Executive Director- Career & Experiential Learning

Job Description

The Career & Experiential Learning Center has an outstanding opportunity for an Executive Director- Career & Experiential Learning to join their team.

About this Opportunity:

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean for Student Success, the Executive Director- Career & Experiential Learning provides strategic leadership for UW Bothell's integrated Career & Experiential Learning Center and is responsible for advancing a campus-wide vision in which academic learning and real-world experience are inseparable. This position leads the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of career development and experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for meaningful careers, civic engagement, and lifelong learning.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership, Organizational Development, and Resource Management — 35%

• Serve as the senior administrative leader for the Career & Experiential Learning Center and provide vision, strategy, direction, and accountability for the center's campus-wide mission and operations.

• Lead implementation of the recommendations contained within the Transforming Experiential Learning and Career Development Steering Committee report.

• Establish and continually refine the strategic vision, priorities, organizational structures, operating model, goals, assessment plans, and performance measures for the integrated center.

• Lead the continued integration of Career Services and Connected Learning, including organizational design, role clarification, process alignment, culture development, communication, and change management.

• Develop and maintain organizational structures that balance functional expertise with strong relationships and accountability to UW Bothell's schools and academic programs.

• Direct approximately $1.8 million in operating resources and approximately $560,000 in endowed and unrestricted gift resources; establish priorities for resource allocation and ensure responsible stewardship of financial resources.

• Lead personnel strategy for approximately 11 professional staff and additional student employees, including recruitment, supervision, performance management, professional development, succession planning, and organizational capacity building.

• Establish a cohesive, inclusive, high-performing organizational culture grounded in shared purpose, accountability, innovation, collaboration, and student success.

• Develop annual work plans, organizational metrics, long-range strategies, and continuous-improvement processes.

• Assess existing programs, services, systems, and practices; identify opportunities to strengthen coordination, reduce duplication, improve effectiveness, and appropriately scale successful approaches.

• Provide strategic advice, analysis, and recommendations to academic and campus leadership regarding career and experiential learning priorities, organizational strategy, resource allocation, policy, and institutional practices.

• Represent the center and its priorities in institutional planning and decision-making processes.

Faculty Engagement, Curriculum Integration, and Academic Partnerships — 25%

• Lead institution-wide strategies to integrate career development, career readiness, and experiential learning more intentionally into the curriculum and broader student experience.

• Build and sustain productive relationships with academic leaders, faculty, schools, academic programs, and faculty governance structures across UW Bothell's five schools.

• Identify and connect existing career and experiential learning practices across academic programs while developing sustainable approaches for broader curricular integration.

• Develop strategies and structures that reduce barriers to faculty participation and support faculty adoption of evidence-based experiential learning and career readiness practices.

• Establish and support faculty advisory and consultation structures for the Career & Experiential Learning Center.

• Collaborate with the Office of Faculty Success, Learning and Teaching Collaborative, schools, academic programs, and other partners to develop faculty development opportunities and resources.

• Support development of school-specific and campus-wide experiential learning goals, frameworks, practices, and initiatives.

• Promote evidence-based practices that strengthen student learning, career readiness, engagement, and post-graduation outcomes.

• Balance institution-wide coordination and scalability with the distinctive needs, priorities, and capacity of individual schools and academic programs.

• Exercise influence and build consensus across areas outside the position's direct supervisory authority to advance institutional goals for career and experiential learning.

External Partnerships, Employer Engagement, and Community Engagement — 20%

• Develop and implement a comprehensive institutional strategy for employer, alumni, industry, government, nonprofit, and community partnerships.

• Serve as a senior representative of UW Bothell in developing and maintaining strategic external relationships that advance student learning, career outcomes, workforce development, community engagement, and institutional priorities.

• Work collaboratively with Advancement, Government Relations, Community Engagement, academic schools and programs, and other campus partners to coordinate external engagement.

• Clarify relationship ownership and points of contact, reduce duplication, strengthen communication, and establish sustainable approaches to institutional partnership management.

• Establish systems for partnership tracking, stewardship, continuity, assessment, and information sharing.

• Cultivate strategic partnerships that expand internships, applied learning, research, community-based learning, mentoring, employment pathways, and other experiential opportunities.

• Develop mechanisms for connecting external partners more intentionally with academic programs, faculty, students, alumni, and institutional priorities.

• Assess the effectiveness and strategic value of external partnerships and make recommendations regarding future investment and development.

Student Career Development and Experiential Learning — 15%

• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, accessible, and equitable career development and experiential learning programs and services for undergraduate and graduate students.

• Establish strategic priorities for career preparation, internships, mentoring, experiential learning, career education, coaching, advising, and related student services.

• Advance equitable access to high-impact career and experiential learning opportunities, with particular attention to students who may face structural or financial barriers to participation.

• Oversee implementation of career readiness frameworks and assessment strategies that demonstrate student learning and post-graduation outcomes.

• Collaborate with Academic Advising, the Office of Student Academic Success, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, schools, and other student support units to create integrated pathways supporting student success.

• Use student voice, institutional data, assessment findings, research, and feedback from faculty and external partners to evaluate programs and guide continuous improvement.

• Establish scalable systems and practices that allow students, faculty, and staff to identify and navigate the career development and experiential learning resources available across UW Bothell.

Institutional Leadership and Service — 5%

• Serve on campus, tri-campus, and University committees and task forces as assigned, particularly those related to student success, workforce development, academic innovation, career readiness, experiential learning, and community engagement.

• Represent UW Bothell in regional and national professional organizations and with external partners.

• Participate in institutional planning and strategic initiatives and provide leadership on issues related to career development, experiential learning, workforce preparation, and student success.

• Develop and maintain professional networks that bring emerging practices, research, and external perspectives to UW Bothell.

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in higher education, student affairs, educational leadership, workforce development, public administration, business, counseling, or a related field.

• Seven years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education, experiential learning, career services, workforce development, community engagement, or a related fields.

• Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager.

Additional Qualifications:

• Demonstrated success leading complex organizational initiatives and change efforts.

• Experience supervising and developing professional staff.

• Demonstrated success building partnerships with faculty, employers, community organizations, and institutional leaders.

• Experience managing budgets and organizational resources.

• Strong understanding of experiential learning, career development, student success, and workforce readiness practices.

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and student success.

• Experience utilizing assessment and data-informed decision making.

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in a relevant field.

• Experience leading integrated career services and experiential learning functions.

• Experience supporting curriculum integration initiatives and faculty engagement.

• Experience building employer relations and external partnership strategies.

• Experience in a public research university environment.

• Knowledge of career readiness competencies, experiential learning assessment, and workforce development trends.

Working Conditions:

• The Executive Director maintains frequent contact with students, faculty, academic leaders, staff, campus administrators, employers, alumni, community organizations, government agencies, and other external partners.

• The position represents UW Bothell in institutional, community, regional, and professional settings and may be expected to attend major student, employer, community, and university events.

• The position requires a work schedule that may fluctuate based on institutional priorities, meetings, external engagements, and events.

• Occasional evening and weekend commitments are expected throughout the year.

• The position is expected to work primarily on site at UW Bothell, with eligibility for a hybrid work schedule consistent with University policy.

• Appointment to this position is contingent upon obtaining satisfactory results from a criminal background check.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$153,600.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$159,996.00 annual

Other Compensation:

-

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

Not Applicable

About the UW 

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.  

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Our Commitment 

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected]. 

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.