Assistant Director of Career Services

Reynolds is one of the largest community colleges in Virginia and serves Virginia’s capital city and five nearby counties. Annually, our four campus sites serve approximately 13,000 credit students and provide training for 7,400 students through the Community College Workforce Alliance. Reynolds is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse, culturally competent staff at all levels of the organization who reflect the demographics of our students. We also believe in providing an ongoing investment in our faculty and staff to deepen their skills and competencies to serve the full range of our student population.
The Assistant Director of Career Services provides operational leadership and oversight for two dynamic, student-centered Career Connect Centers that serve both academic and workforce development populations at Reynolds Community College and CCWA. This pivotal role ensures the seamless delivery of high-impact services that foster career exploration, strengthen job readiness, and enhance employment outcomes throughout the student journey.
Reporting to the Director of Career Services, the Assistant Director is responsible for managing day-to-day operations and coordinating cross-functional staff that support the two Career Connect Centers. The position supports the promotion of student belonging and purpose by leading efforts to strengthen the integration of career services within academic pathways, and cultivate employer and community partnerships that expand access to experiential learning and career advancement opportunities.
By driving innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, the Assistant Director contributes directly to the shared commitment of Reynolds and CCWA to student success, workforce readiness, and regional economic impact.
Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Career Center Oversight

• Provide operational leadership for comprehensive, integrated career centers serving diverse student populations across both credit and non-credit pathways.
• Streamline daily operations of the Career Connect Centers leading with a focus on mission and vision, goals tied to the strategic plan, ensuring impact on students through high-quality, student-centered service delivery.
• Coordinate daily operations of the Clothing Closet available to students receiving Career Services support including process for utilization, maintaining inventory, staffing, and promotion.
• Develop with Director and execute career development initiatives that promote exploration, planning, readiness, and experiential learning using tools such as Lightcast Career Coach, Strong Interest Inventory, Handshake, and Network2WorkRVA.
• Facilitate a student experience that fosters a sense of belonging, clarity of purpose, and career confidence through personalized support and engaging programming.

• Supervise an Employer Relations Specialist, administrative staff, and a part-time Career Readiness Specialist.
• Cultivate a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning through regular staff coaching, performance evaluation, and goal alignment.
• Support the Director with hiring, onboarding, and training efforts in collaboration with Human Resources.
• Implement cross-training strategies to build staff capacity in serving both academic and workforce development populations.

• With the support of the Employer Relations Specialist, collaborate with faculty, department chairs, and academic leadership to embed career readiness, experiential learning, and labor market-aligned competencies, as needed.
• With the support of the Career Readiness Specialist, coordinate delivery of classroom workshops, industry panels, employer presentations, and micro-internships that align with academic learning outcomes.
• Partner with academic and student affairs colleagues to advance Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) pathways and seamless transitions between CCWA and Reynolds credit programs.

• In conjunction with Employer Relations Specialist, plan, coordinate, and evaluate major career events such as career fairs, hiring events, employer spotlights, and sector-specific panels and tours.
• Coordinate process and delivery of the four core service areas in the Career Connect Centers: Career Exploration & Planning, Career Readiness, Experiential Learning, and Employer Engagement.

• Oversee implementation, coordination, and utilization of career services platforms for career exploration, resume building, internship and job placement, and connection to community resources. These may include platforms such as Handshake and Lightcast Career Coach.
• Work with the Career Coaches to ensure use of Navigate case management platform is integrated into the operations processes.

• Partner with colleagues in Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and CCWA to ensure coordinated, holistic student support and collaboration with work-based learning opportunities.
• With the support of the Employer Relations Specialist, develop relationships with regional employers that will provide opportunities work-based learning, internships, and employment for students.
• In conjunction with the marketing staff, support initiatives to promote services, events, and employer partnerships across all campuses and platforms.
• Engage in professional development activities to stay current on national trends, best practices, and innovations in career services and workforce development.

May be required to perform other duties as assigned. May be required to assist the agency or state government generally in the event of an emergency declaration by the Governor.

• Bachelor’s degree in counseling, higher education, workforce development, human services, or a related field.
• Minimum five years of progressive experience in career services, student success, or workforce programming.
• Experience supporting college students pursuing academic (credit) programs.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and coach teams, coordinate multi-functional services, and manage daily operations.
• Knowledge of career development tools, labor market data, and student engagement practices.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills with a student-centered and equity-focused mindset.
• Proficiency in data-informed decision-making and Career Services technology platforms such as Handshake, Navigate, and Lightcast Career Coach.

• Master’s degree in counseling, higher education leadership, public administration, or related discipline.
• Experience managing integrated academic/workforce career service programs or cross-sector partnerships.
• Familiarity with community college environments and employer engagement strategies.
• Experience working with under-resourced populations including the underemployed and unemployed.
• Experience with CRM platforms and data analytics for student support services.

The selected candidate’s offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background investigation, which may include: fingerprint checks, local agency checks, employment verification, verification of education, credit checks (relevant to employment). Additionally, selected candidates may be required to complete the Commonwealth’s Statement of Economic Interest. For more information, please follow this link:  http://ethics.dls.virginia.gov/

VCCS uses E-Verify to check employee eligibility to work in the United States. You will be required to complete an I-9 form and provide documentation of your identity for employment purposes.