PROSPECTUS
Associate Vice President of
Student Professional Development
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 21, 2025
POSITION OVERVIEW
Elon University is seeking an innovative and visionary leader with significant administrative experience and accomplishments to lead the university's nationally recognized Student Professional Development Center (SPDC). The Center includes 22 full-time career services professionals and serves the university's 6,500 undergraduate and 800 graduate students, along with more than 35,000 Elon alumni.
The Associate Vice President reports to the Senior Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs, overseeing the development and delivery of programs and resources that positively impact the professional development of students and alumni.
The position is the chief career services officer who is responsible for developing and strengthening Elon's career ecosystem. Through effective collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, including academic affairs, student affairs, admissions, alumni, corporate relations, trustees, parents, and student leadership, the Associate Vice President will design and implement a comprehensive career services strategy that enhances student employability, fosters employer relationships, and integrates career readiness into the Elon experience. The Associate Vice President maintains a student-centered, forward-thinking operation, oversees assessment functions, the articulation of outcomes to internal and external stakeholders, and serves as a spokesperson for Elon on student career-related issues.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership
As Elon's chief career services officer, build through vision and strategic execution an effective career ecosystem that attracts and engages employers, prepares and inspires students, and amplifies a culture of excellence in career services. Articulate the vision and services provided by the SPDC to those inside and outside of Elon University.
Lead the effort to identify and expand connections with employers and external constituents to create and sustain excellent internship and employment opportunities for students. Represent the university with all major associations (NACE, SoACE, NCACE); manage the association annual dues and memberships; work with career services directors from peer & aspirant universities for best practices benchmarking. Manage the development and achievement of the SPDC Strategic Plan in support of the Boldly Elon strategic plan.
Reporting and Budgeting
Utilize predictive analytics to gain more certainty about employer hiring trends, shifts in demand and professional skills needed to succeed in the current environment. Maintain responsibility for First Destination Survey reporting and integrity of university outcomes data; generate SPDC Annual Report at the end of each academic year sharing broad metrics regarding student outcomes as well as student and organizational engagement. Manage budget lines that report up and through the SPDC. Plan for future budget needs, assure compensation equity and industry benchmarking.
Partnering
Consult with academic deans and faculty colleagues to ensure that programs and services address student needs and incorporate faculty involvement in identifying opportunities to bridge the skills development that takes place in the classroom and other campus environments. Build and maintain relationships with Academic Deans, key members of senior staff, and other university department heads. Direct all SPDC marketing and communications, internally and externally. Build advocates across campus and the Elon community in support of innovative career programs to platform as forward-thinking and integrative programs. Partner effectively with the University Advancement team to enhance external cultivation and stewardship opportunities, as well as to consider potential methods to support alumni career development. Support Career and Professional development with Elon graduate programs (i.e., MBA, MSBA, MHE, and School of Health Sciences).
Supervision and Human Resource Management
Provide supervision of Career Services and school-level Professional Development Centers to support employer relations and graduate school goals, and to create opportunities congruent with the overall mission and vision of the professional development of Elon graduates. Lead and mentor a team of 22 full-time career professionals as one progressive and cohesive unit across the university. Manage the overall SPDC organization planning and staffing responsibility, ensuring high performance and professional development/staff retention.
Presentations and Representation of the Center
Participate in advisory boards, Parents Council, and other Elon councils and affinity group meetings on a routine basis throughout the year. Represent Elon University at external meetings, advisory boards, and economic groups. Manage the Career Committee of the Parents Council. Participate as a member of the Academic Affairs Advisory Committee (AAAC) and on university-wide committees, as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
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Master's degree in MHE, MBA, MA/MS, or other and 10 or more years of experience with the following relevant work experience: progressive leadership and supervision in career services positions or in a related management field in industry.
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Demonstrated expertise in developing career ecosystems employing current career development models, career assessments, career counseling/advising/coaching, employment trends, employer relations and legal issues in employment.
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Demonstrated ability to think strategically, act collaboratively and lead organizational change, coupled with a track record of experience developing and supervising professional staff.
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Demonstrated commitment to best practices in career services as well as the competencies and ethical guidelines developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
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Desired experience includes managing resources, including budgets and technology; knowledge of effective assessment strategies to inform programs and practice; excellent communication, marketing, and public relations skills; demonstrated competency in working with the needs of diverse student populations; and evidence of innovative activities leading to organizational growth, and experience with program development and delivery models serving the needs of all students.
ABOUT ELON
Elon University is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture. Nestled in a grove of oaks, Elon was founded as “a college for the world,” where students find their calling and reach their full potential within an environment of rich and meaningful relationships, and where they become big thinkers and creative problem solvers in every facet of their lives.
Elon’s more than 7,200 undergraduate and graduate students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The Elon curriculum is grounded in the traditional liberal arts and sciences with an emphasis on career development. More than 70 undergraduate academic majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care.
For four consecutive years, Elon has been ranked #1 in the nation by US News & World Report for excellence in undergraduate teaching. In addition, Elon leads all institutions in the country for eight “programs that enhance the student experience,” including #1 rankings for learning communities and first-year experiences and #2 rankings for study abroad, service learning and senior capstone programs.
