Associate Director of Career Development & Internships

Richmond, CA

Full Time

School-Wide (Leadership & Staff)

Experienced

Job Description

Title: Associate Director of Career Development & Internships

Division: Making Waves Academy

Reports to: Director of College and Career Counseling

Status: Full-time, Exempt, Year-Round

Salary Range: $80,000 + $90,000 Temporary Cost of Living Allowance and MWA Benefits

Summary

The Associate Director of Career Development and Internships manages career exploration curriculum and internship programming for grades 9-12, with emphasis on 11th-12th grade work-based learning experiences. This person reports to the Director of College and Career Counseling and partners with intermediary organizations to facilitate student internships.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Program Leadership

Support development of, and implement a comprehensive career exploration curriculum for grades 9-12, with a focus on preparing students for post-secondary success.
Lead career exploration and work-based learning initiatives. Manage program budget and resources. Train and support 9th-12th grade Advisors on delivering the programming.
Track and assess the effectiveness of career development and internship programs through regular evaluations and feedback from students, employers, and staff.
Use data to refine and improve the internship program to better meet the needs of students and the expectations of employers.

Internship Programming

Oversee the design, coordination, and implementation of internship programs for students, ensuring that opportunities align with students’ academic goals and career interests.
Partner with The Making Waves Education Foundation to collaborate on forming outside partnership opportunities. Develop partnerships with local businesses, nonprofits, and organizations to create and secure internship placements for high school students, with an emphasis on 11th-12th grade work-based learning experiences.
Serve as the primary point of contact for students, employers, and community partners to ensure successful internship placements and experiences.
Manage all logistical aspects of internships, including setting expectations, preparing students for professional environments, and providing ongoing support throughout the internship experience.

Student Services

Oversee career assessment and planning for juniors/seniors. Coordinate with the college counseling team on post-secondary planning.
Guide students through internship preparation. Provide guidance and mentorship to students throughout their internship experience, ensuring they meet program expectations and gain valuable skills.
Assist employers in managing and mentoring student interns, providing support and resources as needed to ensure a positive, productive experience for both parties.

Partnership Management

Support cultivation of employer relationships.
Serve as primary liaison with intermediary organizations, such as workforce development agencies and internship providers, to facilitate internship opportunities and enhance the quality of work-based learning experiences.
Ensure program quality and compliance. Work closely with these organizations to ensure that all internships meet educational and industry standards and provide students with relevant skills development.
Track partnership outcomes and impact.

Mission Alignment

Demonstrate knowledge of, and support, Making Waves Academy’s mission, core values, standards, competencies, and code of conduct outlined in the Employee Handbook.
Participate in the school community – attending school competitions, performances, assemblies, and supporting student events, student clubs, and club advisors.

Work Environment

This job operates in an indoor and outdoor school environment and routinely uses standard office/school equipment.
Light/local travel may be required on occasion.

Physical Demands

The employee may be required to sit, stand or walk for extended periods of time; lift and carry materials up to 30lbs.; reach overhead/bend; push/pull. Must possess the ability to use hands and fingers to operate computers, keyboards, etc.; must have the ability to view written materials, computer screens, and observe activities, ensuring students' safety; must hear and communicate clearly to interact with others. The employee should be able to move throughout the campus to effectively interact with students and staff.
The employee will participate in campus supervision duty each week.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in education, career development, or a related field preferred. Master's preferred.
5+ years’ experience in career development, internship coordination, or workforce development. Experience with high school career readiness programs.
Program development and management expertise. Budget management experience.

Skills and Abilities

Data analysis and reporting capabilities. Experience with data tracking and program evaluation preferred.
Strong project management skills. Strong knowledge of work-based learning models and best practices for preparing students for internships and future careers.
Excellent organizational, communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
Partnership development skills. Ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of students, parents, employers, and community partners.
Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and adapt to changing priorities.

Professional orientation – appearance, communication, organization, and attitude.

Licenses or Certificates

Employment eligibility will include fingerprints/Live Scan, tuberculosis (TB) screening, and other employment clearance.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Reasonable Accommodation
Consistent with its obligations under the law, MWA will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.

Equal Employment Opportunity Is Our Policy

Making Waves Academy is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the School to afford equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to their perceived or identified: race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and hairstyle, including but not limited to braids, locks, and twists); color; gender, (including gender identity, gender expression, and transgender identity, whether or not the employee is transitioning or has transitioned); sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and medical conditions related to such); religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices); marital/registered domestic partner status; age (forty (40) and over); national origin or ancestry (including native language spoken and possession of a driver’s license issued to persons unable to prove their presence in the U.S. is authorized by federal law); physical or mental disability (including HIV and AIDS); medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics); taking of a leave of absence pursuant to the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), Pregnancy Disability Leave (“PDL”) law, Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”), the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”), or laws related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking laws; genetic information; sexual orientation; military and veteran status; or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy extends to all job applicants and employees and to all aspects of the employment relationship, including the hiring of new employees and the training, transfer, promotion, discipline, termination, compensation and benefits of existing employees. For a full copy of our non-discrimination policy, visit: https://bit.ly/mwapublicnotices

Apply for this position

Required*

Apply with Indeed

First Name*

Last Name*

Email Address*

Phone*

Address*

Resume*

We've received your resume. Click here to update it.

Attach resume or Paste resume

Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

Cover Letter

Who referred you to this position? Enter their first and last name here.

What's your highest level of education completed?*

What languages do you speak fluently?

Making Waves Academy is committed to rigorously and holistically preparing students to gain acceptance to and graduate from college to ultimately become valuable contributors to the workforce and their communities. In a paragraph, please tell us why you are interested in joining the Making Waves Academy team.*

Would you like to share your pronouns with us? If so, please enter them in the space below:

Have you ever worked for Making Waves Academy before?*

Are you a graduate of Making Waves Academy (former Wave-Maker)?*

In compliance with federal law, Making Waves Academy only employs United States citizens or other individuals who have the legal right to work in the United States. Are you currently authorized to work in the United States of America?*

Making Waves Academy does not offer employment sponsorship. Do you now, or will you in the future, require visa sponsorship to continue working in the United States?*

By checking the box below, I certify that all information provided in this application is truthful. I also understand giving false or misleading information on this application, my resume, or during the interview can lead to disqualification from the hiring process or termination if already hired.* Yes, I understand.

The following questions are entirely optional.

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.

Gender

Race/Ethnicity

Human Check*

Submit Application

Making Waves Academy provides a rich academic environment, state-of-the-art facilities, abundant support and resources, and a commitment to supporting our students to and through college.

We have immediate openings for teachers, leaders, and support staff. At Making Waves Academy, you will find:

Mission accountability:

Professional development:

Holistic support for students:

Technology-connected classrooms:

State-of-the-art facilities:

Competitive compensation & benefits

Take a look at our open jobs and submit your resume to join our team team today!

Associate Director of Career Development & Internships

Apply for this position