Job Description / Duties

Reporting to the Associate Director, ECCS, this position will provide daily leadership to a team of career and employment professionals who are responsible for developing and implementing employability programming for all students in the Faculty of Engineering at the Undergraduate and Graduate program levels. This includes a heavy focus on delivering co-op work experiences to more than 2500 undergraduate and graduate students annually. Supporting a significant growth strategy and enhancements to existing service and program offerings, the Manager, Career Education & Professional Development will lead the development and implementation of career curriculum and career programming that supports students in building experience, developing skills and producing tangible professional development outcomes in preparation for the workforce.

Human Resources Management:
- Provide day-to-day management to a team of 14 full-time career professionals and 3-5 student staff supporting students at all academic levels with career advisory and support.
- Provide development opportunities and training to support practice development aligned with the career curriculum while fostering professional growth.
- Manage staff turnover and transitions through recruitment, onboarding and cross-training initiatives.

Strategic Planning/Leadership:
- Manage strategic initiatives to support programming including portfolio management, reporting metrics and benchmarking and process and procedures.
- Develop a service delivery approach that maximizes resources and leverages key partnerships across the institution to ensure continuity and provides exposure to our students to various services and supports available to them.
- Forge strong partnerships with faculty, Outreach colleagues, community and industry leaders to enrich programming opportunities for student across Engineering.
- Demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and diversity by ensuring that the specific needs of our student populations (Undergraduate, Masters and PhD) and equity-deserving groups are met.
- Participate in relevant industry associations (i.e. CACEE, CEWIL, EWO, etc.) through committees and other volunteer opportunities.
- Participate in and/or lead communities of practice within and beyond the institution.

Career Education Strategy:
- Enhance the career education model for all levels of students; leading a team of professionals to create enhanced career programming and appointments, and workshops that include but are not limited to information fairs, networking events, information panel events, career fairs, employment preparedness, etc.
- Deliver a coordinated approach to cross-functional programming to support a collaborative and integrated service delivery model.
- Develop new programming that promotes and supports various career choices and develops support programs for students.
- Develop career education courses that enhance the employability of all students, focusing on professionalism, preparation and competency development.

Work-Integrated Learning Program Operation:
- Expand opportunities for work-integrated learning to increase students' work experience and development/understanding of work skills and ease their employment transition.
- Manage and oversee programs/activities while students are on work-integrated learning opportunities ensuring team members are supporting students.
- Manage student escalations and problem resolution in relation to issues arising while engaged in work-integrated learning; including consultation with other university departments/offices, as required.
- Review, evaluate and approve/decline special requests, exceptions and petitions for students in relation to co-op work term experiences and/or sequencing.

Qualifications / Required Skills

Education:
- University Degree/and or equivalent experience
- Human Resources Management Diploma/
Adult Education Diploma
- Ontario Certified Career Development Certification or similar

Experience:
- Experience with work-integrated learning with a post-secondary education environment
- Workshop development and facilitation skills - ability to deliver to diverse groups of stakeholders - employers, students, Faculty, advisory boards, professional associations, conferences
- Experience in program development and assessment/evaluation strategies
- Minimum of 5 - 7 years leadership experience in this specialty area

Knowledge/Skills:
- Well versed in the Canadian labour law, labour market conditions, employer best practices and emerging trends
- Strong written and verbal communication skills able to interact and collaborate with team members and partners at all levels of the university
- Ability to provide effective leadership guidance and mentorship while setting clear expectations.
- Expertise in developing diverse and comprehensive career programming including instructional design and delivery
- Experienced at developing and executing a strategic plan leveraging an innovative and collaborative approach
- Excellent problem solver with sound judgement and ability to analyze complex and sensitive situations.
- Passionate about serving students and the world of employment.
- Data-driven mindset with the ability to use analytics to inform decision-making and assess program effectiveness

Salary: $76,654 - $114,981 (annual)

Application Details:

Review and apply to the role of Manager,Career Education and Professional Development.

Contact Information

Stephanie Harper, Associate Director
Engineering Co-op & Career Services
sharper1@mcmaster.ca

Employer Profile

McMaster University's Faculty of Engineering invites a visionary leader to step into the role of Manager, Career Education & Professional Development within the high-performing Engineering Co-op and Career Services (ECCS) team. With your guidance, a dynamic team will ensure students at all levels experience top-tier career readiness and transformative experiential learning. Your strategic collaborations with faculty, industry, and the community will open doors to amplified career pathways. By pioneering inclusivity and diversity initiatives and innovating programming, from workshops to employability courses, you'll leave a lasting mark. As you elevate work-integrated learning to cultivate professional skills and seamless transitions, you'll truly reshape the engineering career landscape and foster collaborative innovation. Embrace this unique opportunity to empower the engineers of tomorrow and make a tangible impact.

Ranked among the top engineering schools in Canada and worldwide, McMaster’s Faculty of Engineering has a reputation for innovative programs, cutting-edge research, leading faculty, and aspiring students. The ECCS office supports all students in the Faculty of Engineering with experiential and work-integrated learning. McMaster’s Engineering Co-op Program is currently the 2nd largest program in Ontario, supporting over 7000 students annually.