Description
Envision yourself in a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative work environment that has a deep commitment to position our graduates for success in their professional and personal lives. Visualize applying your energy and skills for an organization that respects and cares about its employees enough to offer some of the best benefits of the industry while encouraging every team member to grow, collaborate, and provide input on how to consistently make the workplace a place people love to work. Imagine working at a college that welcomes everyone — students, faculty, staff, and community members — regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or traditions. If what was just described is what you look for in a workplace, welcome to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS)!

This position will assist the director and career center team in the delivery of services of a comprehensive career services program for students and alumni.  This position will assist students and alumni on all career-related topics, including exploring majors and careers through a life design lens and philosophy, internship and job-search related coaching and graduate school preparation via direct, individual coaching and group programs. Also, the career coach will manage our responsive programming, including class presentations and internal departmental programming. Lastly, the career coach will own the marketing strategy in the office. Additional responsibilities as a collaborator include proactive programming led by others in the office and shared responsibility around employer relations.

Mission, Vision, Values for the Career Center

MISSION
The UCCS Career Center empowers all students and alumni to design their career journey through innovation.     

VISION
Our vision is to collaboratively create a career centered campus culture that inspires all students and alumni to navigate lifelong career choices and live their best lives.

VALUES
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion– We celebrate students of all identities as we strive to help individuals feel confident in their career decision making journey. We promote open and honest dialogues about how to make ourselves, our services, and our staff more inclusive.

Student and Alumni Focus– We dually treat all students and alumni as individuals along their career journey and have them at the forefront of every decision.

Growth– We facilitate development through career conversations while scaling the innovative work we do as a Career Center.

Innovation– We encourage outside of the box, progressive, original thinking around career and life design.

Connection– Acting as a catalyst for transformation, we thoughtfully weave together our UCCS community with the workforce to build robust partnerships.

Optimism– With a “glass half-full” mentality to our work, we value approaching everyday interactions with open-mindedness and a positive perspective while celebrating success.

Who We Are:

 

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system and is home to over 9,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students. UCCS offers 53 undergraduate degree programs, 24 graduate degree programs, and 8 doctoral programs. UCCS is also home to the world’s only Bachelor of InnovationTM program, which allows our graduates to master multi-disciplinary skills and graduate ready to create real change in the world. UCCS was recently classified as a “High Research Activity” university by the Carnegie Foundation and takes pride in being the only higher education institution in southern Colorado that explicitly includes research as part of its mission. We have a strong focus in fueling student success by creating, using, and maintaining a multitude of offices – First Year Experience, Excel Centers, Academic Advising, and the Career Center just to name a few. Overall, UCCS is constantly focused of preparing our students to have success in the future, and we understand that every single employee on our campus has a significant effect on that focus.

The city, which was recently ranked as the number two Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report in 2022, known as Olympic City USA, rests at the base of Pikes Peak, the inspiration for the song “America the Beautiful” and a must-see for residents and visitors alike. The 14,115 foot summit is just one of dozens of area attractions, including scenic trains, museums, parks, a zoo and more. With a mild climate and 247 days of sunshine each year, the Springs boasts some of the state’s best recreation opportunities.

 

Job Duties:

• Career Coaching
  • Provide coaching to students and alumni in career planning skills, internship and job search strategies, and graduate school preparation

  • Assist students with resume and cover letter preparation and with interviewing techniques

  • Research career fields and industries as well as job market information and incorporate into career coaching appointments

• Career Exploration Coaching
  • Provide coaching to students and alumni who are exploring majors and careers

  • Work specifically with “deciding” students on career and life design planning

  • Adopt the life design philosophy across campus, which aims at innovating the way we help students plan their life

  • Administer and interpret assessment instruments and computerized career guidance systems as needed

  • Research career fields and industries as well as job market information and incorporate into career coaching and counseling appointments

• Responsive Student Programming
  • Aid in managing classroom presentation process for our office, including facilitating scheduling with faculty and delivering career presentation topics

