Operational Readiness Specialist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Posting Details
Position Information
Posting Number
S000976
Position Title
Internship Coordinator & Career Readiness Specialist
Department
Center for Career and Professional Development
Division
Academic Affairs
Supervisor Title
Executive Director, Center for Career and Professional Development
Status
Full Time Regular
Salary Range
$50,000 - $57,000
Position Summary
The Internship Coordinator & Career Readiness Specialist within the North Central College Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) supports the College's commitment to career readiness by coordinating the administration of credit-bearing internships and advancing institutional cocurricular assessment efforts. The position is responsible for overseeing internship processes and policies, supporting assessment of the All-College Career Readiness Requirement (ACR), collaborating on career outcomes initiatives, maintaining accurate internship and assessment data, and providing data-informed insights that support continuous improvement, institutional planning, and student success.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Internship Coordinator & Career Readiness Specialist will serve as a member of the CCPD professional staff, supporting students, employers, and faculty in further advancing all career readiness efforts at North Central College. The successful candidate will oversee the administration of credited internship opportunities, supporting students, faculty, and employers throughout the internship approval process for experiences completed both in fulfillment of the ACR and independently of the requirement. The Internship Coordinator & Career Readiness Specialist is tasked with advancing experiential learning and student development in conjunction with students' curricular experiences.
Description of Key Responsibilities

1. Serve as the College's primary contact for all matters related to internships, including policies, procedures, and best practices, while leading the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of internship processes, resources, and documentation.
2. Oversee student internship approvals and ensure internship experiences meet institutional and Career Readiness Requirement standards. The successful candidate will be expected communicate with students through stages of the process via Handshake, email, and in person.
3. Provide student and administrative support for the ongoing implementation and execution of the All-College Career Readiness Requirement (ACR).
4. Assess the effectiveness of the ACR in collaboration with the Executive Director and Assistant Provost and recommend improvements.
5. Collect and use student feedback to continuously improve and innovate career center offerings.
6. Host and facilitate workshops and informational sessions to help students pursue internships opportunities and the ACR.
7. Support the Executive Director in engaging students and alumni with the First Destination Survey and Reporting to gather post-graduation outcomes and insights on behalf of the College.
8. Collaborate with faculty, campus partners, and the Executive Director to develop assessment strategies that demonstrate the impact of career readiness initiatives.
9. Respond to institutional requests for career outcomes, assessment, and internship data while ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
10. Maintain accurate records and implement quality assurance practices for internship, career outcomes, and assessment data.
11. Conduct one-on-one career coaching appointments and support regular drop-in hours with students as needed to support departmental operations during peak demand periods on topics including career exploration, networking, interview preparation, internship and job search, graduate school planning, and other career-related needs.
12. Partner with the Associate Director of Employer Relations to expand and strengthen internship opportunities for students.
13. Serve as a member of the College Career Consortium of Illinois (CCCI) and assume leadership positions as directed.
14. Perform other related duties and tasks as appropriately assigned.

To execute these duties successfully, the Internship Coordinator & Career Readiness Specialist must be able to work well with all constituents, including students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and employers. The Internship Coordinator & Career Readiness Specialist must be an enthusiastic and highly-visible spokesperson for the College both on- and off-campus. The Internship Coordinator & Career Readiness Specialist will represent the College and CCPD at professional meetings and conferences, actively participating in local, regional, and national associations to stay current with industry trends and best practices. This position will require occasional work outside of normal business hours and days, including attendance at evening and weekend events as needed. Travel, including local and regional site visits, and national conference/association participation, is also expected.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

1. Ability to perform administrative functions with a high degree of ethics, integrity and professionalism. This includes the ability to organize, manage and maintain highly confidentiality electronic and written communication, being mindful of sensitive information and FERPA laws.
2. Articulates an understanding of societal trust placed in the program professions and the relationship-based vision of the program.
3. Ability to continuously demonstrate outstanding interpersonal skills in dealing with faculty, staff, students and with others, both on the telephone and in person. Ability to work cooperatively with others and capacity to work independently.
4. Ability to communicate in the English language, both orally and in writing, with particular emphasis on the ability to produce documents that are attractively and professionally formatted and present proper spelling, grammatical usage and punctuation.
5. Effectively use the most advanced version of word processing, Excel spreadsheet and database software, PowerPoint, administrative computing system and content management system software for webpage development and maintenance. This includes a willingness to explore new technological solutions to office needs and to anticipate new ways of supporting strategic goals.
6. Ability to manage multiple activities concurrently in a high-volume environment, to continually monitor their status and to prioritize activities so that deadlines are met, and overall office effectiveness is maximized. These characteristics require an individual who is well-organized, detail oriented and flexible.
7. Knowledge of the College's mission, organization, operation, performance expectations, and culture, including a strong grasp of the "big picture" and details required of maintaining an accredited program.

Distinguishing Characteristics
The Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD) is a comprehensive career center serving North Central students as they navigate all aspects of their personal and professional career journey. The CCPD team also assists employers and external stakeholders to connect with our campus and recruit talent for internships and jobs. The CCPD team collaborates with faculty members to integrate career content into their curricular experiences. The CCPD plays a critical and visible role on North Central's campus and in the broader community.
Strategically aligned with the Division of Academic Affairs, the CCPD is predominantly student-focused with insights in sustaining and advancing strategic partnerships with faculty, staff, employers, alumni, and various other stakeholders. In fall 2022, the College launched a four-credit-hour All-College Career Readiness Requirement (ACR) for all undergraduate students that will include a two credit-hour career-prep course and a complementary two credit-hour field-based career readiness experience. To support this college-wide requirement, the CCPD team has built and delivered career activities, online modules and resources for faculty members to effectively integrate career readiness into their curricular experiences. The Internship Coordinator & Career Readiness Specialist will play an important role in continued innovation of career readiness curricular content and the advancement of cross-campus collaborations with academic departments, faculty, and student support staff.
Education/Training
Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred.
Experience
1 - 2 year(s) of experience in higher education, career services, academic advising, student affairs, assessment, institutional research, data analysis, or a related field.
Licenses or Certifications
Is This a Temporary Position?
No
Employment Conditions
An offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of the College's background screening process.
Number of Vacancies
1
Posting Detail Information
EEO Statement
North Central College is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce. NCC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify the Office of Human Resources. Determinations for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Close Date
Open Until Filled
Yes
Additional Information
The pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors including (but not limited to) the candidate's experience, qualifications, and training.
North Central College provides a comprehensive benefits package, which includes:

• All-inclusive medical, dental and vision group insurance
• Health and dependent care savings plans
• Employer-paid life, AD&D and disability group insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contributions
• Employee assistance plan resources
• Tuition waiver for full-time employees, spouse and dependent children
• Generous paid time off plans, including 3 weeks vacation to start
• 15 paid holidays per year, including 5 days during NCC Winter Break
• Free access to campus health center, fitness and athletic facilities, and library