Assistant Dean of Career Strategy and Experiential Learning

About the Opportunity The Provost’s Office of The American University of Rome (AUR) invites applications for the newly established position of Assistant Dean of Career Strategy and Experiential Learning —a visionary leadership role charged with designing and implementing a future-oriented career and experiential learning ecosystem. This is not a maintenance role; it is a strategic, executive-level appointment for a higher education professional with the expertise, presence, and capacity for innovation to elevate AUR’s approach to post-graduate outcomes, career development, and experiential education at scale. The successful candidate will report directly to the Provost and play a central role in aligning institutional priorities with global career-readiness standards. Position Overview In close collaboration with faculty, program directors, and academic leadership, the Assistant Dean will play a pivotal role in reviewing program-specific career plans, co-developing experiential learning components, and designing courses and initiatives that enhance student employability while reinforcing academic learning outcomes. This position requires an individual capable of bridging academic and professional spheres by working closely with faculty and program directors to ensure that career strategies and experiential learning initiatives align with the pedagogical objectives of each academic program. This includes contributing to the development of program-specific career pathways and experiential components to complement the curriculum, as well as teaching career development or experiential learning-related courses. The Assistant Dean will oversee the development and execution of a comprehensive strategy to embed career education, experiential learning, and employer engagement throughout the student experience. The role encompasses the redesign of existing systems and the creation of new programs, partnerships, and infrastructure aligned with AUR’s Strategic Plan and Academic Master Plan. This position requires a mission-driven, data-informed, and results-oriented leader with demonstrated success in designing high-impact, scalable career initiatives that bridge academic learning with professional pathways. Strategic Leadership Priorities 1. Institutional Career Strategy & Curriculum Integration Collaborate with faculty and program directors to review and enhance student career plans within each academic program, ensuring that experiential learning opportunities—including internships and project-based components—are designed in alignment with program learning outcomes and faculty input. Lead the design, implementation, and continuous refinement of a university-wide career strategy that embeds professional development across the academic journey. Direct the development and delivery of a required career foundations course ("Designing Your AUR Experience"), and create frameworks for integrating career competencies across disciplines. Establish systems and partnerships to certify and validate student development in key areas such as communication, leadership, global engagement, and digital fluency. Partner with faculty and academic leadership to align career competencies with advising practices, curricular design, and assessment. 2. Experiential Learning Development & Scaling Engage the broader AUR community—including faculty, academic advisors, and administrative staff—in the design, implementation, and evaluation of experiential learning courses, practicum, and capstone projects to foster an integrated, institution-wide culture of career readiness. Lead the development and management of an expanding portfolio of rigorous, high-impact experiential opportunities, including internships, project-based learning (e.g., Real Projects), and departmental practicum experiences. Develop a strategic plan for scaling access to and participation in experiential programs, with targets for reach, quality, and equity. Establish processes for quality assurance, partner cultivation, student placement, and program evaluation. 3. Outcomes Analytics & Institutional Research Build robust data frameworks to assess post-graduate outcomes and student engagement in career-related activities. Collaborate with Institutional Research to implement actionable reporting and analytics that drive continuous improvement and increase external visibility. Stay abreast of national and global trends in graduate employability, workforce readiness, and career innovation; apply insights to drive institutional competitiveness. 4. Communications, Branding, and Employer Engagement Develop a clear and compelling brand identity for AUR’s career and experiential learning ecosystem that speaks to students, faculty, alumni, and employers. Provide strategic oversight of career communication channels, platforms, and messaging in partnership with Marketing and IT. Ensure that every student builds a professional identity through portfolios, LinkedIn profiles, and tailored career narratives rooted in their academic and co-curricular experiences. Support employer engagement strategies and represent the institution at key external events. 5. Alumni Integration & Advancement Collaboration Partner with Advancement to activate alumni networks for mentoring, curricular consultation, industry insight, and talent pipelines. Lead efforts to establish alumni advisory boards for departments and foster alumni participation in strategic university initiatives. Where appropriate, support donor cultivation efforts aligned with career and experiential learning goals. Candidate Profile Minimum Qualifications A master’s degree in a relevant field, such as Human Resources, Organizational Leadership, Career Counseling, MBA, or a Liberal Arts or related field (with significant relevant experience). Demonstrated ability to manage a team, develop roles, and coordinate efforts for measurable impact. Proven experience fostering collaboration between academic and administrative units to ensure alignment between career strategies, external partners, experiential learning opportunities, and academic curricula. A minimum of 7 years of progressive leadership experience in university-level career services or experiential education. An understanding of liberal arts disciplines and demonstrated experience with creating professional pathways into the global labor market. Demonstrated success leading institutional initiatives with measurable impact on student outcomes. Deep knowledge of experiential learning theory, career development frameworks (e.g., NACE competencies), and employer engagement models. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and collaborate across academic and administrative units. Preferred Qualifications Doctorate or terminal degree in a relevant field. International experience or experience working within a global liberal arts environment. Familiarity with digital platforms supporting experiential and career education (e.g., Handshake, Portfolium, Symplicity). Strong record of public speaking, publishing, or thought leadership in career development or experiential learning. Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and application for continuous improvement of KPIs. A curious, research-oriented approach to market trends—such as the impact of AI—and demonstrated ability to adapt and align internal processes with external changes. Additional Information: This position is based on the AUR campus in Rome, Italy. Candidates must either hold a valid Italian work permit or be willing and able to relocate. How to apply: Please send your Motivation letter and CV in English to applications@aur.edu , quoting ref: HR3/2025 Assistant Dean of Career Strategy. Deadlines: Send application by August 20 th . Position begins in October/November. Why Join AUR? Located in the heart of Rome, AUR combines an American-style liberal arts education with a global outlook and deep local engagement. It is currently on a remarkable growth path. This is an extraordinary opportunity to collaborate with colleagues to build something lasting—transforming how a diverse, international student body prepares for meaningful careers in a rapidly changing world.

Location: Rome, Latium, IT

Posted Date: 7/20/2025