Jobleads-US is hiring: Senior Director, Doctoral & Postdoctoral Life Design

Senior Director, Doctoral & Postdoctoral Life Design

At Johns Hopkins University, we are driven by an ambitious goal: to empower our doctoral and postdoctoral scholars to navigate their careers with purpose and confidence. The Doctoral Life Design Studio embodies this vision as a dynamic, future-focused hub where scholars can explore diverse career possibilities, forge lasting connections, and utilize innovative tools to thrive in academic and non-academic arenas.

Life Design at Hopkins goes beyond traditional career development; it is a transformative process that nurtures curiosity, fosters growth, and opens doors to new opportunities. The Department of PHutures is seeking a Senior Director, Doctoral & Postdoctoral Life Design.

As the Senior Director, you will play a pivotal role in realizing this vision, ensuring that the Studio serves not only as a resource hub but also as a catalyst for meaningful personal and professional development. Your leadership will cultivate an environment that empowers scholars to actively design their futures with intention and impact.

In this role, reporting to the Assistant Vice Provost for Integrative Learning and Life Design, you will lead a dedicated team committed to transforming the career trajectories of all our doctoral and postdoctoral scholars. This position requires a blend of strategic vision and operational excellence to ensure that our Life Design offerings consistently meet and exceed the evolving needs of the academic community.

You will collaborate closely with university leadership, faculty, staff, and alumni to design and implement innovative programs, digital platforms, and impactful events that equip scholars with the clarity and confidence to navigate their professional futures. Your oversight will encompass a comprehensive portfolio of services aligned with the university’s mission to prepare scholars for careers that create lasting, real-world impact both within and beyond academia.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the Assistant Vice Provost (AVP) to shape and execute the strategic vision for career education and Life Design initiatives.
• Collaborate with deans, faculty, and university leadership across JHU, particularly within the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, Engineering, and Arts & Sciences, to seamlessly integrate Life Design principles into academic programs and institutional planning.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team of Life Design professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Provide personalized coaching and support to team members, facilitating their professional growth and leadership development.
• Set clear, ambitious goals for the team, implement measurable performance metrics, and conduct regular progress assessments to drive accountability and excellence.
• Drive operational efficiency by aligning team efforts with institutional objectives and implementing strategies to optimize processes and enhance productivity.
• Ensure consistency in leadership practices and service delivery across all areas of responsibility.
• Represent Johns Hopkins University on internal and external committees, and at local, regional, and national conferences, workshops, and thought leadership forums, enhancing the institution's reputation as a pioneer in PhD and postdoctoral career education.
• Spearhead the design, implementation, and continuous refinement of cutting-edge career programs, workshops, and curricula tailored to the diverse needs of doctoral and postdoctoral scholars.
• Lead a comprehensive strategy for Doctoral and Postdoctoral Life Design programs, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and scholar needs.
• Direct the evolution and expansion of existing career curriculums, maintaining compliance with grant requirements and PhD program objectives.
• Integrate modules across all programs that enhance scholars' essential skills and prepare them for diverse career paths.
• Develop and implement skills and career-focused programs that result in tangible, application-ready deliverables and materials for learners.
• Ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are woven into all program designs to foster a truly inclusive environment ensuring that scholars from all backgrounds feel seen, heard, and valued.
• Lead the execution of career and identity-based conferences, such as Horizons by Hopkins and Black and Latinx events, fostering networking opportunities and professional growth.
• Seek, cultivate, and nurture partnerships with industry experts, thought leaders, alumni, and renowned research entities to strengthen networks and facilitate meaningful interactions, learning experiences, and career opportunities for scholars.
• Oversee, enhance, and expand signature programs, including the Empower Your Pitch research communication contest, grant writing modules, and career resiliency workshops, ensuring continuous innovation and alignment with institutional priorities.
• Develop new, forward-thinking programs that address emerging needs in the job market and scholarly community.
• Maintain and expand expertise in doctoral and post-doctoral professional and career development, particularly in engineering, humanities, life and biomedical sciences, public health, and nursing.
• Collaborate with faculty and academic leadership to integrate career education into the curriculum.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends in career development and the job market, incorporating this knowledge into program design and delivery.
• Explore and implement innovative program delivery methods, including virtual reality, gamification, and AI-assisted learning, to enhance engagement and accessibility.
• Develop a suite of on-demand, self-paced learning resources to complement in-person programming and cater to diverse learning styles and schedules.
• Implement effective project management practices to ensure timely execution, meet deadlines, and optimize resource allocation across all initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s Degree required in a related field.
• Three years of related work experience.
• Serving diverse populations of doctoral or postdoctoral trainees, including international trainees, under-represented minority students and trainees, and people with disabilities.
• Work that demonstrates an understanding of nationally recognized practices, trends, and procedures for university career and life design, especially the unique needs of doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows.
• Work that demonstrates success in developing institutionally effective and strategic partnerships and engaging effectively with multiple tiers of stakeholders.
• Work that has demonstrated leadership skills.
• Work that requires knowledge of highly selective college or R1 university settings.
• Work that requires familiarity with the operations of employers.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent terminal Degree.
• Five to ten years of senior leadership experience in career services or professional development within higher education.
• Expertise in doctoral and postdoctoral career development, particularly in engineering, life and biomedical sciences, or public health.
• Experience conducting needs assessments and market research to inform innovative program development.
• Proficiency in advanced data management and comprehensive assessment strategies.
• Experience representing institutions at national conferences and thought leadership forums.
• Experience managing budgets and resources, ensuring alignment with institutional goals, and optimizing program delivery.
• Proven ability to collaborate with faculty and academic leadership to integrate career development into academic programs.

Total Rewards
The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University’s salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement.

Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Accommodation Information
If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu.

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