Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations

Job Summary

The School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois invites applications for an Associate/Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations in Community, Culture, and Engagement.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Corporate Partnership Development (50%): Implement partnership strategies to identify, cultivate, secure, and sustain corporate partnerships that advance the iSchool's priorities in experiential learning, workforce development, corporate-collaborative research and applications, and revenue generation. Serve as the primary liaison for key corporate partners and stakeholders, ensuring consistent, high-quality relationship management and strategic engagement. Build and maintain a portfolio of corporate relationships that supports internships and practicum experiences, experiential learning, early-career pathways, employer engagement, corporate-collaborative research and applications, philanthropy, and other partnership opportunities. Develop and steward relationships that can translate into real-world corporate projects, case studies, applied research opportunities, and curriculum-connected experiential learning for students. Monitor labor market trends, industry developments, and employer needs to inform partnership strategy and identify emerging opportunities for the school. Establish contracts with external organizations to enhance partnership opportunities for engaged student learning.
• External Representation for Corporate Audiences (20%): Promote the value of the iSchool and its academic programs to external corporate audiences by articulating the distinct strengths of Information Sciences relative to other disciplines and professional fields. Develop and communicate a compelling value proposition for corporate partners that highlights the School’s interdisciplinary expertise, student talent, and strengths. Represent the School at industry events, professional conferences, workforce development convenings, and other external forums and meetings to maintain visible presence and expand awareness of iSchool programs and capabilities for corporate partners. Create opportunities to showcase student talent, faculty expertise, and School accomplishments to corporate audiences.
• Programs, Events, and Operational Coordination (15%): Plan and coordinate employer-facing events and engagement opportunities that connect corporate partners with students, faculty, and other internal stakeholders. Support development of programs to strengthen relationship-building and create meaningful touchpoints between the School and corporate partners. Coordinate logistics, communications, and follow-up for visits, events, presentations, and partnership activities.
• Administration (15%): Closely collaborate with the administrators and staff in Career Services, Experiential Learning, Advancement, Marketing, and other areas to align corporate partnership strategy, communications, and programming with School priorities. Participate in and contribute to iSchool, Community, Culture, and Engagement office meetings, planning sessions, and strategic initiatives that advance the office and the School’s mission. Coordinate with internal partners to ensure corporate relations activities are well integrated with student opportunity, advancement, outreach, and School-wide engagement efforts. Support reporting, planning materials, and other documentation related to partnership activity, engagement outcomes, and strategic priorities. Contribute to the development and improvement of shared processes, systems, and workflows that support the effectiveness of the office.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Three (3) years (36 months) of progressively responsible experience in corporate partnerships, employer relations, external relations, business development, advancement, or a related field in higher education or a comparable environment.
• Experience developing and maintaining corporate relationships and supporting partnership initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education administration, business, communications, information sciences, or a related field.

Additional Physical Demands

Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills. Ability to articulate a compelling value proposition for academic programs and student talent. Ability to work highly independently and collaboratively across units and organizations. Strong organizational and project management skills.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations: Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills. Ability to articulate a compelling value proposition for academic programs and student talent. Ability to work highly independently and collaboratively across units and organizations. Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Associate Director of External Corporate Relations: Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills. Demonstrated ability to articulate and communicate a compelling value proposition for academic programs and student talent. Ability to work highly independently and collaboratively across units and organizations. Strong organizational and project management skills. Strong leadership skills.

Appointment Information

• This is a 100% full-time Civil Service Program Coordinator position, appointed on a 12-month basis.
• The expected start date is as soon as possible after the search close date.
• The budgeted salary range for the Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations is $72,000 to $82,000 and for the Associate Director of External Corporate Relations is $80,000 to $85,000. The final salary offer will be determined through a calculation involving these elements.
• Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.
• For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

• Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on August 21st, 2026.
• Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting, and upload your cover letter, resume (months and years of employment must be included), and names and contact information for three professional references.
• Please remember to include specific information on how you meet the qualifications of the position in your application materials, including all relevant experiences.
• Interviews will be conducted following the review of applications.