Responsibilities of the Position
Radford University seeks a collaborative, energetic leader to serve as executive director of the Center for Career and Talent Development (Center). Reporting to the associate provost for academic affairs, the executive director provides strategic leadership and operational direction for a comprehensive portfolio that advances career readiness, employer engagement, and experiential learning in support of student success. This role offers a compelling opportunity to build upon Radford’s momentum and strengthen integrated approaches to career and talent development that align academic priorities, workforce needs, and institutional goals. The executive director will join the university at a time of forward progress, with the opportunity to elevate programs, partnerships, and initiatives that support meaningful career outcomes for a diverse student population.
The executive director is focused on developing and directing a team responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs, events, and initiatives that connect employer partners with students, faculty, and alumni. The portfolio includes employer cultivation and engagement, career exploration, talent development, job placement, student employment initiatives, and personal and professional development programming, including continued development of a director of student employment within the Center. The executive director cultivates and sustains strategic external partnerships; collaborates closely with advising colleagues, faculty, college administrators, and leaders across academic affairs, economic development, advancement, and alumni relations; and serves as an institutional resource on industry trends, employer needs, and evolving talent acquisition practices. Externally, the executive director represents Radford University through professional associations and regional workforce initiatives, including organizations such as the Virginia Association for Colleges and Employers (VACE), State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) work-based learning initiatives, National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), and career center director consortiums.
The executive director leads a team of seven staff and provides fiscal stewardship for a $109,000 operating budget supported through auxiliary revenue.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership and guide operational direction for the Center, including long- and short-term planning, program assessment, and advancement of the experiential learning pathway as a holistic model for student career development.
- Lead and develop professional and student staff through supervision, training, administrative coordination, and professional development, fostering a collaborative, open, and transparent environment that encourages innovation and motivates the team to think beyond traditional practices.
- Steward departmental operations, including fiscal planning, budget oversight, and revenue-generation activities aligned with institutional priorities.
- Cultivate and expand employer partnerships to increase internships, work-based learning opportunities, and post-graduate employment outcomes while honoring national professional standards in career planning and recruitment.
- Oversee employment-related processes, including job postings, employer engagement activities, interview coordination, resume referral processes, graduate placement support, and the continued development of the on-campus student employment initiative.
- Engage actively in professional associations and community partnerships to advance the Center’s objectives and strengthen the university’s external presence and workforce alignment.
- Advance data-informed practices by collecting, assessing, and reporting internship, work-based learning, placement, and first-destination outcomes to support institutional effectiveness and continuous improvement.
- Collaborate with alumni relations to strengthen lifelong career development strategies, alumni engagement, and employment pathways for graduates.
- Promote the Center’s services, programs, and resources through strong internal and external communication with students, faculty, staff, employers, and alumni.
Qualifications and Characteristics of the Successful Candidate
The successful candidate will bring a demonstrated record of leadership and experience leading change, cultivating employer engagement, and advancing career development or talent acquisition strategies. The executive director will possess knowledge of employment needs across corporate, nonprofit, governmental, educational, and entrepreneurial sectors, along with an appreciation for the role of higher education in preparing students for future career success. A history of progressively responsible leadership, including supervision, strategic planning, and budget management, is essential, as is the proven ability to build relationships and strategic partnerships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
Candidates should demonstrate excellent communication skills, professionalism, and the ability to engage effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders. Strong fiscal stewardship, including experience with budgeting and resource management, is required, along with proficiency with current office software and the demonstrated ability to utilize technology, social media, and digital platforms to support programs, communication, and stakeholder engagement. An advanced degree and significant experience in career services, talent acquisition, or related fields—or an equivalent combination of education, training, and professional experience—are preferred.
In addition to the qualifications stated above, key stakeholders identified the following capabilities and attributes of a successful candidate:
- Exhibit an energetic, collaborative leadership presence that is highly visible, approachable, and engaged, building trust and credibility across the Radford and Roanoke campuses and throughout the surrounding community.
- Apply a strategic and forward-thinking mindset to career development, connecting academic priorities, industry needs, and student aspirations into a cohesive and future-focused approach.
- Model a relational and team-centered leadership style grounded in active listening, transparency, and shared ownership, empowering staff while fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability.
- Engage with clarity, professionalism, and authenticity, communicating effectively with students, faculty, employers, and community partners while elevating the identity and impact of the unit.
