The Director of Employer Relations will provide leadership and strategic direction for all employer engagement and career events in the College of Liberal Arts. This is a new position reporting directly to the Executive Director of Career Initiatives. The Director is charged with developing and implementing a comprehensive approach to employer relations and career events, meeting the specific needs of our students, advancing the mission of the college, and elevating partnerships and opportunities for Liberal Arts students and alumni. 

Note, this is a three-year fixed term position.

Strategic Leadership

• Create and execute a comprehensive employer relations strategy that aligns with the College of Liberal Arts’ mission, strategic goals, and career learning outcomes. 
• Reimagine student and employer engagement to meaningfully expand opportunities of interest to liberal arts students. Champion and promote the value of a Liberal Arts degree to employers, increasing interest in recruiting our students. 
• Lead continuous improvement efforts by analyzing data, gathering student and employer feedback, and monitoring employer engagement to enhance partnerships and student outcomes. 
• Maximize existing employer relationships and connect with new and relevant employers to ensure COLA representation. Strengthen employer partnerships through collaborative partnership with Career Success. 

Employer Relations and Partnership Expansion

• Elevate employer relationships and develop structured partnerships to increase student awareness and career success. 
• Provide visionary leadership and team oversight for events and programming to connect students with employers, alumni and industry professionals. 
• Target emerging industries, regional and national opportunities for students, expanding employer partnerships and strengthening existing ones. 

Team Management and College Collaboration 

• Hire, train, and supervise one Employer Relations Program Coordinator. Supervise Assistant Director of Events and Employer Relations. Foster a collaborative, supportive, and professional environment within the Liberal Arts Career Services team. 
• Collaborate across the College of Liberal Arts with multiple teams and units: Development, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, and Public Affairs to support and grow the College of Liberal Arts’ career ecosystem. 
• Serve as a resource to faculty on emerging career trends and employer expectations, creating understanding and alignment with student curriculum. 

Data Collection, Assessment, and Communication 

• Work closely with Liberal Arts Career Services Data Analyst and Executive Director to proactively make data informed decisions through data collection and assessment. Track progress toward the university's Knowledge Rate (graduates first destination placements) and Career Outcomes Rate (positive career outcome) goals. 
• Stay informed about labor market trends, emerging industries, and best practices in higher education career services to continuously improve services. Consistently share these findings across the team and the college. 
• Communicate and report the ongoing effectiveness and impact of employer relations and career events with the Liberal Arts Career Services team and throughout the college. 

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years of experience in career services, employer relations, recruiting, or relevant higher education leadership. Proven ability to build partnerships with employers. Strong data analysis, strategic planning, and program management skills. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor a team effectively. Familiarity with current trends in career services and employer expectations. Experience interacting effectively with students, alumni, faculty, staff, and recruiters. 

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Communication, Business or a related field. Familiarity with UT departments, processes, and student programming. Experience with cloud-based software, including Handshake, Symplicity, 12twenty, and/or Canvas. 

About College of Liberal Arts - The University of Texas at Austin

The College of Liberal Arts at UT Austin is an extraordinary community of students, faculty, and staff dedicated to thinking, learning, growing, doing, and changing the world. Our college's breadth, depth and adaptability make it ideally suited to the needs of a diverse state with a rich history and a growing, dynamic economy. The liberal arts prepare students to understand and learn from that history, to analyze problems from multiple viewpoints, and to draw upon knowledge from a range of cultures past and present. It prepares them to be creative and flexible leaders, citizens and workers, dedicated to making the world a better place for everyone.

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