Director of Career Services

The Director – Career Services is a senior role responsible for driving strategic partnerships with industry to secure employment and internship opportunities for students across all programs. This includes building an ecosystem for student career development, aligning internship opportunities with academic requirements and ensuring high-quality placement outcomes. The role requires proactive engagement with industry, internal stakeholders and students to enhance employability and experiential learning.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Industry Engagement

• Build and nurture relationships with industry leaders, HR heads and sector bodies to secure placements and internships.
• Represent the university in forums, conclaves and networks that facilitate student-industry engagement.
• Promote Chanakya University as a talent destination through compelling institutional narratives, placement decks and alumni success stories.

2. Internship and Placement Pipeline

• Institutionalize and scale internship programs across undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
• Facilitate semester-long, short-term and live project-based internships aligned with academic outcomes.
• Collaborate with Schools and faculty to integrate internships as part of the formal academic calendar and evaluation processes.

3. Placement Readiness and Training

• Design and oversee pre-placement training modules in coordination with academic units and external partners.
• Customize mock interviews, group discussions and skill-building workshops based on sector-specific recruitment needs.
• Maintain a student readiness index to monitor preparedness and intervene where required.

4. Campus and Off-Campus Drive Execution

• Lead the end-to-end coordination of on-campus and virtual placement drives, ensuring logistical and operational excellence.
• Support students in navigating off-campus opportunities and competitive recruitment processes.
• Ensure timely issuance and documentation of offer and appointment letters.

5. Stakeholder Engagement

• Ensure regular and transparent communication with Heads of Institutions and academic staff for alignment.
• Involve faculty in mentoring and placement training for a holistic student grooming process.

6. Monitoring & Reporting

• Develop dashboards and periodic reports to track placement and internship metrics.
• Create feedback loops with students and recruiters for continuous improvement.
• Conduct annual reviews of placement strategies and outcomes for senior leadership.

Skills and Attributes:

• Visionary leadership with a demonstrated ability to manage diverse stakeholders.
• Strong industry network and proven ability to build strategic partnerships.
• Passionate about student development and career growth.
• Use data to drive decisions, monitor trend and forecast placement needs.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to operationalize strategy and ensure timely delivery.

Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree (MBA preferred) with a minimum of 10–15 years of relevant industry and placement experience.
• Prior experience in leading placements or talent acquisition initiatives in a university or corporate setting.
• Strong exposure to industry-academia collaboration, preferably in a leadership capacity.

Reporting Relationship:

• Reports to Dean Student Affairs