Director of Employer Relations

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director of the Career Advancement Center (CAC), the Director of Employer Relations works as part of an Employer Relations and Outreach team. This role is responsible for engagement activities with first-tier employers who recruit SIPA students annually; duties include composing marketing emails, organizing on-campus recruiting presentations and interviews, arranging site visits, posting positions, and liaising with alumni who have expressed an interest in preparing students for recruiting. The Director of Employer Relations, under close guidance from the leadership of the Career Advancement Center, represents the school through active networking and relationship building with current and prospective employers from a wide range of industries relevant to SIPA's diverse student body. The Director manages strategic recruitment activities in close collaboration with the Director of Employer Outreach and other members of the CAC team, as well as the faculty directors from SIPA's concentrations and programs. The Director also advises students on employer outreach and engagement, and leveraging SIPA's network, in support of their professional goals.

Responsibilities

• Working closely with the leadership of the CAC unit, develop and manage recruitment relationships with first-tier employer groups, including senior managers, recruiters and government officials from across a wide spectrum of industries. These include finance and consulting, federal government, multilaterals, nonprofits and NGOs. Conduct meetings to cultivate relationships. Strategize with employers to build brand awareness at SIPA.
• Develop and manage targeted employer outreach activities in collaboration with the Director of Employer Outreach.
• Provide services to SIPA students and alumni to facilitate their use of CAC recruiting programs and opportunities. Troubleshoot problems between students and employers.
• Lead and co-manage the employer relations team, with the Director of Employer Outreach, creating and establishing priorities regarding recruiting activities and goals. Co-manage two coordinators and six student workers.
• Deploy team members in the operations of the Employer Relations team.
• Manage the distribution, collection, analysis, and posting of data from the annual Graduate Employment Survey.
• Meet with students from the concentrations and programs on issues relating to employer / alumni networking and opportunities.
• Collaborate with the concentration and program faculty directors on employer opportunities and engagement for their cohorts.
• Participate in CAC program planning and unit-wide staff activities. Report on recruitment activities and trends to the leadership and other staff members in the unit.
• Benchmark with other career centers to identify appropriate recruitment software for managing recruiting activity and related career services.
• Liaise with the APSIA Career Consortium to share information on events and opportunities.
• Work closely with the Executive Director to address unprofessional conduct by students in the course of the recruitment process.
• Co-administer formal internship programs with the Director of Employer Outreach.
• Develop and deliver recruitment workshops to incoming students and manage the Presidential Management Fellowship-related workshops and activities.
• Working with the CAC team, develop recruitment-related web-based materials for employers and students.
• Collaborate with the Director of Alumni Affairs to organize Employer Information Sessions for SIPA alumni.
• Participate in Development / Alumni committee meetings to cultivate alumni involvement.
• Co-administer major events with the Director of Employer Outreach, e.g., the Finance Career Boot Camp and DC Career Conference Site Visits.
• Perform related duties as assigned or requested.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• 3 years of related experience.
• Prior experience in developing programs, particularly in professional development or human resources.
• Demonstrated strength and ability to network, and professional experience with industry outreach.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be tactful, flexible, and able to interact with all levels of the school administration and with outside employers.
• Substantial experience with computer programs, including MS Office applications, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, 12twenty or other database management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master's degree, preferably in a related field, such as education administration, counseling, or international or public affairs.
• 5+ years of experience
• Professional experience in human resources, career advising, recruiting, or higher education.
• Industry experience in a SIPA-relevant field (multilaterals, NGOs, finance, consulting, etc.).
• Supervisory experience is highly preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.