- Forge strong internal and external partnerships, working collaboratively with faculty, campus leaders, employers, and community stakeholders to advance strategic employer relations and institutional priorities.
- Demonstrate sound judgment through data-informed decision-making, balancing strategic insight with practical execution to guide priorities and support continuous improvement.
History of the Position
The executive director of career and talent development will join Radford University at a time of renewed momentum and institutional commitment to student success and post-graduate outcomes. Building on earlier investments that strengthened career services and expanded partnerships across the university, the unit is well-positioned to support a more integrated and student-centered approach to career readiness and talent development internally and externally. The position has been vacant since April 2025, with interim leadership supporting the unit’s ongoing work and continuity of operations. Radford seeks an innovative and collaborative executive who can provide sustained vision, elevate campus and employer partnerships, and advance a cohesive strategy that prepares students for meaningful career pathways.
Opportunities and Challenges of the Role
In transitioning to Radford University, the executive director of career and talent development will encounter the following opportunities, priorities, and challenges, as shared by key campus stakeholders:
- This position represents a presidential priority and a key component of the university’s strategic plan, offering the opportunity to elevate career and talent development as a central institutional strategy aligned with workforce and economic needs.
- The executive director will step into a highly visible, on-campus leadership role, establishing a strong presence, building trust quickly, and providing stability and forward momentum following a period of leadership transition.
- The executive director will further embed career education into the fabric of the university by strengthening partnerships across academic units, collaborating with institutional leadership, and advancing coordinated engagement and alignment across the Radford and Roanoke campuses.
- The role calls for innovation within a resource-conscious environment, requiring careful stewardship of the operating budget while advancing creative, data-informed strategies that increase participation, improve response rates, and enhance outcomes.
- The executive director will position career and talent development as a forward-thinking and responsive function by leveraging data, aligning programs with evolving economic trends, and ensuring services meet the changing needs of students and employers.
Measures of Success
The items listed below will define the executive director of career and talent development’s success throughout the first year of employment:
- The executive director has conducted a comprehensive listening tour, built strong and trusting relationships with academic leadership and campus partners, and articulated a clear vision and strategic path forward that positions career and talent development as a central driver of student success.
- Strategic relationships with the local Radford and Roanoke communities, regional employers, and campus stakeholders are expanded and sustained, resulting in stronger partnerships, increased student engagement, and elevated visibility both internally and externally through consistent communication and presence at key institutional initiatives.
- A cohesive and empowered team culture is established, supported by a clear organizational plan, consistent communication, and strong leadership presence, leading to stability, collaboration, and continued operational effectiveness.
- Career and talent development is widely recognized as a core institutional strategy, evidenced by innovative, data-informed programming models, scaffolded student and employer engagement throughout the educational lifecycle, and forward-thinking use of emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance impact.
- Financial sustainability and growth are strengthened through effective budget stewardship, strategic auxiliary revenue generation, and alignment of resources with institutional priorities, ensuring the unit meets established financial goals while expanding its impact.
- Communication, visibility, and impact are elevated across the university, with clear messaging about services, a strong and consistent presence at milestone events such as new student orientation and welcome week, and regular sharing of outcomes and successes that reinforce the unit’s value to the Radford community.
Overview of The Center for Career and Talent Development
Career and Talent Development focuses on proactively fostering an innovative community that provides students with the opportunity to discover and cultivate their talents and skills while developing their own, unique career journey. Through engagement in the Center and across campus, students collaborate with career coaches, employers, faculty, and alumni to discover, experience, and ultimately thrive at Radford University.
Student Resources
- Career readiness skill building and how to research a company.
- Tips to construct a resume, cover letter, and professional online image.
- Information on professional dress, interview preparation, and negotiating an offer.
- Steps to prepare for graduate school.
- Tips on financial well-being and thriving in professional life.
- The Career Closet provides students access to free professional attire for interviews, career fairs, networking events, and other career-oriented activities and occasions.
- The Highlander Works Grant Program offers undergraduate students an opportunity to apply for funding to help reduce the financial barriers associated with internships and work-based learning opportunities, including internships, field placements, clinicals, student teaching, etc.
Employer Resources
The Career and Talent Development team offers a wide variety of services to assist employers in their recruiting efforts. These services are designed to connect employers with eager students and aid in the fulfillment of the student’s career development.
