Director of Undergraduate Career & Employer Relations

Walden University was founded over 50 years ago to support adult learners in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and communities. With students from across the U.S. and more than 115 countries, Walden offers over 100 online degrees and certificate programs and is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

About the Role

The Director of Undergraduate Career & Employer Relations serves as the strategic leader for undergraduate career development, employer engagement, and student employment outcomes at Walden University. This role is responsible for developing innovative strategies that connect students to meaningful career opportunities while building strong partnerships with employers across key industries. The Director will lead the evolution of career services programs, leveraging technology, data, and market insights to improve career readiness, internship participation, and employment outcomes. This individual will work collaboratively with academic and student-facing teams to align career development initiatives with workforce needs and employer expectations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive employer relations strategy that expands internship and employment opportunities for undergraduate students.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with employers, industry associations, workforce organizations, and key community stakeholders.
• Lead career services initiatives focused on student career readiness, professional development, and post-graduation success.
• Identify labor market trends, employer hiring needs, and workforce demands to inform career programming and strategic priorities.
• Leverage technology and innovative service models to enhance student engagement and career outcomes.
• Utilize data, analytics, and business intelligence to measure performance, identify opportunities, and drive continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with academic leadership to connect employer needs with program offerings and student skill development.
• Develop and oversee employer engagement events, digital engagement, networking opportunities, advisory councils, and recruiting initiatives.
• Provide strategic counsel to university leadership regarding career services, employer engagement, and student employment trends.
• Create and maintain dashboards, reports, and key performance indicators that measure student outcomes, employer engagement, and program effectiveness.
• Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing career services and employer relations team.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and student-centered service.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required with a demonstrated record of academic achievement.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in career services, employer relations, talent acquisition, workforce development, higher education, or a related field.
• Proven leadership and people management experience.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships with employers and external partners.
• Demonstrated success leveraging technology to improve processes, scale services, or transform operating models.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using data and business intelligence to drive decision-making and performance improvements.
• Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of an organization.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and related business technologies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree, MBA, or equivalent graduate-level education.
• Experience within higher education, student success, workforce development, recruiting, staffing, or talent acquisition environments.
• Experience leading organizational change, innovation initiatives, or large-scale program transformation.
• Demonstrated ability to build creative solutions that improve student outcomes and employer engagement.

Schedule

Hybrid schedule with four in-office days per week (Monday–Thursday).

Pay

The expected salary range for this position is between $100,171.61 and $175,761.85. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; geographic location; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• 401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match
• Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Annual incentive program (eligibility subject to program rules and performance factors)