Associate Director of Employer Partnerships

Position Overview:

The Associate Director of Employer Partnerships plays a central role in growing GardHouse’s internship host network by cultivating and managing relationships with mid-sized businesses, nonprofits, and corporate partners across Charlotte. This role strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality, paid internships to first-generation college students while also providing employers with talent and capacity support. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role leads all employer engagement, contributes to program strategy, and supports the development of internal systems that prepare GardHouse for scale. The ideal candidate is a relationship builder, a strategic thinker, and committed to workforce equity.

GardHouse Overview:

GardHouse is a nonprofit organization that helps first-generation college students find employment upon graduation by maximizing work-based programming and development that increase each student’s upward mobility. The organization was founded in 2019 after learning that these students were twice as likely to be unemployed after completing their post-secondary education. Based in Charlotte, NC, GardHouse’s student base spans across Charlotte, North Carolina.

Essential Functions:

● Lead strategy and execution for identifying and cultivating new employer partners

● Design and manage onboarding processes, project scoping support, and partnership communications

● Oversee the full lifecycle of internship placements, including recruitment, engagement, and retention

● Collaborate with the Associate Director of Career Readiness to align internship placements with student career goals

● Track employer engagement through CRM tools and develop reports and insights to drive strategy

● Plan and facilitate employer events, info sessions, and convenings to deepen engagement

● Contribute to revenue growth through cost-sharing, sponsorships, and philanthropic alignment

● Evaluate and improve employer support systems and tools based on feedback and performance

● Represent GardHouse to chambers of commerce, workforce boards, and business networks

● Support organization-wide efforts related to strategy, visibility, and mission advancement

Ideal Candidate:

● 3–5 years of experience in sales, partnership management, workforce development, or related field

● Track record of building and managing external partnerships across sectors

● Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills

● Strategic thinker with the ability to operationalize ideas into systems and action

● Experience using CRM platforms (NEON) is a plus

● Understanding of Charlotte’s business and nonprofit ecosystems preferred

● Commitment to advancing equity, opportunity, and student success

Associate Director of Employer Partnerships Classification:

Full-time, Hybrid

Location:

Charlotte, NC

Compensation & Benefits:

The Associate Director of Development position is salaried, exempt, and therefore not subject to overtime rules of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The salary range for this role is $65,000-$75,000.

This position is eligible to participate in the following benefits:

● Healthcare Stipend paid monthly

● Paid vacation – awarded 100 hours three months after the employment start date

● 15 Paid Holidays

Ideal start date: January 26, 2026

How to Apply: Email Jonathan Gardner, jonathan@gardhouse.org, using the subject line “ADEP Application,” the following by December 1, 2025:

● Resume

● Cover letter

● Two professional references (name, relationship, phone number, and email address)