Technology and Engagement Platforms
Handshake serves as the university’s centralized career management and recruiting platform — a one-stop shop for companies, non-profits, and organizations of all sizes to find, recruit, and hire Radford University students. Supporting scalable student engagement and employer partnerships, Handshake connects students to internships, employment opportunities, and career programming while enabling employers to promote opportunities, recruit talent, and build meaningful connections with the Radford University community.
Divisional Leadership
Jeanne Mekolichick, PhD
Dr. Jeanne Mekolichick is associate provost for academic affairs and professor of sociology at Radford University. She provides strategic leadership for the research and creative scholarship enterprise, faculty development, experiential learning, university libraries, online initiatives, and institutional strategic priorities. Mekolichick began her career focused on teaching, mentoring, and publishing with undergraduate students while building strong community partnerships. Throughout her career, she has served in positions of progressive responsibility and has received recognition for excellence in both teaching and leadership. Her work has been supported by public and private funding agencies and centers on inclusive excellence, community-engaged scholarship, undergraduate research, institutional transformation, student success, and career readiness. Mekolichick has held several leadership roles within the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), including serving as president in 2021–2022, and authored the CUR Position Statement Recognizing Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Inquiry as a Career Readiness Tool. She also serves nationally as a consultant, facilitator, speaker, and peer reviewer.
Institutional Overview
Radford University is a comprehensive public university of 7,837 students that has received national recognition for many of its undergraduate and graduate academic programs, as well as its sustainability initiatives. Radford University serves the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation through a wide range of academic, cultural, human service, and research programs. Well known for its strong faculty/student bonds, innovative use of technology in the learning environment, and vibrant student life on a beautiful 211-acre American classical campus, Radford University offers students many opportunities to get involved and succeed in and out of the classroom. The University offers 75 bachelor’s degree programs in 47 disciplines and six certificates at the undergraduate level; 27 master’s programs in 23 disciplines and five doctoral programs at the graduate level; and 21 post-baccalaureate certificates and one post-master’s certificate. A Division I member of the NCAA and Big South Conference, Radford University competes in 16 men’s and women’s varsity athletics. With over 200 clubs and organizations, Radford University offers many opportunities for student engagement, leadership development, and community service. In addition to robust academic offerings and engaging student experiences on the main campus located in Radford, Virginia, Radford University also offers online programs and a clinical-based educational experience for more than 1,000 students living and learning in Roanoke, Virginia as part of Radford University Carilion, a public-private partnership focused on the cutting-edge delivery of health sciences programming, outreach, and service.
The Student Body
Total Enrollment: 7,837
Undergraduate: 6,206
Graduate: 1,631
Male: 32.8%
Female: 67.2%
African American/Black: 12.4%
Asian: 1.8%
Hispanic/Latino: 9.9%
White: 65.4%
Two or More Races: 5.2%
Unknown: 3.7%
Non-Resident: 1%
Institutional Leadership
Bret Danilowicz, PhD
Since assuming strategic leadership of Radford University in July 2022, President Bret Danilowicz has ensured that the transformative benefits of higher education are readily accessible to the diverse populations served by the university.
Danilowicz outlined his key priorities in Radford University’s Two-Year Strategic Plan (2024-25), designed to position the university as one of the most distinctive, accessible and affordable public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Building on this foundation, the university is advancing its next phase of strategic planning to guide continued growth and institutional impact.
Under his leadership, Radford reversed a four-year decline in overall enrollment in fall 2024, growing the university’s headcount to more than 7,800 students. Radford experienced 29% new student growth over the previous year, which was the second-largest increase in new students since 1975. Two initiatives introduced by Danilowicz – Direct Admission and the Radford Tuition Promise – were key factors in the university’s growth in 2024. He also spearheaded the Tartan Transfer program, which bolsters the university’s commitment to access and affordability by streamlining the transfer process for students from eight Virginia Community College System schools.
University Organizational Chart
Mission, Vision, and Core Values
Benefits Overview
Radford University offers a comprehensive package of Commonwealth of Virginia and university-specific benefits available to employees. These benefits include health insurance, flexible spending accounts, leave, life insurance, and primary and supplemental retirement plans. Click here to learn more.
Application
Review of applications will begin immediatley and continue until the position is filled. To apply for this position please click on the Apply button, complete the brief application process, and upload your resume and position-specific cover letter. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email info@spelmanjohnson.com.
Visit the Radford University website at https://www.radford.edu/
Radford University does not discriminate with regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, national origin, religion, or political affiliation in the administration of its educational programs, activities, admission or employment practices.
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