After a two-month search for a new director, the Undergraduate Career Services has hired its first choice.

Allyson Moore, current associate dean of students and director of career services at Amherst College, will fill the spot left by previous UCS Director Philip Jones. Although Moore has spent the past two years at Amherst, she will return to familiar territory when assumes the post April 4: She served a two-year stint as director of career development at the School of Management from 2006 to 2008.

“She both knows Yale and has had experience at other schools, so she has an insider’s knowledge and an outsider’s fresh take,” said Yale College Dean Mary Miller.

When Jones left the job in December after 12 years, Jane Edwards, associate dean of Yale College and dean of international and professional experience, took over as interim UCS director and spearheaded a search for Jones’ permanent replacement. The search committee included an undergraduate student, Yale College Council Treasurer Brandon Levin ’13, to include the student body’s perspective, and made a list of criteria that they wished to see in the next UCS director, Edwards added.

The search, however, was a narrow one: Miller and Edwards said the committee sought Moore specifically for her previous work.

“She has experience in this field, and she has been very successful at Amherst doing the kinds of outreach with undergraduates that we want here,” Edwards said.

Last month, English major Cooper Wilhelm ’11 told the News that UCS was lacking in resources for humanities students. The common perception among students, he added, is that UCS is only helpful to those interested in finance.

Both Edwards and Miller said they hope Moore changes the way that students interact with UCS, and how they use the organization to help plan for the future.

“She has been noteworthy for extending the whole notion for what a career center can do in terms of forming partnerships with alumni and employers,” Miller said. “She is very keen to continue to do at Yale what she has demonstrated that she can do elsewhere, and expand career offerings for people in the arts and humanities.”

When contacted shortly after Miller announced Moore’s hiring, Moore said she is excited to rejoin Yale, and is looking forward to returning to campus in April. She declined to say more about her plans for UCS as she is still employed by Amherst.

Moore left a positive impression on SOM Dean Sharon Oster, who said Moore excelled in her career development post at the school.

“She was a great manager and worked well with both students and recruiters,” she said.

In her e-mail to Yale staff this afternoon announcing Moore’s appointment, Miller said she was excited to have persuaded Moore to return to New Haven.

A journalist by training, Moore received her B.A. from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and her M.S. from the Columbia Journalism School. Before moving to SOM in 2006, Moore was director of full-time MBA career services at New York University’s Stern School of Business.

David Burt contributed reporting.