Career Pathways Strategist

Polytechnic College Director

Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in higher education, business, or related field preferred. Nine years of progressive professional experience required in areas such as recruitment, sales, business development, career services, employer relations, or other fields that involve building relationships and achieving measurable outcomes. Experience in both student recruitment and career placement is ideal, but candidates with strong transferable skills from other industries will be fully considered. A combination of education, experience, and training that demonstrates the required knowledge and abilities may be accepted.

Plans, organizes, and directs the day-to-day operations for the Polytechnic College. Responsible for leading both student recruitment and career placement functions within the Polytechnic College. Integrates admissions outreach with employer engagement to ensure students are recruited into programs that align with workforce needs and are supported in securing meaningful employment upon graduation.

Develops and implements comprehensive recruitment plans aligned with enrollment goals. Represents the Polytechnic College at outreach events, high schools, community colleges, workforce boards, and community organizations. Manages communications with prospective students from inquiry through enrollment, ensuring timely follow-up and qualified lead conversions. Conducts structured call campaigns to increase engagement and enrollment yield. Builds and maintains relationships with employers, industry partners, and community organizations to support internships, co-op opportunities, and graduate job placement. Leads employer engagement and placement initiatives, including coordination of an Industry Advisory Board to align programs with workforce needs. Develops and implements a career readiness and soft skills development strategy, including workshops, training, and employer-informed programming. Organizes and host career fairs, networking events, employer information sessions, and other SamPoly events, both online and on campus. Partners with Workforce Solutions and regional convenors to strengthen workforce pipelines and expand placement opportunities. Collaborates with SHSU Student Account Services to coordinate Workforce Solutions finance processing related to student support and placement programs. Partners with marketing staff to contribute to marketing planning and strategy for recruitment and employer engagement campaigns. Provides one-on-one advising to students on admissions processes, academic pathways, and career planning. Integrates career outcomes into the recruitment narrative by marketing program strengths through placement rates, employer partnerships, and alumni success stories. Collaborates with college faculty and staff to align curriculum with employer and workforce needs. Collects and analyzes data to track recruitment funnels, enrollment growth, job placement rates, employer engagement, and student retention. Performs other related duties as assigned.