Director for Employer Relations

The University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce is seeking a Director of Employer Relations. This leadership position is central to the McIntire School's strategic career development mission, driving the expansion of career opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

The Director will serve as a key ambassador to employers, alumni, and corporate partners, cultivating recruiting relationships that align with McIntire's academic areas and career pathways. Working closely with the Associate Dean for Corporate and Employer Relations, the Director leads employer engagement strategy, oversees a portfolio of priority industry and geographic sectors, and supervises the Assistant Director of Employer Relations.

This position requires a strategic thinker with a proactive approach to relationship development, a strong understanding of the evolving recruiting landscape, and a commitment to preparing students for post-graduate success. The successful candidate will have demonstrated ability to advance strategic stakeholder relationships by guiding employers through a structured engagement process-including identification, assessment, relationship building, activation, and ongoing stewardship-to support long-term collaboration and talent pipeline development.

Success in this role will be measured by increased employer engagement across target industries, growth in high-quality internship and full-time opportunities for students, and strengthened partnerships that result in sustainable recruiting pipelines and strategic investment in McIntire talent.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Employer Engagement

• Design and implement a data-informed employer relations strategy aligned with McIntire's curricular strengths, priority industries, and high-impact geographic markets, with measurable year-over-year growth in active recruiting partners and student placement outcomes.
• Establish and grow long-term recruiting partnerships with key employers, alumni, and corporate stakeholders.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to employer partners, consulting on talent engagement strategies and hiring trends.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders-including academic programs, faculty, and career coaching teams-to align employer outreach with student career interests and academic preparation,
• Work in partnership with advancement and alumni engagement to leverage McIntire's alumni network as hiring champions.

Program Design and Employer Visibility

• Collaborate on the planning and execution of high-impact employer programs.
• Ensure a dynamic and responsive calendar of engagement opportunities that allow students to explore industries and connect with potential employers.
• Create and manage an annual employer communications plan to promote recruiting opportunities and employer engagement initiatives.

Business Development and Market Analysis

• Conduct proactive, targeted outreach to identify new employer relationships and deepen existing partnerships.
• Analyze historical recruiting trends, industry pipelines, and employer engagement data to inform strategy.
• Work closely with alumni relations and corporate advancement to integrate shared priorities into employer outreach and stewardship activities.

Market Intelligence and Stakeholder Communication

• Monitor and interpret changes in hiring practices, recruiting timelines, and workforce trends across industries.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and internal resource for colleagues, faculty, and student organizations.
• Provide timely updates and insights to inform advising, curriculum design, and career readiness initiatives.
• Leverage student outcome data, employer feedback, and external benchmarks to identify gaps and drive continuous improvement.
• Represent McIntire on cross-Grounds employer relations committees and regional workforce councils.

Team Leadership

• Supervise and support the Assistant Director for Employer Relations, setting goals, encouraging professional development, and ensuring strong performance and alignment with team mission.

About the School: The University of Virginia is one of the highest-ranked public universities in the United States, and the McIntire School of Commerce (www.commerce.virginia.edu) awards a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, and Master of Science degrees in the Management of Information Technology, Business Analytics, Commerce, Accounting, and Global Commerce. McIntire is recognized for excellence and innovation in undergraduate and graduate business education and scholarship. The McIntire School is dedicated to educating and inspiring students to become visionary leaders who shape global business with integrity, purpose, intercultural fluency, and a fundamental understanding of how commerce can contribute to the common good for all.

Minimum qualifications:

• Master's degree
• At least 7 years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in career services, corporate relations, recruiting, higher education, or related field.
• Experience managing direct reports and cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience working in or with corporate recruiting teams.
• Demonstrated success in developing strategic partnerships and managing employer engagement programs.
• Demonstrated ability to strategically advance employer relationships through a lifecycle approach-identifying, qualifying, cultivating, securing engagement (e.g., internships, full-time roles, sponsorship), and stewarding long-term partnerships, similar to a fundraising or business development process.
• Familiarity with university career services technology platforms (e.g., Handshake).
• Familiarity with corporate sponsorship or philanthropic engagement models, particularly in higher education or talent development settings.
• Experience using data analytics to inform strategy and measure the effectiveness of employer engagement or recruiting initiatives.

The successful candidate will have knowledge of recruiting practices, industry hiring timelines, and talent development trends. They will possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across a diverse range of stakeholders.

This is an Exempt level, benefited position. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit hr.virginia.edu/benefits.

This position is based in Charlottesville, VA and will require occasional evening work. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule, after required training and with the approval of supervisor.

Anticipated Hiring Range: $105,000 - $125,000, commensurate with education and experience.

Application Deadline: To be considered, applications must be received by July 9, 2025. This position will close to applications on this date.

TO APPLY:

Please apply through Careers at UVA, and search for R0073460. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searching 'Find Jobs'. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration. Please include:

• Cover letter to include your interest in the position and how your relevant experience pertains to this position.
• Resume or CV

The selected applicant will be required to complete a background check prior to their first day of employment per university policy.

References will be completed via UVA's standardized process Skill Survey. A total of five references will be requested via SkillSurvey during the final phase of the interview process.

For questions about the application process, please contact Karon Harrington, Academic Recruiter, at fak3ph@virginia.edu.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Click here to read more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.