Careers Consultant

The Purpose of the Role:

The Careers Consultant will be responsible for leading on the provision of specialist careers education, information and guidance to students and recent graduates to enable them to realise their career potential and equip them with the skills to succeed in the workplace of the future.

They will lead the direction and management of the relationship between their designated Schools/Disciplines and the Careers Service and will be responsible for the development and tailoring of course content and services to meet their specific needs and those of their students (undergraduate and postgraduate).

Reporting to the Director of Careers (or their designate), the Careers Consultant will lead the development and implementation of strategically important plans and programmes related to careers and student employability across Trinity, and the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of related services (e.g., career guidance), activities (e.g., embedding careers in the curriculum and facilitating skills development), and initiatives (e.g., Trinity Career Skills Award).

They will build and nurture productive working and professional relationships with internal (i.e., students, graduates, academics, professional areas) and external (graduate employers, public and private industry partners, not-for-profits, and government and professional bodies) stakeholders to advance careers and employability within the curriculum and enhance Trinity students’ career opportunities.

They will use their specialist expertise and knowledge in careers, graduate employability, labour market trends and future skills needs to inform and influence the direction of relevant strategies, policies and programmes across the Service and the university.

Context

The Trinity Careers Service, which is part of Trinity Teaching and Learning, supports students (approx. 22,000 undergraduates and postgraduates) and recent graduates across all disciplines to explore their career ambitions for the future and plan how to achieve them using a wide variety of activities, services, events, and resources.

The team currently includes a Director of Careers, 6 Careers Consultants, a Student Employability Officer, a Careers and Employability Support Officer (CESO), a Partnership Development Officer, a Data Analyst, an Inclusive Student Employment Officer, a Communications and Digital Officer, and 3 Executive Officers (total staff of 16).

The Careers Service has undergone significant changes in recent years, embracing new initiatives to improve employability opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Key initiatives include the development and delivery, in conjunction with industry, of Employability and Career Skills Awards and academic modules, and the Laidlaw Undergraduate Leadership and Research Programme.

The embedding of MyCareer, our online careers system, has also significantly improved our reach across students, graduates, academic staff, and external partners.

Elements of Trinity’s Human Capital Initiative-funded programmes, i.e. micro-credentials and enterprise marketing and engagement, are continuing to advance alongside the Careers Service under the umbrella of Careers and Development.

The Careers Consultant will play a key role in aligning the broader Careers and Development team with changing employment trends, labour market needs, and government policies on employment and skills.

Main ResponsibilitiesService Leadership

• Provide leadership in advancing the goals and ambitions of the Trinity Careers Service across all stakeholder groups, i.e., students, graduates, academics, professional staff, and external partners (graduate employers, public and private industry partners, not-for-profits, and government and professional bodies).
• Play a key role in shaping and delivering on the work of institutional programmes and strategic initiatives linked to the Trinity Strategic Plan 2025-2030 Thrive, as they relate to employability and the labour market.
• In collaboration with the Director of Careers (or their designate), lead, design and deliver a suite of careers and employability programmes and plans tailored for specific Schools/Disciplines to enable students (undergraduate and postgraduate) to develop skills for the workplace and to manage their careers successfully.
• Develop strong relationships with academic staff to advance careers education and skills development as part of the curriculum. This includes the design and delivery of credit and non-credit bearing modules, lectures, and workshops (in-person/online/blended), and participation in meetings, research, and project work.
• Develop mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness and quality of careers service offerings and lead service improvements and innovation where necessary.
• Inform the development of Careers Service strategy and of relevant strategies and policies of the university in collaboration with academics and professional areas. Examples include enterprise engagement strategies, research-informed proposals for supporting the career development of students, and ongoing revision of the Trinity internships and placements policy in collaboration with Schools.
• Actively research and keep up-to-date on emerging research and theory and practice in the field of careers and student employability and on labour market trends and use insights to inform and influence planning, e.g., career guidance practice, industry-informed curriculum development, AI.

