Career Advisors Manager

Full-time Description

Work from Home (WFH) - Remote work must be performed while residing in California

CIAT Campus Locations: San Diego, CA and Albuquerque, NM

Reports to: Director of Career Services

Status: Exempt

Employment Type: Full-time

The Career Advisors Manager oversees the day-to-day operations, quality of service delivery, and performance of the Career Services Advisor team. This role ensures consistent, high-quality advising practices; accurate career services data and documentation; strong student engagement; and compliance with ACCET graduation and placement requirements.

Success in this role requires a strong understanding of career technical education (CTE) pathways and the unique strengths and challenges of non-traditional student populations, including early-career students, adult learners, career changers, veterans, transitioning service members, online learners, and first-generation or underserved populations. This expertise ensures the development of advising strategies that support equitable access to career pathways and successful employment outcomes.

In addition to supervising staff, the Manager supports escalated student cases, contributes to program innovation, strengthens interdepartmental communication, and collaborates with Industry Partnerships to ensure advising practices remain aligned with employer needs, emerging workforce trends, and industry standards.

Team Leadership & Supervision

• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and performance management for Career Services Advisors, ensuring consistency, accountability, and adherence to departmental expectations
• Conduct regular 1:1s focused on caseload management, advising quality, documentation accuracy, and professional development
• Monitor team productivity standards, including advising volume, placement documentation, student follow-ups, communication cadence, and timely completion of records
• Build and maintain a motivated, professional team by recruiting, selecting, onboarding, coaching, and training employees
• Facilitate ongoing professional development for Advisors related to career advising techniques, labor market insights, resume and interview coaching strategies, system documentation, and ACCET placement requirements
• Establish a positive, collaborative, high-performing team culture grounded in service excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Support employees through organizational change by communicating clearly, addressing concerns, and modeling adaptability
• Partner with HR to coach and counsel employees as needed
• Conduct timely, accurate, and fair performance reviews, free from bias
• Ensure a safe, secure, and ethical work environment
• Manage and enforce timekeeping policies to ensure accuracy and timely processing of employee timecards

Advising Quality, Student Support & Escalation Management

• Oversee the delivery of high-quality one-on-one and group advising, ensuring Advisors provide comprehensive career exploration guidance, professional development support, and job search preparation
• Serve as the escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high-needs student and alumni cases, modeling advanced advising practices and sound decision-making
• Ensure Advisors consistently apply established processes for resume refinement, Linked In optimization, interview preparation, placement readiness, and strategic job search planning
• Monitor student engagement and advising participation trends; collaborate with Advisors to increase student attendance at advising sessions, workshops, and employer events
• Implement quality assurance standards that reinforce consistency in service delivery, advising accuracy, and high levels of student satisfaction

Data Integrity, Reporting & Accreditation Compliance

• Ensure accurate, timely, and complete documentation of advising sessions, job placements, graduation outcomes, and employer engagement notes within Dynamics or related systems
• Conduct regular internal audits of caseloads, advising notes, and placement documentation to verify alignment with institutional requirements, ACCET standards, and compliance expectations
• Oversee verification of graduate and placement…