Senior Director, Doctoral & Postdoctoral Life Design
At Johns Hopkins University, we are driven by an ambitious goal: to empower our doctoral and postdoctoral scholars to navigate their careers with purpose and confidence. The Doctoral Life Design Studio embodies this vision as a dynamic, future-focused hub where scholars can explore diverse career possibilities, forge lasting connections, and utilize innovative tools to thrive in academic and non-academic arenas.
Life Design at Hopkins goes beyond traditional career development; it is a transformative process that nurtures curiosity, fosters growth, and opens doors to new opportunities. The Department of PHutures is seeking a Senior Director, Doctoral & Postdoctoral Life Design.
As the Senior Director, you will play a pivotal role in realizing this vision, ensuring that the Studio serves not only as a resource hub but also as a catalyst for meaningful personal and professional development. Your leadership will cultivate an environment that empowers scholars to actively design their futures with intention and impact.
In this role, reporting to the Assistant Vice Provost for Integrative Learning and Life Design, you will lead a dedicated team committed to transforming the career trajectories of all our doctoral and postdoctoral scholars. This position requires a blend of strategic vision and operational excellence to ensure that our Life Design offerings consistently meet and exceed the evolving needs of the academic community.
You will collaborate closely with university leadership, faculty, staff, and alumni to design and implement innovative programs, digital platforms, and impactful events that equip scholars with the clarity and confidence to navigate their professional futures. Your oversight will encompass a comprehensive portfolio of services aligned with the university’s mission to prepare scholars for careers that create lasting, real-world impact both within and beyond academia.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
- Partner closely with the Assistant Vice Provost (AVP) to shape and execute the strategic vision for career education and Life Design initiatives.
- Collaborate with deans, faculty, and university leadership across JHU, particularly within the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, Engineering, and Arts & Sciences, to seamlessly integrate Life Design principles into academic programs and institutional planning.
- Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team of Life Design professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.
- Provide personalized coaching and support to team members, facilitating their professional growth and leadership development.
- Set clear, ambitious goals for the team, implement measurable performance metrics, and conduct regular progress assessments to drive accountability and excellence.
- Drive operational efficiency by aligning team efforts with institutional objectives and implementing strategies to optimize processes and enhance productivity.
- Ensure consistency in leadership practices and service delivery across all areas of responsibility.
- Represent Johns Hopkins University on internal and external committees, and at local, regional, and national conferences, workshops, and thought leadership forums.
- Spearhead the design, implementation, and continuous refinement of cutting-edge career programs, workshops, and curricula tailored to the diverse needs of doctoral and postdoctoral scholars.
- Lead a comprehensive strategy for Doctoral and Postdoctoral Life Design programs, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and scholar needs.
- Direct the evolution and expansion of existing career curriculums, maintaining compliance with grant requirements and PhD program objectives.
- Integrate modules across all programs that enhance scholars' essential skills and prepare them for diverse career paths.
- Develop and implement skills and career-focused programs that result in tangible, application-ready deliverables and materials for learners.
- Ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are woven into all program designs to foster a truly inclusive environment.
- Lead the execution of career and identity-based conferences, such as Horizons by Hopkins and Black and Latinx events.
- Seek, cultivate, and nurture partnerships with industry experts, thought leaders, alumni, and renowned research entities.
- Oversee, enhance, and expand signature programs, including the Empower Your Pitch research communication contest, grant writing modules, and career resiliency workshops.
- Develop new, forward-thinking programs that address emerging needs in the job market and scholarly community.
- Collaborate with faculty and academic leadership to integrate career education into the curriculum.
- Stay abreast of emerging trends in career development and the job market.
- Explore and implement innovative program delivery methods, including virtual reality, gamification, and AI-assisted learning.
- Implement effective project management practices to ensure timely execution, meet deadlines, and optimize resource allocation.
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s Degree required in a related field.
- Three years of related work experience.
- Experience serving diverse populations of doctoral or postdoctoral trainees.
- Demonstrated understanding of nationally recognized practices for university career and life design.
- Leadership experience in developing strategic partnerships.
- Knowledge of highly selective college or R1 university settings.
- Familiarity with the operations of employers.
Preferred Qualifications
- PhD or equivalent terminal Degree.
- Five to ten years of senior leadership experience in career services or professional development within higher education.
- Expertise in doctoral and postdoctoral career development.
- Experience conducting needs assessments and market research.
- Experience managing budgets and resources.
Classified Title: Director Professional & Career Development
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Senior Director, Doctoral & Postdoctoral Life Design
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/MG
Starting Salary Range: $87,400 - $152,900 Annually (Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: M-F 8:30am-5pm
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: Hybrid/Homewood Campus
Department name: PHutures
Personnel area: University Student Services