Senior Associate Director
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire, United States
Joe Hayes is a recognized and award-winning career educator with over 15 years of experience spanning consulting and career education at both private and public institutions. Throughout his career, Joe has demonstrated a forward-thinking approach, consistently creating, growing, and leading impactful programs that serve high-achieving students and drive organizational success.
As the Senior Associate Director at Dartmouth College’s Center for Professional Development, Joe supports a team of 18 staff members, including career coaches, employer relations specialists, operations staff and student peers. His strategic vision has led to the development of office-wide goals, the successful launch of a new space, and supported the creation of a strengths-based initiative designed to empower incoming students. Joe leads the college's Grants Coordinating Committee - further enhancing experiential learning opportunities for all students.
Previously, at the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School, Joe contributed to a 98% post-graduation employment rate while teaching a summer internship course and advising business students on career development strategies. His leadership on first destination outcomes reporting contributed to Kenan-Flagler’s rise to a top-10 ranking nationally. Joe also led multiple student treks to key industry cities and spearheaded innovative programming that bridged the gap between students and employers.
During his tenure at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Joe held multiple leadership roles, including developing the Walter Scott, Jr. Career Development Institute and managing a career services team that supported career readiness across six colleges. He played a pivotal role in increasing student career engagement through design thinking-inspired programming and establishing the Campus Career Council to coordinate career efforts across the university.
Earlier in his career, Joe honed his skills in the private sector, working at a NYC-based consulting firm where he served on the senior management team. His expertise in operations, finance, and recruiting enabled him to grow the firm’s workforce by 700%, expanding into multiple international offices. This foundation in consulting gave him a unique perspective on strategic planning and organizational development, which he continues to apply in the higher education sector.
A writer and presenter at national, regional and state conferences, Joe’s leadership spans topics such as employer relations in a hybrid world, operating within a decentralized model, creating powerful partnerships, and making career development more joyful. His contributions have earned him several accolades, including the Best Practices in Innovation Award and recognition from the University of Nebraska Board of Trustees.
Joe holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Bachelor of Science from Nebraska Wesleyan University. He is committed to fostering inclusive and impactful career education environments, with a focus on building student confidence, creating opportunities for career exploration, and forging strong employer partnerships.
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Innovating on a Budget: Creative Frameworks for Career Education
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
1:00 PM - 1:50 PM EDT