Director of Industry Relations and Communications

Director of Industry Relations and Communications

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Director of Industry Relations and Communications

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Columbia College Chicago is an acclaimed undergraduate and graduate institution that provides a comprehensive education in the arts, communications, and public relations. We constantly aim to reach our full potential as an educational innovator, incubator of new creative practice and generator of real-world success for young creatives. We are in the heart of Chicago, across the street from historic Grant Park, and housed in some of the most iconic buildings in the South Loop.

Columbia College Chicago a private urban institution of over 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students, four-year College offering a distinctive curriculum that blends liberal arts, creative and media arts and business is currently searching for a DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS .

Position Summary

Under the general direction of the Associate Dean of Career Development and Industry Relations, the Director of Industry Relations and Communication is responsible for overseeing the comprehensive and responsive industry relations and recruiting program for students and alumni. The Director will lead the Industry Relations team in coordinating direct outreach to targeted industry professionals, on-campus recruiting events, and marketing and communications for industry events. This position will develop relationships with employers and professionals to build Columbia's reputation as the first destination for hiring creative talent while ensuring alignment with both College’s strategic plan and higher education standards. In collaboration with the Associate Dean, this position will develop a plan for strategic engagement with creative industries and increasing on-campus recruitment opportunities, identifying hiring trends, and generating metrics to assist with outreach.

Flex work option is available.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Cultivate, manage, and sustain relationships with creative arts-, media-, and technology-related industries and other stakeholders to support and grow experiential learning programs, support co-curricular industry opportunities, and encourage recruitment of Columbia students for jobs and internships, as well as portfolio reviews.
• Work closely with employers, alumni, and Career Center staff to plan and implement programming and initiatives for connecting employers and students to on-site and virtual employer experiences such as career fairs, portfolio reviews, networking events, and industry panels, presentations, and workshops.
• Develop innovative, responsive industry and recruitment events and touchpoints, continually updating and growing knowledge base.
• Manage employer-related issues and concerns from both student and employer perspectives, working with Associate Dean, staff, faculty, HR, and general counsel as needed. Craft recommendations and resolutions while taking into consideration organizations’ cultures, mission, history, and relationship to the College; work to maintain strong relationships with important industry contacts while also ensuring the safety of our students
• Manage job / internship section of career management system. Create and maintain staff user policies and employer guidelines, working with Associate Dean, student employment, and career advising staff, and College’s legal counsel as needed.
• Oversee and review a high volume of employer and job requests in career management system; ensure research of external job boards and opportunities are shared with appropriate staff both in the Career Center and across the College.
• Build and maintain interdepartmental relationships with faculty and staff to exchange relevant information and collaborate on events.
• Develop inclusive programming to facilitate interactions between professionals and students from a range of underserved communities including, but not limited to, those from disability, first-generation student, racial, or sexual orientation communities.
• Foster relationships with alumni and industry professionals for recruitment, portfolio review, and educational opportunities.
• Lead efforts to educate employers on hiring strategies, internship programs, and talent development.
• Present to a variety of contingencies on the following topics : industry hiring practices, networking, portfolio / resume development, and Career Center services or data. Formats may include class presentations, open house events, orientation events, faculty and staff, or upper administration, among others.
• Create, maintain, and track strategic employer contact lists including target employers, strategic I reporting to measure outcomes and effectiveness of employer relations strategies and tactics. Generate reports on hiring trends and identify industries requiring outreach efforts. Contribute to Career Center Annual Report, Internship Report, monthly data reporting, and others as needed.
• Interact with college leadership, including the President’s office, Cabinet, and Board of Trustees to advise on industry outreach, recruitment, and strategy.
• Disseminate programming calendar and relevant events to academic departments and campus partners for cross-promotion to students, ensuring consistency and coordinated efforts to maximize student reach.
• Generate event communications and digital / print marketing materials and mass emails to students and employers.
• Track event analytics to assess areas for improvement.
• Supervise student graphic designers. Assign a wide range of in-house design projects. Provide close supervision and support, and coordinate with Career Center staff to provide creative direction for digital and print promotional materials
• Maintain social media promotion calendar, assign tasks, and review content. Oversee student worker distribution of event posters across campus.
• Ensure all events are publicized across the College including on-campus screens, print posters, and other materials.
• Train, supervise, and conduct performance reviews for assigned direct reports and student employees. Provide direct reports with professional support including goal setting / project design, mentorship, and / or skill-building.
• Stay abreast of current employment and recruiting trends in the creative industries and provide employer education on recruitment strategies and internship programs through meetings, workshops, and participation on panels.
• Represent Career Center at college-wide internal and external events and presentations and meetings with senior leadership.
• Perform other related duties and / or responsibilities as assigned or required.
• Bachelor's degree in higher education, arts administration, or other relevant degree in a creative industry. MA / MFA preferred.
• 5 years of demonstrated experience in recruiting, arts, and media industries, and / or higher education, or an equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Previous work experience in an art or media industry.
• Understanding of higher education, student affairs, career development and employment trends.
• Knowledge of hiring needs for range of arts and media industries.
• Proven ability to plan and execute career fairs or similar large events.
• Familiarity with creative resumes, portfolios, professionalism, and online presence best practices.
• Strong grasp of data management and analysis for program assessment.
• Demonstrated ability to relate to students from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with all constituencies of the College.
• Ability to understand and utilize computer technology, including database management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Basic understanding of Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop a plus.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Strong organization and time management skills, and the ability to perform non-routine work with changing priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of / familiarity with social media tools.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee and is subject to change based on the needs of the department and / or college.

Position Minimum Hourly Rate or Annual Salary : $67,500.00

Position Maximum Hourly Rate or Annual Salary : $81,000.00

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including department budget.

At Columbia, we offer a rewarding work environment for our faculty and staff. We take pride in offering competitive benefits with affordable health, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefit program, life, and accidental, death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work / life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement and financial planning benefits. Click here for more information.

We invite you to join our talented faculty and staff and become part of our collective aspiration to ensure Columbia prepares students for success in their creative fields through innovation, engagement, and real-world experiences.

Additional Information

Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.

Primary Location

United States-Illinois-Chicago

Job

Administrative / Clerical

Schedule

Full-time

Shift

Day Job

Job Type

Standard

Job Level

Manager

Travel

No

Seniority level

Seniority level

Director

Employment type

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Job function

Business Development and Sales

Industries

Higher Education

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