Director, Professional & Personal Development, Villanova University

Posted by Villanova University on November 30, 2021

The Director, Professional & Personal Development manages and leads the development and delivery of professional and personal development programs for students and alumni of the University, including providing direct career & professional advising. The Director will collaborate across an ecosystem of career and professional development staff members in Villanova’s Schools and Colleges to deliver integrated and innovative experiential opportunities for students and alumni. This includes delivering workshops, developing and administering events in collaboration with faculty & staff across the University, and developing & managing relationships with faculty who have specific subject matter expertise for a variety of topics related to personal and professional development. The successful individual will identify opportunities to provide self-paced or instructor-led education on topics like personal finance, negotiating, technology skills, strengths-based development, and more in partnership with the College of Professional Studies and additional units around the University ( UNIT , VITAL , Office of Online Programs). The Director, Professional & Personal Development will also lead efforts to ensure the successful administration of funds for student experiences that enhance their professional and personal development.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Develop and lead University programs designed to offer students and alumni professional and personal development, including covering concepts such as personal finance, negotiating, technology skills, strengths-based development, etc., identifying areas of the University where education and faculty expertise exist.
• Coordinate events with career and professional development staff across the Career Center and Schools & Colleges where there are opportunities for collaboration. Enhance and expand offerings, and manage projects related to developing these initiatives.
• Provide leadership of the University’s use of LinkedIn Learning and efforts within the Ignite Your Strengths initiative.
• Counsel and coach students and alumni on career & professional development topics such as job search strategies, upskilling in industry-relevant areas, obtaining admission to graduate programs, and successfully managing life after graduation.
• Create and present skill-building workshops on subjects aligned with the needs identified by students, employers, and the university.
• Develop content for website, handouts and promotional materials based on industry trends and feedback from employers and graduate program admissions officers.
• Working in collaboration with the Office of Financial Assistance, University Advancement, and campus partners, lead efforts to ensure the successful administration of funds for student experiences that enhance their professional and personal development.
• Manage the ongoing development of a student experience fund application and convene meetings of relevant university stakeholders, including faculty and staff across the Schools & Colleges, to provide support, resources, and ideas for managing their funds.
• Perform additional duties and assist with special projects as assigned.

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