Assistant Director, Industry Advising

About the role

The Assistant Director, Industry Advising is responsible for managing a portfolio of employer relationships and providing career coaching to students and alumni on career decisions and job search strategies. The Assistant Director works with employers to create a customized recruiting experience to engage with students and alumni of the university, including planning on and off campus events and developing sponsorship opportunities. The Assistant Director collaborates with campus professional development teams, faculty, student organizations, alumni, and University Advancement to promote internship and professional opportunities and meet with students to help them secure these opportunities. Some travel and overnight visits will be required.

Responsibilities

• Create and manage relationships with employers and educate them about best practices for recruiting at the university.
• Evaluate the employers’ experience and follow through on any requests or recommendations.
• Using recruiting and student interest data, identify target employers for outreach and travel to meet them.
• In collaboration with university faculty, staff and alumni, work to establish recruiting relationships with these organizations.
• Create sponsorship opportunities in the Career Center for any interested employer.
• Use Handshake to accurately post multiple positions, establish unique interview schedules, identify potential student candidates and collect resumes.
• Initiate and manage university-wide, industry-specific career events on and off campus.
• Counsel and coach students and alumni on job search strategies and preparation using information gathered from employer conversations.
• Conduct practice interview sessions.
• Lead in-person and virtual workshops on career development subjects like resume writing, interviewing, and managing an online presence.
• Respond to student inquiries regarding job postings and interview schedules.
• Develop industry-specific content for website, handouts, and digital & print educational materials.
• Support industry-specific immersion programs and other experiential student trips, including corporate site visits.
• Work with student groups associated with the industries supported.
• Serve as the Career Center’s liaison to academic units and campus departments, including University Advancement and the Alumni Office, who are relevant to employer relationships.
• Collaborate with university professional development teams by enhancing student outreach and strengthening employer and alumni engagements to produce positive outcomes for students.
• Run reports for university professional development teams and to inform strategy of career & professional development.
• Share employment trends and recruiting & outcomes data to department chairs and administration.
• Represent the university on campus program committees and off campus consortia.
• Perform other duties and assist with projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• Formal Education: Bachelor’s degree required.
• Specific Job Knowledge: Understanding of corporate hiring processes, college career centers and career development trends.
• Minimum Work Experience: Minimum 2 years’ experience in university career services office, higher education, human resources or related field.
• Work Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills in order to work with high profile employers, students, faculty, and university administrators; Coaching skills, event coordination and programming experience; Experienced in Microsoft Office and social media; Ability to collaborate cross-functionally in an office environment and to interface with various constituents of the university.
• Other Requirements: Occasional off-campus travel and overnight visits may be required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Formal Education: Master’s degree in Counseling, Higher Education, Human Resources, or related field preferred.
• Specific Job Knowledge: Knowledge of employment and career services management software preferred (the Villanova University Career Center uses Handshake).
• Sales orientation a plus.