Head Placements/ Assistant Director Placements (Corporate Relations & Placements)
Location: Davangere, Karnataka
Experience: 8+ Years
Qualification: MBA / PGDM (HR, Marketing, Operations, or related field); additional certifications in Training, Career Counseling, or Corporate Relations preferred
Employment Type: Full-Time
Reporting To: Vice Chancellor
About the Role
Head Placements/Assistant Director Placements will drive campus placements and corporate engagement for GM University across all its programmes (67 programmes, 10,000+ students). The role covers building recruiter pipelines, running placement drives end-to-end, and preparing students for industry.
The ideal candidate brings an established corporate network, hands-on placement experience in a university or higher-education setting, and the ability to work directly with the Vice Chancellor, Deans, and Heads of Departments.
Key Responsibilities
Placement Planning & Team Coordination
- Plan the annual placement calendar and targets for all schools and programmes in alignment with university goals.
- Guide and coordinate placement coordinators and student volunteers across departments.
- Present placement performance, trends, and action plans to the Vice Chancellor and university leadership.
- Manage the placement function's day-to-day budget and resources.
Corporate Relations & Industry Networking
- Build and maintain long-term relationships with HR heads, talent acquisition leads, and business leaders across IT, core engineering, manufacturing, BFSI, FMCG, consulting, analytics, pharma, healthcare, legal, and research sectors, so that every programme has a relevant recruiter base.
- Identify, approach, and onboard new companies for campus recruitment, internships, and live projects each cycle.
- Convert first-time recruiters into repeat recruiters through job-profile alignment and post-drive feedback.
- Represent the university at industry forums, conclaves, and corporate events.
Placement Operations
- Oversee planning and execution of campus drives, pool drives, and virtual hiring across schools/departments, including:
- Company coordination and job requirement mapping
- Student shortlisting and interview scheduling
- Offer management and joining follow-ups
- Maintain accurate placement records, databases, and recruitment analytics (offers, packages, sectors, median and highest CTC).
- Prepare placement data for NIRF, NAAC, and other accreditation and ranking submissions.
- Ensure smooth communication across companies, students, faculty, and management.
Student Employability & Skill Development
- Track hiring trends and skill requirements across industries and for the graduate profile of every programme.
- Coordinate employability initiatives covering communication, interview skills, resume writing, aptitude, group discussions, and workplace readiness.
- Organise career guidance sessions, mock interviews, workshops, and industry interactions.
Academic & Industry Alignment
- Work with Deans and Heads of Departments to align student preparation with industry expectations.
- Drive internship models, apprenticeships, and skill-based training with industry partners.
- Arrange guest lectures, expert visits, and collaborative training sessions; engage alumni for referrals and mentoring.
Stakeholder Management
- Act as the primary point of contact for corporate partners, students, and faculty on placement matters.
- Manage recruiter expectations and resolve recruiter and student grievances in line with placement policy.
- Champion the university's brand and reputation among corporate partners and industry bodies.
Required Skills & Competencies
- 8+ years of experience in campus placements, corporate relations, or university-industry interface
- Proven exposure to placing students across diverse disciplines (Engineering, Management, Science, Health & Allied Sciences, Law, Pharmacy, and other professional programmes)
- Strong corporate networking and relationship management
- Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills
- Sound understanding of industry skill requirements, hiring patterns, and salary ranges
- Ability to organise and run training and career guidance programmes
- Results-driven mindset with a track record of meeting placement targets
- Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint, and placement management or ATS tools
- Working knowledge of Kannada and Hindi is an advantage
Preferred Background
Candidates with prior experience in any of the following are preferred:
- Universities or Higher Education Institutions
- Training & Placement Departments
- EdTech
- Recruitment / Staffing
- Corporate HR / Talent Acquisition
Additional certifications in Training, Career Counseling, Employability Skills, or Corporate Relations are an advantage.
Expected Outcomes
- Year-on-year growth in quality internships and campus placements across all schools and programmes
- A strong, diverse recruiter network spanning multiple industries
- New and repeat recruiters added every placement cycle
- Measurable improvement in student employability and industry readiness
- High conversion rates and strong offer-to-join ratios across placement drives
- Accurate, timely placement data and reports
Interested and suitable candidates for the above position – please do share your profile on hr.co@gmu.ac.in