Associate Director, Industry & Talent Engagement

Job Summary

As the Associate Director of Industry and Talent Engagement, you will lead CU Boulder's industry partnership strategy by connecting student talent with current and emerging workforce needs. You will provide strategic direction and oversight for a team advancing employer outreach, recruitment partnerships, and workplace learning opportunities aligned with campus and Career Services priorities. Using data, industry insights, and assessment outcomes, you will guide engagement strategies, track annual results, and report progress to executive leadership. As a primary liaison, you will cultivate relationships with local, national, and alumni employers to expand equitable access to employment opportunities. You will also serve as a collaborative member of the Career Services leadership team, and collaborate with Division executive leaders to align processes and protocols related to recruitment and hiring practices at CU. Through collaboration and innovation, you will contribute to systems, culture, and practices that support high-quality service delivery for campus stakeholders.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Division of Student Life consists of 36 departments that provide student support and services dedicated to helping students become successful, curious, competent individuals during their time at CU Boulder.

The work in Student Life supports all factors of the student experience, no matter what department a staff member may work in. This includes where students live, eat, make friends, build professional skills, and find help if they need it. Many departments provide involvement opportunities, educational resources, and support services to help students find their community and build lifelong skills. Student Life also offers comprehensive Health & Well-being services, providing medical care, mental health support and wellness programs to help students thrive physically and emotionally. Student Life also has shared services departments that support the work and staff of our student-facing areas, including areas like center for assessment, insight and research, business services, finance, employee experience, communication and marketing and technology solutions.

With over 1,100 staff members in the Division, our diverse team is uniquely positioned to personalize the student experience and advocate for students, enhancing their success inside and outside the classroom.

Career Services prepares CU Boulder students and alumni for their current and future goals by facilitating connections and raising student self-awareness to develop skills and communicate career readiness to employers. Our team leads a comprehensive career-focused infrastructure for campus, which includes career planning, programs, resources, access to professional experiences, and oversees on-campus student employment. Additionally, the department is an entry point for CU talent recruitment- cultivating employer partnerships and responding to workforce needs.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Industry and Employer Strategy

• Establish an employer advisory board, collaborate with Program Manager, and glean insight from employers to inform campus about hiring trends, skills, and emerging best practices for creating and employing industry partnerships.
• Develop employer partner program, consulting on marketing materials and providing high level of leadership to drive the outreach and onboarding of employers interested in partnering with Career Services.
• Refine, implement and assess relationship management, compliance, programming and procedures that align with Career Services' strategic goals.
• Set a strategy for further developing connections with employers, parents, and alumni constituents who are interested in supporting CU Boulder student career readiness.
• Collaborate and liaise with key stakeholders on- and off-campus with the goal of providing excellent service to students and employers. Support employer onboarding and training efforts.
• Facilitate connections between the Career Services Office, industry partners, employers, and students. Report outcomes related to hiring and pipeline development.
• Develop SOPs, parameters, and maintain standards for student engagement with employers.
• Make recommendations and set employer relations outreach strategy based on data collection and analysis.
• Report outcomes to team members and supervisors on a yearly basis with the intent to grow partnerships in critical areas of expected growth and emerging industries.
• Utilize assessment feedback and innovative approaches, set the vision for industry and talent engagement. Work across networks on campus, in the local community (ie: Chambers of Commerce, Professional Associations), and engage on the national level to connect CU Boulder externally to reach desired outcomes for student employment upon graduation.
• Identify and measure progress; report outcomes, set goals, and strategically advocate for resources to develop talent, set direction, and clearly demonstrate client management strategies. Desired outcomes include, successful talent engagement, work-based learning, work integrated projects, and internships at CU Boulder, to serve across various learner populations.

Leadership and Project Management

• Prepare budgets and monitor expenses for Employer Relations.
• Update and communicate foundational expectations, best practices, and policies for Employer Relations staff to deliver outcomes related to quality service.
• Participate and collaborate effectively through the Executive Leadership and Leadership team in Career Services.
• Serve as a point of contact for intensified employer concerns and emerging trends in polarizing employers.
• Implement initiatives and projects that align with department, division, and campus vision ie employer partner program, employer advisory board, employer training/onboarding strategies, parent-donor engagement
• Demonstrate project and risk-management skills/knowledge, relationship building, compliance, and ability to represent Division and Department expectations in a professional manner.
• Collaborate closely with Program Manager of Technology about platforms related to the area of responsibility.

Supervision

• Supervise professional staff; set goals and priorities for team performance and support workflows that contribute to department goals and vision. Responsible for the growth and development of a high-functioning team and expanding staff hiring according to staffing needs.
• Assign and delegate tasks and special projects to direct reports, by providing direction, mentorship, coaching, training, development, and regular, timely constructive feedback.
• Build processes to establish a culture of assessment and continuous improvement that evaluates the organizational structure to ensure optimal effectiveness, efficiency, and role clarity.
• Provide onboarding, coaching, training, and overall team development. This includes team goal setting, individual goal alignment, and strategic oversight that ensures the innovation of this team. Conduct employee performance evaluations and goal setting for each performance cycle.

Other duties as assigned

• Attend weekly Career Services all-staff and team meetings.
• Attend and support "All Hands on Deck" events such as (but not limited to) campus career fairs, new student orientation, and on-campus student employment events.
• Attend occasional campus-level and liaison meetings.
• Support peak times for all staff support in the Division of Student Life.
• Given the changing nature of work and Career Services' commitment to be adaptable, innovative, and resilient as the nature of work changes, staff will need to shift gears, jump in, and try new things, even when those things fall outside of a formal job description

What You Should Know

• This position offers a hybrid work opportunity requiring 3 days per week in person and 2 days per week remote. The typical work schedule for this position is Monday-Friday, with some nights and weekend hours required for special events.

What We Can Offer

• The annual salary range is $86,100-$91,000.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be challenged. Be visionary. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Master's degree
• 3 years, including at least 1 year of experience at a supervisory level.
• Demonstrated experience working with employers, industry partners, corporate partners, faculty, learners, and/or donors.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.

What You Will Need

• Strong presentation skills.
• Strong organizational and multi-tasking skills.
• Ability to work effectively with external partners, divisional and departmental leadership, faculty, and staff.
• Knowledge of the trends in the workforce, internships, and job markets.
• Flexibility in working hours to accommodate evening and weekend programs.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Experience using technology platforms to track client relationships, data, and report outcomes.
• Experience developing and coordinating programs and/or partnerships across departments or organizations.
• Strategic relationship building, tracking, and employing partnerships to serve pre-professionals.
• Demonstrated ability to innovate, evolve, and develop team members in a critical functional area with a growth mindset.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. A current resume.
2. A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by May 17, 2026, for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.