Career and Community Engagement Program Manager

This position is an on-campus, full-time, 12-month appointment based in Champaign, Illinois covered by the Professional Support Staff (PSS) Union with an annual salary of $58,240.00 (PSS Grade #12).

*For hired internal applicants, the new base salary is determined by differential between their current grade and posted grade.

Open to Current Professional Support Staff Employees Only

Application Close Date/Time: Wednesday, September 16th, at 11:59 PM CT

The Career and Community Engagement (CCE) Program Manager supports the department’s career exploration and community engagement mission through a combination of outreach, partnership development, communications, and event execution. Under the direction of the Director of CCE, this position supports the coordination and implementation of Director-approved strategies that expand awareness of Parkland College’s programs and services, strengthen relationships with District 505 schools and community partners, and support equitable access to career exploration opportunities.

The Program Manager works with internal and external partners to implement CCE initiatives that increase awareness of educational opportunities, career exploration experiences, and workforce pathways. Overtime or an altered work schedule may be required in response to CCE events, outreach activities, or community needs. The position involves exposure to confidential information and records. Minimal supervision is provided; the Program Manager must be able to work independently, collaboratively, and accurately while prioritizing multiple responsibilities.

Applicants must submit:

• An online employment application
• Cover letter
• Resume or CV

Essential Job Functions (Foundational Responsibilities):

• Represent the Career and Community Engagement department at initiatives, meetings, and events that align with CCE goals and strategies.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute CCE community and career exploration events, including active participation in on- and off-campus event setup and takedown, use of the mobile unit and Career Room, and moving tables, chairs, boxes, and equipment (up to 50 lbs. unassisted).
• Coordinate scheduling, operation, and deployment of the Career Room and mobile career exploration unit in collaboration with the Director and other Parkland staff.
• Collaborate with CCE staff to support mobile unit operations, requiring a working knowledge of unit functionality and career exploration equipment.
• Collect, track, and maintain accurate data in Parkland’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system (Slate), in coordination with the Director of CCE and other CCE staff.
• Maintain and manage databases of education, community, employer, and organizational partners.
• Track participation, outcomes, and feedback for assigned initiatives, and provide data-informed recommendations to the Director to support evaluation and improvement efforts.
• Demonstrate a high level of cultural competency in all interactions with students, families, schools, and community partners.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of CCE priorities.

Career Exploration & School Partnerships

• Identify opportunities for, develop, and maintain partnerships within District 505 middle and high schools in coordination with the Director of CCE.
• In collaboration with the Director of CCE, develop and deliver career exploration activities and events for 6th–12th grade students and their families.
• Partner with Deans, Department Chairs, faculty, staff, Workforce Development, industry partners, and community organizations to align career exploration activities with educational opportunities, internships, pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeship pathways, and workforce needs.
• Support career awareness efforts that promote equity and access for underrepresented students.
• Build and sustain engagement opportunities that introduce students and families to educational opportunities, career exploration experiences, workforce pathways, and relevant learning resources, creating a continuum of connections that promote informed educational and career pathway decisions.

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with aligned community organizations, businesses, and leaders, in coordination with the Director of CCE and the Office of the Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Innovation.
• Develop meaningful connections with rural, underrepresented, and ALICE communities to raise awareness of Parkland College programs and services.
• Identify opportunities for new partnerships that support Parkland’s strategic priorities.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and related work experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in an educational, career development, or community engagement setting.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships with a range of internal and external partners.
• Experience planning and coordinating educational, workforce, community, outreach, or similar events and programs.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, with the ability to learn Parkland College’s CRM (Slate), maintain accurate program and partnership data, and use new programs as technology changes.
• Prospective new hires will successfully complete a post offer, pre-employment criminal background check with fingerprinting. The background check review includes, but is not limited to, exclusionary offenses per the Illinois School Code and Title IV of the Higher Education Act.
• Verbal and mathematical abilities sufficient to perform the duties of the position.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including speaking in front of large and small groups, and the ability to listen effectively and respond accordingly.
• A flexible schedule to include occasional evenings and weekends is required in order to meet the needs of the Department of Career and Community Engagement and be present at community functions.
• Ability to support research, planning, and implementation of assigned department initiatives.
• Demonstrates a high level of cultural competency.

In an effort to comply with SURS return-to-work restrictions for employers (40 ILCS 5/15-139.5), candidates for employment at Parkland College must either not be a SURS annuitant or must be willing to suspend his/her SURS annuity upon employment. This applies to all SURS annuitants except those receiving their annuity under either the Self-Managed Plan (SMP) or by lump sum payment.

Robust benefits, including medical insurance with no monthly premiums, dental, life, disability, retirement plans, flexible spending, dependent care, EAP, work/life balance with generous paid time off, and tuition waiver. More information on the benefits package may be found online at our Benefits page.

Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Applications not submitted through https://www.parkland.edu/careers will not be considered. Please monitor your email, including spam or junk mail folders, for future correspondence from Parkland College Human Resources.

For further information on the application process, please contact Parkland College Human Resources at 217-351-2220. Applicants with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted by contacting Human Resources at 217-351-2220 or by emailing hr@parkland.edu.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. Parkland College is not an E-Verify employer. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

Equal Opportunity Employer