POSITION DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE:
Director, The Piper Center for Vocation and Career
REPORTS TO:
Vice President for Advancement
PRIMARY FUNCTION:
Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the director will lead the Piper Center by
providing strategic vision and results-oriented leadership tied to the college’s wider strategic plan
for achieving student outcomes. The director will oversee a team of five senior staff members,
cultivating professional development opportunities in order to align skills and competencies with
the needs of students. In collaboration with the entire Advancement division, the director will
forge relationships with employers, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, donors, graduate schools, and
student leaders to provide resources and experiences designed to help students leverage their
liberal arts education to achieve their full potential. The director will serve as the college’s primary
driver of innovation in the field of student career development, helping St. Olaf College to become
the best in the country among liberal arts colleges at helping students discern their vocation and
translate their calling into a career that leads to financial independence, professional
accomplishment, and personal fulfillment.
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
1. Manage the Piper Center senior staff and development; directly supervise the Senior
Associate Director, Associate Director for Entrepreneurship, Associate Director for Service
and Leadership, the Associate Director for Alumni Engagement, and the Career Technology
and Recruiting Coordinator, while supporting the activities of the coaching and fellowships
staff. Meet individually with direct reports on a bi-weekly basis. Lead weekly staff and
planning meetings.
2. Convene the Staff Development team (Senior Associate Director, Associate Director for
Service and Leadership) to create and implement staff training programs to enhance the
professional development of the Piper Center’s staff (coaching, operations and programming
and outreach teams). Design and lead monthly Inservice Luncheons, providing a space for
staff to reflect on strategic priorities while building collaborative relationships across campus.
3. Represent the Piper Center and its programs on- and off-campus. Collaborate with
Admissions, Alumni & Parent Relations, the Dean’s Council, and the President’s Office to
coordinate a presence and talking points at Fall Visit Days, Buntrock Scholars Day, Admitted
Students Days, Homecoming, Alumni Board Meetings, Reunion, Academic Division
Meetings, Faculty Committee Meetings, St. Olaf on the Road, Ole Biz, Ole Med, and Ole
Law.
4. Provide oversight of student engagement and marketing staff and activities, including goal
setting and project monitoring of social media tools, print materials, email marketing, and the
Piper Center Weekly e-Newsletter. Review analytics and work with staff to maintain high
student engagement. Ensure 75%+ annual student engagement.
5. Convene the alumni and parent steering committees for Ole Biz, Ole Med, and Ole Law,
student/alumni networking events, involving 300+ students and 300+ alumni annually. Serve
as staff lead, coordinating efforts with Alumni & Parent Relations and Development to
manage promotion, registration, venue, and vendor management.
6. Meet with alumni, corporate foundations, parents, current and prospective donors to highlight
outcomes of the Piper Center to attract dollars for new initiatives that support students. Work
closely with Development and Stewardship to identify donor prospects and thank those who
have previously supported the Piper Center.
7. Provide career coaching for up to 400 students and alumni annually in the fields of arts
management; music, theater, dance, performing arts; government and public policy; ministry
and religiously affiliated organizations. Provide workshops for individuals and groups in
order to advise students on career-related issues including self-assessment, major choice,
career exploration, internships, full-time employment, graduate school opportunities, and
other post baccalaureate positions.
8.
Serve as Piper Center liaison to the following academic departments, presenting to
departmental meetings, and meeting with faculty chairs annually: Art and Art History; Dance;
Music; Theater; English; French; German; Philosophy; Religion; Spanish; Political Science.
9. Provide management of the Piper Center’s annual operating budget, and steward endowment
funds to support the mission of the center. Plan and monitor operating budget expense. Ensure
proper use of endowment funds according to gift agreements.
10. Monitor and seek out new approaches and innovation in the delivery of career services to
students and alumni, including new technology tools, vendor solutions, developmental
models, college-to-career programming, and staffing models in order to secure St. Olaf’s
leadership position in the realm of vocational discernment and career exploration.
11. Represent the Piper Center and St. Olaf at national conferences and gatherings (e.g. NACAC:
the National Association of College Admissions Counseling, NACE: the National
Association of Colleges and Employers, MAEOPP: the Mid-America Association of
Educational Opportunity Program Personnel, and LECNA: the Lutheran Educational
Conference of North America).
12. Serve on state or national professional association committees (e.g. LACN: Liberal Arts
Career Network, NACE: National Association of Colleges and Employers, MCUCSA:
Minnesota College and University Career Services Association, MPCCC: Minnesota’s
Private Colleges Career Consortium).
30% staff development, training, and leadership
20% student engagement and marketing initiatives
20% alumni, parent, employer, faculty, donor engagement
15% on direct student contact: programming, coaching
10% strategic planning, visioning
5% budget planning and management
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Manage staff of four career coaches and one
administrative professional.
AUDIENCE:
St. Olaf students; alumni and parents; faculty;
employers; donors; graduate schools
EDUCATION:
Required:
Master’s degree (M.A., M.Ed., other)
EXPERIENCE:
Required:
8-10 years of higher education leadership experience
Preferred:
Experience working with undergraduate students,
especially in a selective liberal arts setting;
familiarity with career development/counseling
theories and methods; experience managing staff and
budgets
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:
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Skilled leader with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high pressure environment.
Student focused professional with an understanding of the undergraduate mindset.
High degree of personal responsibility and commitment to continuous improvement.
Unwavering focus on strategic planning, goal setting, visioning, and implementation.
Experience managing projects and people, with the ability to manage rapid change.
Ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and Regents.
Comfortable coaching students one-on-one as well as in group settings.
Excellent public speaking skills and an ability to inspire collaboration.
Knowledge of fine arts, government, and ministry-related fields and experiences.
Exceptional writing and communication skills.
Team player with solid interpersonal skills.
Knowledge of the academic environment and experiential learning best practices.
Knowledge of career development best practices and the entry level employment market.
PREREQUISITE(S):
Must have own transportation
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Ability and means to travel and meet with alumni,
parents, donors, employers.
TRAVEL:
Periodic travel
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Office environment
WORK SCHEDULE:
FTE: 1.0
Term: Regular
Shift: June - May, M-F, 8:00am – 5:00pm, M-F.
Occasional weekend and evening hours as
necessary.
APPROVAL:
Branden Grimmett
DATE:
October 2014