Director of the Bracken Center for Academic & Career Engagement

Director of the Bracken Center for Academic & Career Engagement

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Working Title: Director of the Bracken Center for Academic & Career Engagement

Brief Position Overview:

The Director provides leadership to the Bracken Center, managing and growing the College’s communication, internship/career mentoring, job placement, and student professional development services. This person works closely with students, faculty, staff, the Jabs leadership team, and the University’s Career, Internship & Student Employment Services office, and reports to the Jabs Assistant Dean.

Position Number: 4C5266

Department: Jabs Office of the Dean

Division: College of Business

Appointment Type: Professional

Contract Term: Fiscal Year

FLSA: Exempt

Union Affiliation: Exempt from Collective Bargaining

FTE: 1.0

Salary: $65,000 - $70,000 commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

Recruitment Type: Open

General Statement:

The Jake Jabs College of Business & Entrepreneurship (Jabs) places a strong emphasis on developing students’ professional and communication skills as part of its curriculum. A key resource in achieving this is the Gary K. Bracken Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Business Education, which provides dedicated services to support these essential areas of student growth.

The Bracken Center is the College’s one-stop shop for students seeking resources related to internships, post-graduation job opportunities, career mentoring, professional development, and communications coaching.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership, Program Development & Implementation:

• Directing the Jabs Bracken Center, managing a team of approximately 4 part-time coaches (equivalent to 2.0 FTE), including hiring, onboarding, training, and scheduling.
• Directing the College’s internship program, serving as the instructor of record for Jabs students earning internship credit, collaborating with students to identify suitable placements, tracking progress, providing feedback, guiding reflective learning, and assigning grades.
• Managing the College Ambassador Program, including recruiting, training, and supervising student ambassadors.
• Collaborating with colleagues across the College to grow and improve student retention and engagement programming.

Employer Engagement:

• Developing and managing strategic partnerships with employers and industry partners to secure high-quality internships and job placements.
• Developing, executing, and assessing employer recruiting and professional development events/programming for business students.

Student Coaching:

• Providing individualized coaching to students on strategies for enhancing career readiness, including resume development, interview preparation, and networking techniques.

Database Management & Program Assessment:

• Collecting, managing, and analyzing data on internship placements, job outcomes, and coaching appointment usage.

Budget Oversight:

• Managing the Bracken Center budget, including tracking expenditures and ensuring compliance with college and university policies.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Education, Counseling, Communications or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in career services, higher education administration, or a related field.
• Proficiency with Excel and/or other database tools.
• Experience in student services or career placement.
• Experience managing budgets.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Business, Education, Counseling, Communications, or related field.
• Experience in business or management.
• Event planning and/or project management experience.
• Experience with web-based scheduling software.

The Successful Candidate Will:

• Be self-driven, showing initiative and good judgement.
• Provide leadership by modeling professionalism and ethical behavior.
• Be responsive, coordinating many tasks to meet deadlines.
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills to build positive relationships.
• Utilize a growth mindset when facing development opportunities.
• Respond positively to difficult situations.
• Demonstrate professional written and verbal communication skills.
• Work collaboratively in a team-oriented college culture.

Position Special Requirements:

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.

Physical Demands:

The Director must be available to work occasional evenings and travel to professional development conferences.

Number of Vacancies: 1

Desired Start Date: Upon completion of a successful search.

Applications will be: Screening of applications will begin on November 1, 2024 , but applications will continue until an adequate applicant pool is established.

Special Instructions:

EEO Statement: Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of protected class status.

Required Documents:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Optional Documents:

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).