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The Master of Quantitative Economics (MQE) Program at UCLA invites highly qualified applicants for the Director of Experiential Education & Professional Development. Launched in 2016, the MQE is a robust academic program focused on offering students advanced training in data analytics, finance and econometrics. This is a full-time, one-year contract position (with possibility to extend).

The Director of Experiential Education & Professional Development manages efforts to ensure that MQE graduates are well positioned to secure a job and/or internship at the completion of the program. This role leads efforts to develop, enhance, and deliver collaborative educational programs and applied professional development services to students with a key focus on increasing the academic and professional preparation of students. In collaboration with faculty, develop effective preparation tools and programs to help students optimize professional development and academic training opportunities.

Oversee professional development activities and instruction to students on presentation skills, networking strategies, effective business writing, professional ethics and workplace communication. Ensure the MQE is offering a robust selection of activities aimed at ensuring graduates are career ready as a result of their completion of the program. Provide strategic oversight of the MQE capstone program, applied project program, career accelerator program, career onboarding series, bootcamps and other professional development programming.

The director will serve as the coordinator for the MQE capstone experience creating opportunities to help students synthesize their academic and professional experiences, foster connections with their capstone advisor, and lead workshops and programs to aid students in their final deliverables.

The director leads all experiential education programs within the MQE including the applied project program, career accelerator program, career onboarding series and professional development programming. The director is responsible for identify and coordinating with corporate partners, faculty mentors, and industry coaches to facilitate effective learning experiences for students.

This role will coordinate with the director of corporate engagement to build and expand relationships with a worldwide network of supporters and potential employers from industry, central banks, government, universities. The director will develop, design and implement programs to connect with supporters and alumni to engage in collaborative educational programming and professional development activities to foster positive alumni and supporter engagement. Provide direction and oversight for the MQE Industry Advisory Council.

Actively research the market trends that may impact specific professional destinations for MQE students. Support the Faculty Director in identifying, recruiting, and supervising industry professionals who serve the MQE as adjunct professors, instructors or visiting lecturers. Create pathways to attract industry professionals to serve the program in robust ways.

Expand and strengthen the “MQE Distinguished Speakers’ Series” in collaboration with the Faculty Director and support the design and development of industry-focused conferences and symposium designed to attract and engage a wide range of companies and prospective partners. This entails the selection of speakers, outreach efforts, as well as the logistics of all related programs.

Plan, coordinate, and facilitate execution of all program assessment and evaluation efforts. Work closely with the Faculty Director to analyze and make decisions based on these assessments. Provide regular updates and ad hoc reports on student satisfaction, career readiness, market statistics, and other programmatic efforts along with recommendations to Faculty Director.

Oversee the collection of career destination information for MQE students and track ongoing professional success measures from MQE graduates. Produce quarterly status reports tracking student job search efforts and author annual post-MQE destination report.

Serve on university committees and national organizations related to experiential learning, self-sustaining graduate degree programs, or applied economics.

Reporting to the MQE Director of Strategy & Operations, the director will serve as the primary supervisor to the Associate Director of Career Programs & Marketing and MQE Graduate Student Career.

Qualified candidates must possess a master’s degree plus 7 years of experience in academic program management, career services, alumni relations or related field. Ability to develop high-impact education programs as well as translate applied learnings into creative real-world practices through strategic and scalable partnerships. Leadership skills to collaborate, innovate, plan, act and react strategically. Excellent interpersonal and communication (written and oral) skills. Develop relationships with a wide range of partners to build employment and applied learning connections. Self-starter with a team-player attitude. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

For the University of California’s Affirmative Action Policy, please visit https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-035.pdf.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination.