Director, Center for Leadership and Professional Development (CLPD)

About the Organization

Asian University for Women (AUW), located in Chittagong, Bangladesh, is an internationally recognized residential university providing undergraduate education in the liberal arts and sciences, alongside a series of graduate professional programs. We believe in the transformative power of education to reshape societies and uplift communities.

AUW is an emblem of diversity, admitting students of both traditional and non-traditional backgrounds from 22 different countries, actively seeking talent in every form and refusing to fall captive to traditional markers for university entrance. AUW students demonstrate intellectual maturity and leadership potential, evidenced by their courage, their outrage at injustice, and their deep empathy for the struggles of others.

AUW aims to sustain and further develop its diversity through a celebration of multiple cultures and religious affinities, as well as philosophical viewpoints.  Its charter, as adopted by the Parliament of Bangladesh, guarantees academic freedom and institutional autonomy. This role is based in Chittagong, Bangladesh, a vibrant city known for its rich cultural heritage and dynamic community. As part of the AUW team, you will work in an international, residential campus environment that fosters collaboration, learning, and growth.

The university is currently seeking a Director for its Center for Leadership and Professional Development (CLPD). As the Director of CLPD, you will play a pivotal role in supporting the next generation of women leaders as they graduate from university and go on to drive positive change across Asia and beyond.

Position Overview

For many AUW students, the university is not only their site of higher education, but their home. The CLPD’s prime directive is thus to assist outbound AUW students with the transition to the broader world outside the university, and help them find their own paths, in a manner suited to their knowledge, potential and personal dignity. This role is therefore a key to student success, bridging the gap between some of the most formative years of a student’s life and uncertainties of the future.

The Director of the CLPD will lead a team of associates to ensure that every graduate has viable and desirable options at the time of graduation, including but not necessarily limited to full-time employment, remunerated internships, graduate school opportunities, or a funded business plan to launch a new initiative. The Director will manage career readiness initiatives, employer engagement and networks, and coordinate closely with the university’s new and existing professional development opportunities to achieve this goal.

Desirable Qualities

• Clear thinker, strategic and flexible, with meticulous attention to detail
• Able and willing to take the initiative, and sustain effort to achieve ends
• Proactive with managing communication networks, with student and professional entities
• Superb organization, bookkeeping and presentation skills
• A holistic approach to decision-making, supported by constant evidentiary review
• Passionate about education, and committed to equity and social justice
• Passionate about AUW’s mission, with a hunger to produce results in a sustainable manner that renders AUW’s work worthwhile

Role & Responsibilities

The Director of CLPD will be responsible for:

• Develop and implement a structured, strategic plan ensuring 100% of graduates have viable post-graduation opportunities.
• Planning a system that allows for regular, individual meetings with each student to explore career aspirations and help develop an actionable plan.
• Actively seeking out, mapping and maintaining a detailed database of possible prospects for graduate school and employment opportunities in different countries and sectors.
• Supporting graduate school applications, including preparing students for admissions tests, reviewing applications, identifying best-fit programs and financial aid opportunities, etc.
• Building and maintaining, with utmost sensitivity and professionalism, relationships with organisations that play a regular role in scholarship and fundraising agreements.
• Collaborating with faculty, alumnae and relevant support groups to offer tailored guidance.
• Tracking global job market trends to provide the most current advice to students.
• Working with programs that provide students with skills, mentorship, and resources for career success or entrepreneurial ventures.
• Organizing career fairs, workshops, seminars, and career readiness schemes to help prepare students for successful future placements.
• Monitoring ansd reporting on alumnae outcomes to track student success and improve AUW’s offerings to support the same.
• Creating systems and exploring technological tools for student and alumnae networking.

Skills

• Leadership: Ability to lead a team to achieve objectives
• Career Advising: Expertise in guiding students in career exploration and work placement.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Skills to help students develop and implement business plans.
• Data Management: Keeping detailed, managed records of all relevant information, including but not limited to current student profiles, employer networks, placement opportunities, alumni statuses, graduate school and scholarship opportunities, entrepreneurial initiatives and funding options, etc.
• Networking: Building relationships with relevant stakeholders, including but not limited to employers, graduate programs, funding organizations, students and alumni, and AUW community members.
• Mentorship: Guiding students to refine their visions and discover personalized career paths in alignment with their abilities and personal identities.
• Communication: Strong written, verbal and presenting skills for interacting with students, faculty, and external partners.
• Project Management: Overseeing the sundry programs, workshops, and initiatives efficiently and in an organized manner, and facilitating their success.

Requirements

• Education: Master’s degree required.
• Relocation: Willingness to move to Chittagong, Bangladesh.
• Languages: Proficiency in English required, additional languages preferred.

To Apply: Please send your CV and cover letter to hr@asian-university.org