Partnership Development and Management

• Act as a centre of specialist expertise and advise and support the Trinity community on preparing Trinity students for the world of work.
• Develop consultation mechanisms with internal (e.g., students, academics, professional areas) and external stakeholders (e.g., graduate employers, enterprise partners, professional and government bodies) to ensure that Trinity’s careers programmes, initiatives and activities are responsive to their needs and any gaps/problems arising are addressed.
• Lead and drive projects and initiatives with internal stakeholders—academics and professional staff, e.g., Trinity Development and Alumni, Trinity Global, Trinity Innovation, Disability Service, Student Counselling Service—aimed at enhancing the student experience and creating opportunities for student development.
• Build and strengthen relationships with employers looking to hire Trinity graduates and identify new leads and key contacts in target organisations across key labour market sectors, converting them into opportunities for students.
• Advocate, foster and support careers and employability initiatives across the university, including those that are student-led, e.g., by the Student Union, student societies, etc.

Service Delivery

• Oversee and provide high-quality one-to-one and group career guidance to students and recent graduates to help them understand the range of career opportunities available and to manage their career development in line with our Career Development Framework.
• Play a key role in the Careers Consultant team in terms of sharing expert knowledge and good practice and ensuring a high standard of service excellence in line with ethical and professional guidelines.
• Recommend innovations in career consulting and service delivery models and methodologies in line with international best practice and lead and contribute to their implementation.
• Lead on integrating new teaching and learning methods and technologies as they relate to careers and employability into careers education and service delivery with a focus on enhancing the student experience, e.g., psychometric testing and Gen AI tools.
• Create and deliver innovative engagements and events with industry partners to connect Trinity students and graduates with graduate employers, e.g., Careers Fairs and Forums, Employer Masterclasses, networking and mentoring events.
• Develop and prepare careers-related information and resources for different audiences, including content for publications, reports, presentations, website, and social media tailored to students, staff, graduates, and employers.

Project and Operations Management

• Produce detailed analysis and reports for senior management and College Committees on progress and achievement of objectives and deliverables across careers programmes, projects and activities, which can be used for national and international reports and rankings.
• Play a role in the production of the Service’s Annual Report and Graduate Outcomes Survey Report and preparation for quality review and professional accreditation processes.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of MyCareer, the Service’s online careers management system, including developing its data analysis and reporting capacity.
• Manage new projects and initiatives across Careers and Development, including taking on the role of Project Lead and supervising multidisciplinary staff and student staff/interns.
• Represent the Careers Service at internal and external meetings, events, and conferences and make decisions at the appropriate level.
• Actively contribute to relevant professional associations, e.g., Association of Higher Education Careers Services (AHECS) and Graduate Futures Institute (GFI), and international networks, e.g., Coimbra Group.
• Undertake any other duties as may be required from time to time by the Director (or their designate).

Person Requirements

The role-holder will require the following essential knowledge, skills, and attributes for successful performance in the role.

Qualifications

• A third level qualification in a relevant area, e.g., careers, coaching, HR or recruitment (essential).
• A relevant professional qualification in career guidance/development (desirable).

Knowledge and Experience

• At least three years’ relevant experience in the provision of one-to-one guidance in a higher education environment.
• Experience of leading careers and employability projects and initiatives.
• Deep knowledge of student/graduate career planning and the ability to facilitate the guidance process.
• A thorough understanding of graduate recruitment and the graduate labour market and a deep knowledge of government policy on higher education and skills.
• Demonstrable experience of building lasting and credible relationships with different stakeholders, internally and externally.
• The vision to support the development of the Careers Service in a time of global and technological change.

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to influence and negotiate with people in a positive and proactive way.
• Good IT skills and proven analytical and problem-solving skills, including an ability to analyse statistics and labour market trends, employer expectations and graduate opportunities.
• Ability to draft and produce reports and content for different audiences.
• Commitment to providing a high quality of customer service.
• Evidence of strong organisational and project management skills.
• The ability to deal with competing priorities and to make confident decisions in a timely, solution-focused, evidence-based manner.
• The ability to be proactive, take the initiative and be self-motivated.
• Proven ability to work effectively as part of a team to achieve positive results.
• The ability to collaborate with others, to remain calm and think clearly under pressure.

Personal Attributes

• Professional and credible with a proven ability to network and build rapport with others.
• A commitment to own professional development.
• Assesses and reviews work and identifies continuous improvement with a focus on quality delivery.
• Delivers on commitments and achieves results.
• Demonstrates a positive and constructive approach when faced with challenging situations.
• Works with colleagues to brainstorm and develop new thinking.

Salary

This appointment will be made on the Administrative 1 (Points 1–3) Salary Scale (€70,942–€91,774 per annum) at a point in line with current Government pay policy. Monthly/weekly payscales (tcd.ie).