Global engagement is central to Elon’s student experience and the university is consistently ranked among the top programs in the nation, with 94% of students studying abroad. In addition, 79% of students participate in service-learning, 79% of students complete internships, 55% of students hold at least one campus leadership position and 25% of students work with faculty mentors on undergraduate research projects.
The university’s academic divisions include Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law.
Elon’s historic 700+-acre main campus in central North Carolina is designated as a botanical garden and includes the 56-acre Elon University Forest, a land preserve and natural area for scientific research, and Loy Farm, a center for environmental research and sustainability. In addition, Elon has campuses in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina, providing facilities for graduate programs in law and health sciences, along with undergraduate and alumni programming.
Elon is a member of the Coastal Athletics Association and the Phoenix athletics program includes 17 intercollegiate men’s and women’s sports in NCAA Division I (FCS football). Elon also offers extensive opportunities in club sports and intramurals.
ABOUT THE STUDENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Elon's career services programs were expanded and renamed the Student Professional Development Center in 2011, with the main offices located in the Moseley Student Center. Today the SPDC is recognized as one of the nation's finest comprehensive career services programs, with a top-20 ranking by The Princeton Review and a #20 ranking for internships by U.S. News & World Report.
The SPDC works under a hub and spoke model with dedicated staff and satellite offices in academic divisions. Although SPDC staff work with all students, the staff in each satellite office have expert insights into the industries and fields of their respective schools. The SPDC also has a career advisor in Elon athletics, serving the needs of student-athletes.
The SPDC consists of 3 main functions:
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Career Advising - SPDC staff assist students and alumni in understanding their career-related interests, individual preferences, strengths and values. Students are coached on how to conduct effective internship, job or graduate program searches, and prepare for a lifetime of meaningful work.
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Corporate & Employer Relations – SPDC targets new organizations and maintains relationships with long-time partners focused on metropolitan areas where Elon students and alumni aspire to live and work. The team regularly travels to these locations, meeting with employer partners and identifying high-quality internship and post-graduation opportunities.
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On-Campus Student Employment – SPDC coordinates on-campus recruitment, including job postings and training for supervisors, and provides resume reviews in order to better prepare students for the 1,500+ available positions.
SPDC continues to strive for improvement in engagement with students and the development of stronger relationships with employers. This emphasis on continuous improvement is an integral part of the SPDC’s goal of supporting the mission, academic programs and advancement of Elon University by delivering distinctive and impactful career support to all students and alumni.
LEADERSHIP
James B. Piatt, Jr.
Senior Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs
James B. Piatt, Jr. came to Elon in 2008 as Vice President for University Advancement and was promoted to Senior Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs in 2023. His responsibilities include oversight of all fundraising activities, alumni engagement, parent engagement, corporate and foundation relations, annual giving, donor relations. student professional development center (career services), cultural and special programs, national campuses, and continuing and professional studies.
Under his leadership, the university has completed two comprehensive fundraising efforts - the Ever Elon Campaign, which raised $107.3 million from 2006-2011, and the Elon LEADS Campaign, which attracted $260.5 million from 2015-22. During his time at Elon, the university's endowment has increased from $83 million to $390 million, the number of endowed scholarships has more than doubled, and 14 fundraised facilities have been added to the campus, including Schar Center, Richard W. Sankey Hall, Founders Hall, Inman Admissions Welcome Center, The Inn at Elon, and many more. He has also overseen the expansion of Elon's national campus footprint, which has added programming in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C. and Charlotte. Mr. Piatt oversees university career services - the student professional development center - which was ranked in 2024 as 20th in the nation by the Princeton Review.
Prior to Elon, Mr. Piatt served for eight years as Vice President for College Advancement at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio. Earlier in his career, he served as Associate Director of Development at the Law School at Stanford University, Development Director for the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, and Assistant Dean for Development in the College of Communications at Ohio University.
Mr. Piatt received his MBA from Ohio University in 1993 and his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Journalism from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in 1987. He is co-chair the Summer Institute for Educational Fundraising, a signature annual program of the Council for the Aid and Support of Education (CASE). He has presented on multiple topics related to higher education advancement and external affairs at CASE conferences, the Southeast College Advancement Consortium, the American Council on Education, and the North Carolina Independent Association of Colleges and Universities.
APPLICATIONS & DEADLINES
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, current resume, and three references saved as one document, either Word or a PDF. The file name should start with your first name and then last name, such as, “John Doe - Elon Application.” This should be emailed to search@careerleadershipcollective.com with the email subject of “Application for Elon AVP.”
To be considered, interested applicants should submit the requested materials no later than, March 21 by 11:59pm EST.
Elon University is an equal employment opportunity employer committed to a diverse faculty, staff and student body and welcomes all applicants. Elon University values and celebrates the backgrounds, cultures, experiences and perspectives of our community members. We embrace diversity in its broadest sense, including, but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic standing and intellectual viewpoint.
