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Assistant Director, Career Development Office

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL · $70,000–$85,000 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 4, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

This role prepares graduate students in a financial mathematics program for careers, reporting to the career development office director. What career advising have you done?

What they are checking: Whether they have done career advising, because preparing graduate students for competitive finance careers requires real coaching experience.

You'd run practice interviews with students and review resumes and cover letters. Walk me through how you give feedback on a resume that is not working.

What they are checking: Whether they give specific, actionable resume feedback, because vague comments do not help students fix a resume that is not landing interviews.

You'd support employer and alumni relations and coordinate outreach. How would you build a relationship with a firm that does not currently recruit here?

What they are checking: Whether they can build relationships with new employers, because expanding the recruiting base is a named duty and directly helps students find jobs.

What would you do

You'd engage industry partners for a quarterly project course and coordinate information sessions. How do you get a busy firm to commit to a student project?

What they are checking: Whether they can win a busy firm's commitment to a student project, because offering only student access makes that a persuasion challenge.

The posting names experience with graduate and international students as preferred. What is different about advising an international student on a job search here?

What they are checking: Whether they understand international students' job search challenges, including work authorization, because many students in this program face those realities.

A student is not getting interviews and does not want to hear why. How do you handle that conversation?

What they are checking: Whether they can deliver honest feedback to a student who resists it, because avoiding hard truths keeps students stuck in a failing search.

You'd source job opportunities from boards and company sites weekly and distribute them. How do you keep that from becoming noise students ignore?

What they are checking: Whether they can curate job postings so students actually use them, because a flood of irrelevant listings quickly gets ignored.

About the work

What do you understand about where financial mathematics graduates actually get hired, and what those employers screen for?

What they are checking: Knowledge of the specific market, which makes the advising credible

You'd track data and report on student, alumni and employer activity across several systems. What would you measure to know the office is working?

What they are checking: Whether they know which outcomes show career services are working, because measuring the right things guides improvement and justifies resources.

The posting asks for a degree with two to five years of related experience and prefers career services, student affairs, advising or human resources plus event planning. Where do you sit?

What they are checking: Whether their education and experience match the stated qualifications, and whether they can place themselves honestly against the preferred background.

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The full job description

As published by University of Chicago.

Department PSD Financial Mathematics: Career Development About the Department The Financial Mathematics Program (FinMath) is a professional graduate program within the Department of Mathematics at The University of Chicago. As a pioneer in the field of quantitative finance, we have had the honor of shaping some of the brightest minds in the financial industry today. Bringing together top-performing students from around the world and highly accomplished faculty, FinMath prepares students for success in a variety of careers in quantitative finance. The FinMath Career Development Office serves students and alumni of the program by providing essential tools and resources to better prepare and position themselves in pursuing their professional career paths. Learn more about our program at https://finmath.uchicago.edu/ and our career services at https://finmath.uchicago.edu/careers/. Job Summary Reporting to the Career Development Office (CDO) Director, the Assistant Director works with the CDO team to prepare graduate students in the Financial Mathematics Program (FinMath) for securing internships and full-time employment. The Assistant Director provides key career event planning and execution support, provides one-on-one and group advising support for students, and facilitates career programming including classroom and virtual workshops, practice labs, special events and panels. Plays a key role to coordinate and plan events in support of alumni and employer relations. Responsibilities • Advises and counsels students concerning employment opportunities and careers by acting as a liaison between students and prospective employers - Topics include career exploration within the quant finance field, job search strategies, resumes and cover letters, networking and professional development, interview skills, salary negotiation, etc. • Conducts mock interviews, reviews resumes and cover letters, and coordinates other interview related programming in both individual and group settings. • Supports employer and alumni relations including coordinating outreach for career engagement opportunities with students. • Collaborates with CDO Director to engage new and existing industry partners for the quarterly Project Lab course; coordinates quarterly info sessions and works with Project Lab instructor to support student, advisor, and company communications throughout each quarter. • Provides planning and logistical management for career events, including employer, alumni, and student-focused events. • Collaborates with campus partners to identify broader partnership opportunities for career support services and best practices. • Completes data tracking and reporting, including on Canvas, FinMath Connect, and related external tools/systems used to track student/alumni/employer activities. • Communicates and distributes information about events, and job/career opportunities to students and alumni on a weekly and ad hoc basis. • Sources appropriate career opportunities from various job boards and company websites on a weekly basis. • Leads or participates in special projects as assigned by CDO Director. • Advises and counsels students concerning employment opportunities and careers by acting as a liaison between students and prospective employers. • Conducts mock interviews, reviews resumes and cover letters, and coordinates other interview related programming in both individual and group settings. • Performs other related work as needed. Minimum Qualifications Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline. Certifications: --- Preferred Qualifications Education: • Bachelor's degree. Experience: • Career Services, Student Affairs, Advising, Human Resources or a related field. • Experience with graduate-level and/or international students. • Previous experience in event planning and execution. • Previous customer service or sales experience. Technical Knowledge or Skills: • Proficiency in office software such as Microsoft Office, Google Docs, etc. • Experience with client management software such as Symplicity, Salesforce, Handshake. Preferred Competencies • Superb interpersonal skills and demonstrated success in maintaining strong collaborative relationships with diverse constituencies. • Organizational skills and ability to multi-task on frequent and changing demands while meeting deadlines. • Strong oral and written communication skills with a high degree of professionalism. • Advising/coaching/counseling skills in individual and group settings. • Analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as attention to detail. • Ability to work independently, as well as within a team. • Ability to maintain confidentiality. • Ability to learn new technologies and skills. • Commitment to excellent customer service, including tact, discretion, and proper judgement as necessary. • Knowledge of mid to large-scale event coordination. • Willingness to back-up partner offices on special projects as assigned. • Ability to identify and implement process improvements. • Innovative, problem solving and critical thinking skills. Application Documents • Resume (required) • Cover letter (required) The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions. When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application. Job Family Student Affairs & Services Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 37.5 Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required No Pay Rate Type Salary ​ FLSA Status Exempt ​ Pay Range $70,000.00 - $85,000.00 The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. Benefits Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook . Posting Statement The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position. The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

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