Associate Director for Industry Relations

Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land grant institution, classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the nation’s top 2 percent of universities with the highest level of research activity. The university works to advance Arkansas and build a better world through education, research, and outreach by providing transformational opportunities and skills, fostering a welcoming climate, and nurturing creativity, discovery, and the spread of new ideas and innovations. The campus is located in Fayetteville, a community ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S., with a growing region home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and a strong national reputation for the arts and quality of life.

About the role

The Associate Director for Industry Relations supports the effectiveness and strategic direction of employer engagement efforts within Walton College Career Connections through data analysis, program coordination, and operational execution. This role works closely with the Senior Director and employer-facing team members to ensure that industry engagement strategies are informed by accurate data, aligned with student outcomes, and executed efficiently.

The Associate Director is responsible for analyzing employer engagement and internship/employment outcomes data, developing reports and dashboards, and translating insights into actionable recommendations. In addition, this role provides critical operational support, including coordinating meetings, tracking initiatives, managing timelines, and ensuring follow-through across projects and partnerships. Success in this role requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while keeping team initiatives organized and on track.

The Associate Director collaborates across Career Connections, academic programs, and external partners to enhance the quality, efficiency, and impact of employer engagement efforts. Must be able to provide in-person support of programming/events during office hours (Monday-Friday 8am-5pm) and occasional evenings and weekends (less than 10 evenings or weekends per semester). Regular, non-disruptive, and in-person attendance is essential, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial working relationships.

Responsibilities

• Analyze employer engagement and internship/employment outcomes data
• Develop reports and dashboards to support data-driven decision-making
• Translate data insights into actionable recommendations for employer engagement strategies
• Provide operational support, including coordinating meetings, tracking initiatives, and managing timelines
• Ensure follow-through across projects and partnerships
• Collaborate with Career Connections, academic programs, and external partners to enhance employer engagement efforts
• Support in-person programming and events during office hours and occasional evenings/weekends

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, communications, marketing, human resources, or related field from an accredited institution of higher education
• Experience in two or more career fields within business education (e.g., Accounting and Finance; Marketing, Sales, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG); Supply Chain Management and/or Operations; Human Resource Management and Entrepreneurship; Economics and Information Systems; MBA and other Specialty Master’s Programs)
• High proficiency with web-based resources, spreadsheet, and presentation software (MS Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel)

Qualifications

• Master's degree in business, communications, marketing, human resources, or related field (preferred)
• Experience demonstrating growth and/or advancement in corporate human resources, professional, or executive recruitment (preferred)
• Track record of success in developing and implementing recruiting strategies and programming (preferred)
• Experience establishing and maintaining effective rapport with companies, executives, alumni, and recruiters (preferred)
• Experience in job search and process management (preferred)
• Experience with pivot tables in Excel for data analysis (preferred)
• Experience with Applicant Tracking Systems, Learning Management Systems (e.g., Canvas), and/or Career Services platforms (e.g., Handshake) (preferred)
• Experience working with students in a higher education environment (preferred)

Benefits

• University contributions to health, dental, life, and disability insurance
• Tuition waivers for employees and their families
• 12 official holidays
• Immediate leave accrual
• Choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary

Pay

$58,000

Schedule

• Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
• Occasional evenings and weekends (less than 10 per semester)