Assistant Director - Tech Career Accelerator

University of South Florida•Tampa, FL

About The Position

This role is responsible for supporting the development and execution of the Accelerator’s strategic vision; integrating career readiness, experiential learning, and employer partnerships for internships and jobs across the student lifecycle; collaborating with advisors; cultivating industry and alumni partnerships; overseeing assessment and outcomes reporting; and serving as the liaison between the College, employers, students, alumni, and institutional partners. The Assistant Director ensures that every undergraduate and graduate student engages in experiential learning before their final year and that they secure employment or continue their education within six months of graduation. Key metrics include the percentage of students with an internship and the percentage of students with degree-related employment or graduate school within 6 months of graduation Opened in 2025 and powered by a University of South Florida record $40 million gift from Arnie and Lauren Bellini, USF’s Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing is the first in Florida, and among the first in the nation, to unify AI, cybersecurity, and computing within a single college. More than 65 faculty members focus on cutting-edge research and educating 3,000+ bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students across 15 degree programs in computer science, cybersecurity, AI, information technology, and computer engineering. The college emphasizes industry-relevant education and experiential learning to prepare students for real-world challenges. It also serves as the central hub for AI and cybersecurity research and teaching at USF, collaborating with colleges and units across the university.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field
At least five years of professional experience in higher education, workforce development, career services, experiential learning, employer engagement, program coordination, or related areas, such as tech recruiting OR Master’s degree and three (3) years of related experience described
Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
(a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
(b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
(c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
(d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
(e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree
Experience supporting technology-focused academic programs
Experience with experiential learning models and employer partnership programs
Experience using university career platforms and student data systems or equivalent
Special Skills/Training: Demonstrated ability for tech recruiting, strategic planning and visioning; strong written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills; proficiency in leveraging data and analytics for decision-making; experience in supervision, management, and relationship-building; a track record of setting and achieving measurable goals; ability to establish and sustain professional networks; a dynamic and professional presence when engaging a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including students, employers, faculty, and staff; experience in designing, implementing, and managing student career readiness programs; a leadership style marked by creativity, initiative, and a positive attitude; and the ability to build, lead, and support high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

Supporting Strategic Leadership & Tech Career Accelerator Program Operations Builds and executes the overall strategic vision for the Tech Career Accelerator, including short- and long-term operating plans, budgets, staffing, programs, and technology.
Oversee the daily operations of the Tech Career Accelerator Program to ensure effective delivery of readiness, experience, and connection initiatives.
Collaborates across all Bellini College degree programs to ensure access to TCAP programming for all undergraduate and graduate students.
Program Design & Career Readiness Integration Leads the design and implementation of embedded career readiness modules across required courses, including career passports, digital badges, technical skill development, and power skills.
Oversee exclusive career advisors supporting computing disciplines and ensure alignment with workforce needs in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and computing fields.
Experiential Learning & Employer Engagement Builds and manages robust experiential learning pathways, including internships, industry-sponsored capstones, research opportunities, entrepreneurship initiatives, and service learning.
Develops and sustains partnerships with employers, government agencies, and strategic partners to support internships, projects, employers-in-residence, and recruitment pipelines.
External Relations & Visibility Serves as the industry and government liaison for access to students in Bellini College.
Represents Bellini College in professional organizations, industry forums, and community partnerships with the goal of enhancing student experiential learning.
Coordinates with College leadership to pursue recognition, innovation awards, and national visibility related to career readiness and workforce development.
Data, Assessment & Outcomes Reporting Oversees collection, analysis, and reporting of student engagement and outcomes data for the experiential learning participation, job placement, and time-to-employment metrics.
Works with the Assistant Director of Information Management to develop dashboards and reporting mechanisms to demonstrate program impact to college leadership, advisory boards, donors, and external stakeholders.