Primary Purpose:
The Director of External Relations and Professional Development cultivates industry and alumni partnerships to build new opportunities for recruiting student talent, philanthropic support, sponsored research and other partnerships that enhance learning and career development opportunities for students in the School of Engineering and Computer Science, in alignment with University policies, priorities, and goals. This position reports to the Dean of the School of Engineering and Computer Science and collaborates with other School administrators and University colleagues.
This is a three (3) year position with the possibility of additional years based on funding.
Essential Functions:Related to experiential learning and industry partnerships:
Research, develop, and implement a business plan to enhance collaboration with alumni and industry partnerships.
Expand the Schools experiential learning programs and industry partnerships.
Increase career placement opportunities by growing employer participation in internships for the Cooperative Education program.
Create revenue-generating opportunities to support a sustainable funding model.
Build and maintain employer relationships and grow employer partnerships including in strategic growth areas:
Recruit and retain long-lasting relationships with employers across all industries and geographies.
Oversee the recruitment and contracting of industry partners for Cooperative Education, sponsored research programs, and other industry partnerships.
Expand current programs to achieve the schools overall internship and employment outcome goals for all degree programs.
Work with employers to obtain written agreements in compliance with US Department of education policy.
Establish measurements to track the impact of on-site experiential learning experiences.
Develop and implement policy and procedures to evaluate experiential learning sites to establish quality control and ensure the quality of learning.
Compile and review employer and student surveys to measure and share quality.
Provides routine reporting on the success of experiential learning programs in partnership with program directors.
Strategically prioritize, design, and implement industry partnership events such as employer campus visits and industry/career panels.
Participate and strategize the effectiveness of Career Fairs and on-campus interviews in collaboration with the Director of Cooperative Education. Related to communication to external audiences: Create strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in the School, University, and professional communities to amplify communication strategies and ensure synergy of messaging, dissemination of information, and implementation of initiatives to advertise and recruit for partnership activities.
Work with school administrators to ensure department and program achievements, events, activities, outreach, and other newsworthy efforts are shared with appropriate external parties.
Create brand messaging, through informational pieces, and compelling storytelling personalized for a variety of audiences and delivered through multiple channels, in-person meetings, and related meetings and activities to advance recruitment of external partnerships for the School, including employers and industry partners.
Design and administer market and constituent research, including surveys and focus groups, analyzing results and recommending strategies to meet the Schools admissions, marketing, fundraising, and career placement objectives.
Keep up with and strategically integrate current marketing and public relations trends and best practices in promoting and amplifying awareness of the School and engineering programs.
Writes articles for the School of Engineering and Computer Science for external marketability.
Serves as a key ambassador of the School to build its brand in the external job market by actively expanding and nurturing critically important relations with industry, government, and non-profit employers.
Leverage alumni network to expand employer development opportunities.
Work closely with the Assistant Dean of Development and colleagues with Pacifics Corporate and Foundations Relations team and the Sponsored Programs team on the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of organizations philanthropic support of SOECS.
Serve as an advocate and information source regarding opportunities for organizations to support SOECS through sponsored research activities or philanthropy.
In conjunction with the Assistant Dean, develop collaborative strategies to engage alumni working at partner organizations as advocates for the hiring of student talent, participation in appropriate admissions activities, and increasing philanthropic support from both the organization and alumni.
Serve as a team member with the Assistant Dean of Development in the development and delivery of fundraising proposals to partner organizations. Proposals will range from generating capital support for major projects to securing student scholarship resources. University of the Pacific recognizes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are foundational to the success of our valued students and employees. We prioritize policy and decision-making that demonstrates awareness of, and responsiveness to, the ways socio-cultural forces related to race, gender, ability, sexuality, socio-economic status, etc. impede or propel students, faculty, and staff.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelors Degree in the field of engineering, public relations, business, communications, or another related field.
Five (5) years of related work experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
Masters Degree.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Professional experience in higher education
Demonstrated understanding of experiential learning.
Proven ability to develop effective and creative integrated corporate relationships.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of individuals.
Strong skills in strategic planning, analysis, exceptional organizational, interpersonal and communication skills to foster partnerships, both internal and external.
Experience and sensitivity in working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Demonstrated experience in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.
Ability to engage and integrate culturally responsive practices and knowledge in their work.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative but not definitive of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Duties require constant sitting and repetitive motion while using computer keyboard and phone. Frequent walking, standing, and simple grasping. Occasional climbing stairs, walking across campus, stooping, and reaching. Constant communication using both spoken and written means. May be required to lift/carry up to 25 lbs.
Work Environment/Work Week/Travel:
Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment. Work performed during standard business hours, but will also require significant evening and weekend availability with the ability to travel and attend overnight functions.
Valid drivers license required. Incumbent must also be able to meet the Universitys fleet rules and be eligible to drive for University business. The University and its insurance carrier reserves the right to exclude applicants based on their driving record.
Hiring Range: Commensurate with experience, exempt
Background Check Statement:
All applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment are required to execute a release and authorization for a background screening.
To apply, visit https://pacific.peopleadmin.com/postings/22556
University of the Pacific is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer dedicated to workforce diversity. In compliance with applicable law and its own policy, Pacific is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff and does not discriminate in its hiring of faculty and staff, or in the provision of its employment benefits to its faculty and staff on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, sex/gender, marital status, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, medical condition, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, or mental or physical disability.
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