Associate Director Employer Relations & Outreach

The Associate Director of Employer Relations and Outreach will work closely with the Chief Career Officer and advising team to develop and lead strategic initiatives to expand employer partnerships, enhance experiential learning opportunities, and align external engagement with institutional goals. This individual will create, coordinate, implement and manage workflows to positively affect employer retention and manage efforts to increase the quality and number of internships and full-time job opportunities for Davidson College students. This person plays a critical role in integrating employer engagement into student experience through events, classroom visits, and high-impact practices, while promoting inclusive strategies and data-informed decision-making.

This position is HYBRID- 3 days in the office/2 days remote per week

ESSENTIAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Leadership and Strategic Oversight Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic initiatives aligned with institutional goals and departmental priorities.
• Elevated Focus on the Charlotte Metro market by expanding our footprint and increasing the number of employer partnerships to assist our students with internships and full-time employment.
• Partner with the Associate Director, Alumni Career Networks on shared outreach, events, and marketing to identify and create internship and full-time job opportunities for current Davidson students through our alumni networks.
• Oversee employer engagement and event budget, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and resource allocation plans.
• Employer Relations Team LEAD- Partner with the Industry Advisors (4) on employer relations strategy, goal setting and execution.
• Set and conduct weekly employer engagement meetings during the academic year, bi-weekly during summer months
• Lead coordination of the annual Fall Career Horizon Fair for all majors and employers, and assist lead advisors (Pre-Law and Pre-Health) with coordination of the annual Law School Fair and Health Careers Fair
• Represent the office at professional conferences and events; share key insights with staff and strengthen the office's visibility in the field.
• Collaborate with departments and contribute to campus-wide initiatives and committees as appropriate.

Employer Engagement and Experiential Learning

• Build and sustain employer, faculty, alumni, and industry relationships.
• Collaborate with MCCD team and other campus partners to expand experiential learning, hiring pipelines, and partnerships.
• Oversee strategy for expanding internship, experiential learning and full time opportunity pipelines across industries where new relationships need to develop in order to meet the demands of our students.
• Coordinate employer involvement in campus visits, panels, and student-facing programming (specifically Career Treks).
• Support interested faculty in embedding employer-led content into curriculum and classroom activities.
• Establish, in coordination with the CCO and advising team, an employer advisory committee for the MCCD.

Marketing and Inclusive Outreach

• Lead the development of employer-facing marketing strategies and oversee outreach campaigns in collaboration with the career advisors and the assistant director for marketing and events.
• Promote inclusive employer engagement strategies that reflect the diversity of the student body and institutional values.

Data, Systems, and Reporting utilizing Handshake and LACRM

• Report on employer engagement, event outcomes, internship pipelines, and partnership trends through LACRM
• Work with Assistant Director of Metrics and Assessment to develop dashboards to visualize internship growth, employer engagement, and event impact through Handshake and LACRM

TEAM

• Work collaboratively with all Matthews Center staff to support Davidson College Students
• Produce additional reports as needed
• Assist in hiring, training and supervising student employees as needed
• Support the Matthews Center overall strategy as a team member

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: There will be other duties as assigned for the position. This position requires a flexible schedule with some evening and weekend hours to meet the operational needs of the Matthews Center.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and performance required. Reasonable accommodation may enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Bachelors Degree required
• 4-7 years of progressive experience in employer relations, career services, talent acquisition or a related field
• Demonstrated success in building strategic partnerships and managing experiential learning programs.
• Knowledge of the college internship/job search process cycles is essential.
• Supervisory experience preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree preferred
• Previous experience working at a liberal arts college
• Proven ability to cultivate and sustain employer relationships across diverse industries.
• Skilled in organizing employer events, classroom visits, and networking programs that connect students with professionals.
• Experience in developing marketing strategies and outreach campaigns for employer engagement.
• Strong understanding of inclusive engagement practices and workforce development trends
• Ability to manage budgets, assess program effectiveness, and use data to inform strategy.
• Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional initiatives and contributing to institutional planning.
• Proficiency with Handshake (or similar CSM), Big Interview (or similar virtual interviewing platform), LACRM or comparative Employer Relations CRM for employer engagement and career services delivery
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace for documentation, reporting, and communication

Information about how to submit an application can be found at https://employment.davidson.edu.