Director, Internships and Work-Based Education

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The Director, Internships and Work-Based Education provides institution-wide strategic leadership for internships and work-based learning at Emerson College. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President, Career Development, the Director leads the development and implementation of a cohesive, high-quality ecosystem of experiential learning opportunities—both credit-bearing and non-credit—that is aligned with academic priorities, responsive to industry trends, and accessible to all students.
Working in close partnership with faculty, academic leadership, and industry relations, the Director sets strategy and provides institutional leadership for the infrastructure, policies, systems, and practices that support internships and work-based learning. The Director advances consistency, compliance, quality, and student success across programs while respecting the central role of faculty and academic leadership in shaping curriculum, academic content, and learning outcomes.
As the College’s senior strategic lead for internships and work-based education, the Director convenes and influences stakeholders across academic and administrative units, translates institutional priorities into scalable practices, and advances innovation in experiential learning. The Director co-leads relevant governance structures, identifies emerging opportunities and risks, and ensures that students have access to meaningful, well-supported experiences that contribute to their academic and professional development.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Provide institution-wide strategic leadership for internships and work-based education, establishing shared vision, priorities, strategy, and guiding practices in collaboration with academic and institutional partners.

• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of a comprehensive institutional framework for internships and work-based learning.

• Ensure internship and work-based education strategy is aligned with institutional priorities related to student success, access, academic quality, and post-graduate outcomes.

• Partner with the Director, Industry Relations to align employer pipelines and internship opportunities with institutional, academic, operational, and policy priorities.

• Serve as the institutional strategic lead for internship policy and shared practices. Lead the development, communication, and implementation of guidance related to academic credit and learning outcomes, compensation and labor compliance (e.g., FLSA considerations), risk management and liability, and international internships and regulatory considerations. Ensure clear, accessible guidance for students, faculty, staff, and employers.

• Co-chair the cross-college internship committee, setting agendas and priorities and bringing together stakeholders from academic departments, academic affairs, legal, risk management, career services, and other relevant areas to advance institutional strategy and resolve cross-functional issues.

• Lead cross-functional coordination to ensure internship programs and practices align with legal, ethical, institutional, and accreditation standards.

• Partner with faculty and academic units to advance and expand high-impact embedded work-based learning opportunities, including credit-bearing internships, capstone and project-based courses, and industry-sponsored courses or studios.

• Provide strategic consultation and resources to faculty and academic units related to learning outcomes, assessment frameworks, and reflective components for experiential learning.

• Lead the development, piloting, evaluation, and scaling of new work-based learning models in partnership with faculty, academic leaders, and external partners.

• Expand access to experiences through micro-internships and short-term projects, on-campus and campus-affiliated experiential roles, and alumni and industry-sponsored projects. 

• Ensure institutional work-based learning models reflect the realities of freelance, gig-based, entrepreneurial, and portfolio-driven careers common in arts and media industries.

• Set priorities and lead initiatives that address barriers to participation, including funding, location constraints, and unpaid work.

• Advance broad access to high-quality internships and work-based learning by identifying systemic barriers and leading cross-institutional strategies to reduce them.

• Partner with institutional and industry stakeholders to expand paid internship opportunities, financial supports such as stipends or micro-grants, and employer practices that support fair, transparent, and skills-based recruitment.

• Establish and monitor institutional measures of participation, quality, and outcomes; identify trends, risks, and opportunities to strengthen access and student success.

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the EMTERN program, including program direction, operations, assessment, and continuous improvement.

• Lead the development and management of systems to track internship participation, credit vs. non-credit experiences, employer engagement in experiential learning, and internship conversion outcomes.

• Use data, assessment, benchmarking, and stakeholder feedback to set priorities, guide resource decisions, and drive continuous improvement.

• Develop executive-level reports and recommendations for institutional leadership on impact, emerging trends, risks, and opportunities for growth.

• Benchmark institutional practices and outcomes against peer institutions, national standards, and emerging best practices (e.g., NACE), and recommend strategic changes as appropriate.

• Provide strategic oversight of the end-to-end student experience in internships and work-based learning, working across teams to ensure coherence from preparation through experience and reflection.

QUALIFICATIONS – Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job. 

• A Master’s degree in Counseling, Higher Education, Human Resources, or a related field required.  

• 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in experiential learning, internships, academic program development, career services, and/or related higher education leadership required.

• Demonstrated expertise and leadership in internship and work-based learning strategy, program design, policy development, and compliance required.

• Demonstrated success building trusted partnerships with faculty, academic leadership, and senior institutional stakeholders required.

• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional initiatives, governance structures, and institution-wide change required.

• Demonstrated experience using data, assessment, and benchmarking to inform institutional strategy and executive-level decision-making required.

• Experience in arts, media, communications, or creative industries preferred.

• Experience designing programs for nonlinear, freelance, or portfolio-based career pathways preferred.

• Experience with experiential learning technologies and platforms preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES – May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with the job.  

• Expert knowledge of work-based learning models, including internships, project-based learning, and co-op frameworks

• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and executive-level influencing skills across diverse stakeholder groups

• Familiarity with labor laws and regulations related to internships (U.S. and/or international).

• Exceptional relationship-building, consultation, and influencing skills

• Advanced knowledge of systems thinking, organizational change, and program design

• Advanced knowledge of policy development, governance, and cross-functional implementation

• Expert knowledge of market and industry trends and emerging opportunities 

• Strong understanding of academic governance and demonstrated ability to partner effectively with faculty and academic leaders

• Ability to translate complex data and institutional priorities into strategic decisions and actionable recommendations

• Knowledge of fairness-oriented approaches to access and opportunity  

• Demonstrated ability to lead innovation and scale experiential learning programs across an institution

• Advanced data analysis, assessment, and program evaluation skills

PHYSICAL ABILITIES – Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Position is generally sedentary, requiring movement throughout the area as needed.

• Ability to sit and concentrate for long periods of time.

• Continuous oral and written communication with co-workers, students, and supervisors.

WORK ENVIRONMENT – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

• General office conditions

• Exposed to moderate noise levels

Interested applicants, please submit a cover letter and resume. Candidates who don't submit a resume and cover letter will be declined.

Compensation: $82,150.00 - $102,650.00 annually, commensurate with experience.

 

Grade of Position: 23-10E

Employment Category: Regular

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Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

In addition to a competitive salary, Emerson College is committed to the health and well-being of our employees and family members. We offer a generous benefits package to regular staff scheduled to work 20+ hours per week. 

Emerson Employment Categories influence work schedules, benefits eligibility, and time off policies. Benefits include outstanding health plans with limited out-of-pocket expenses, dental plans, generous time-off programs, and a 403(b) retirement benefit with a 9% employer contribution once eligible. Additional benefits, such as life and disability coverage and commuter offerings, are available.

Please refer to our benefits website for a full list of benefits and eligibility requirements.