  • Respond collaboratively with other campus departments who reach out to our department for specific career programming for targeted students

• Marketing
  • Develop marketing strategy in office

  • Manage social media and email marketing presence

  • Oversee and manage updates to our website and email marketing platform run by the uConnect virtual career center platform

• Support office through additional responsibilities:
  • Manage reactive employer relations for the office through coordinating and communicating with employers that recruit UCCS students and alumni that reach out to the office

  • Manage the Handshake software, which is a database of employers posting internships, jobs, and career events for campus

  • Provide support to team around proactive programming plan for office, including career exploration, career readiness, and career fair events hosted by department

  • Perform similar or related duties as assigned or required

Job Competencies:

• Understanding of career development theory required

• Must be able to communicate effectively with students, faculty, staff employers, and alumni and work collaboratively with other departments

• Must be self-motivated with the ability to work without close supervision

• Possess excellent customer service, organizational and motivational skills

• Demonstrate outstanding verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to multi-task and consistently meet established goals and deadlines

• Maintain professional appearance and manner and uphold the highest levels of professionalism and ethical conduct

• Exhibit comfort working with technology-based services and social media platforms

• Possess high level of counseling and interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations

• Establish strong research skills as they relate to job market knowledge

• Ability to adhere to all institutional policies and procedures and operate within state and federal statutes and regulations and within standards of professional career services organizations at all times

• Understand the need for some flexible working hours due to career events

Work Location: On-site

This position has been determined to be exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

What We Offer:

Salary Range: Generally starting at $40,858 - $52,093

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs offers excellent benefits, some of which include:

• Medical insurance, with the lowest cost option being $0 to the employee

• Dental, Vision, Life and Disability insurance

• Generous paid vacation and sick time accruals (14.67 hours of vacation and 10 hours of sick accrued per month, prorated if part-time)

• Mandatory retirement plans. Employees contribute 5% of their annual compensation. CU doubles that and contributes 10%

• Tuition Assistant Benefit available to you or a dependent

• Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of employment

• Off Campus Housing Resources

Tentative Search Timeline: 

• The potential dates for interviews with the search committee will be the week of 7/11/2022.

• The potential dates for interviews with the supervisor and appointing authority will be the week of 7/18/2022.

• The potential employee start date is between August 1 - 15 (additonal consideration may be made with supervisor approval). 

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is committed to providing a safe and productive learning, living and working community. To assist in achieving this goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial and/or motor vehicle history check.

UCCS is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, the University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation or political philosophy in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. Alternative formats of this ad can be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities by contacting the Office of Human Resources at (719) 255-3372.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the established essential functions and meet the physical and environment demands described satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, ability, physical and environmental conditions required of the employee on the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, physical and environmental demands.

Applicants with disabilities: If you have a mental or physical impairment, which limits one of your major life activities (e.g. walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, or learning) and require special accommodations for testing or interviewing, it is your responsibility to notify the office scheduling the interview or test at least 3 working days before the interview or test date.  If you need special accommodations at the work site, you must notify the appointing authority or Human Resources.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work.

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required

• 1 year of experience of advising, teaching, and/or coaching students

• 1 year of experience in event and program planning

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in career counseling, counseling, higher education, or related degree

• 1-2 years’ of experience in career services or corporate recruiting

• Coursework or knowledge of career development theory

• 1 year of experience working with one or more of the following populations: student veteran or military affiliated students, students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ students, or underrepresented students

• Experience with marketing strategies, including but not limited to social media, email campaigns, and website update and development

• 1 year of experience managing external relationships with clients

• Experience with career-related software (e.g., Handshake or other Career Management software, Applicant Tracking Systems, etc.)    

 Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit.  Employee is occasionally required to move. Tasks may involve using a computer screen continuously for long periods of time. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.  

Job Category: Student Services
Primary Location: Colorado Springs
Schedule: Full-time
Posting Date: Jun 9, 2022
Unposting Date: Ongoing