel, higher education administration, or related field from an accredited institution of higher education.
• Five to seven years’ experience advising students and graduates on career development and job searching techniques.
• Two to five years’ experience developing, supervising, and evaluating professional staff.
• Experience with coordinating and organizing workshops, meetings and events.
• Significant experience in using university data systems and database applications for data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Proven skills in organizing resources and establishing priorities; ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Demonstrated presentation skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills, works effectively with postsecondary staff and faculty.
• Knowledge of laws and regulations as applicable to the employment recruitment of interns, co\-ops and new graduates.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in gathering data, compiling and analyzing information, and preparing reports from systems such as Symplicity, Banner, Cognos, or another comparable systems.
• Significant experience in the supervision and training of student employees, including organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
• Experience in coordinating and organizing classroom instruction and staffing.
• Experience working directly with undergraduate and graduate level engineering, business, and/or technology students.
• Knowledge of NACE university recruiting principles and procedures.

Salary and Benefits72,000 \- 80,000 annual salary

Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week\-long winter break for entire campus.
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human\-resources/benefits.How to Apply

Complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status)

• Upload a resume or CV
• Upload a cover letter

Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

This posting may be used to fill more than one vacancy based on business needs.

References will not be contacted until later in the selection process and you will be informed before that contact is made.

Application review will begin April 20, 2026\. This posting will remain open until filled and may close without notice. For best consideration, apply by April 19 at 11:59 p.m. as applications received after that date may not be reviewed.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position. About Mines \& Golden, CO

When the world looks for answers, the world looks to Mines.

Colorado School of Mines is a top\-ranked public university solving the grand challenges facing our society, particularly those related to the Earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have continually expanded to meet the needs of industry and society. Today, we are the No. 36 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2025\).

Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds.

At the same time, Mines faculty members are pushing their fields in new directions, whether that’s manufacturing, space resources, quantum engineering, carbon capture or more. Mines was recently classified as a R1 “Very High Activity” research institution by Carnegie, a notable feat for any university but particularly one of our size.

That size – roughly 8,200 undergraduate and graduate students – also translates to a close\-knit campus community, where employees have opportunities to get involved in multiple ways, continued professional learning is valued and everyone can make an impact.

Community Alliance groups bring together employees for professional development, networking, and community involvement, and all Mines employees also have access to the wealth of activities happening every day on campus – nationally\-renowned speakers, special events and Mines traditions like Engineering Days, just to name a few.

And don’t get us started on our hometown. We are located in the heart of Golden, Colorado \-with its charming historic downtown and nearby hiking trails – and in close proximity to all that Denver and the Rocky Mountains have to offer. That includes the sunny, high\-altitude climate and outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities that make the Denver area an ideal place to live, work and play.

Are you looking for an inspiring, mission\-driven workplace where you can contribute to solving the world’s problems and educating the next generation of change makers? Are you an individual who values a community where our individual perspectives and experiences enrich the educational and work experience?

Look to Mines.Additional Information and Reasonable Accommodation Requests

It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at hr@mines.edu or 303\.273\.3250 for assistance.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.

Equal Opportunity

Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses.

Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a talented student body and workforce.

Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequality or concerns for safety.*Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting*