Job description

Columbia College Chicago is an acclaimed undergraduate and graduate institution that provides a comprehensive education in the arts, communications and public relations. We constantly aim to reach our full potential as an educational innovator, incubator of new creative practice and generator of real-world success for young creatives. We are located in the heart of Chicago, across the street from historic Grant Park, and housed in some of the most iconic buildings in the South Loop.

Columbia College Chicago a private urban institution of over 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students, four-year College offering a distinctive curriculum that blends liberal arts, creative and media arts and business is currently searching for an Assistant Director, Industry Relations.

A Flexible Work Arrangement may be available for this position in mutual agreement with the Department Manager

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Associate Dean of Career Development and Industry Relations, the Assistant Director is responsible for developing and managing programs dedicated to student interaction with creative industry professionals. The Assistant Director will lead the Industry Relations team in coordinating direct outreach to targeted industry professionals. This position will develop relationships with employers and professionals to build Columbia's reputation as the first destination for hiring creative talent. In collaboration with the Associate Dean, this position will develop a plan for strategic engagement with creative industries, identifying hiring trends and generating metrics to assist with outreach.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage, build, cultivate, and sustain relationships with art, media, and technology related industries and other stakeholders to support and enhance experiential learning programs, support co-curricular build employer connections and encourage recruitment of Columbia students for internships and full-time opportunities.
• Work closely with employers, alumni and Career Center staff to plan and implement programming and initiatives for connecting employers and students to on-site and virtual employer experiences such as career fairs, portfolio reviews, meet and greets, and industry networking events.
• Supervise, recruit, retain, train and provide professional development for assigned staff, including goal setting/project design, mentoring and conducting performance appraisals.
• Approve and decline employers in Handshake system. Review external job boards and share appropriate opportunities with the staff.
• Create and maintain Handshake policies and Employer Guidelines, working with Internships and Career Advising and Columbia’s legal team.
• Build and maintain interdepartmental relationships with faculty and staff to exchange relevant information and collaborate on events.
• Develop inclusive programming to facilitate interaction between professionals and students who have come from a wide spectrum of underserved communities including but not limited to those from disability, first-generation, racial, sexual orientation communities, etc.
• Foster relationships with alumni and industry professionals for mentorship and portfolio review opportunities.
• Lead efforts to educate employers on hiring strategies, internship programs, and talent development.
• Present to a variety of contingencies on the following topics: portfolio best practices, Career Center services, networking. Formats include class presentations, open house, group or one-on-one student/parent orientation, upper administration, and professional talks.
• Author the quarterly faculty/staff and employer newsletter and send out via MailChimp.
• Track, maintain and create strategic employer contact lists including target employers, strategic outreach, and employer diversity recruiting initiatives.
• Introduce potential experiential learning opportunities to practicum instructors and build relationships with department Chairs and faculty members.
• Stay abreast of current employment and recruiting trends in the creative industries and provide employer education on recruitment strategies and internship programs through meetings, workshops, and participation on panels.
• Develop reporting to measure outcomes and effectiveness of employer relations strategies and tactics. Generate reports on hiring trends and identify industries requiring outreach efforts.
• Perform other related duties and/or responsibilities as assigned or required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus five years of demonstrated experience in relationship management and cultivating institutional and corporate relationships or an equivalent combination of education and experience. MA/MFA preferred.
• Experience with student and/or alumni affairs in higher educational setting preferred.
• Experience in employer relations is highly desirable.
• Previous work experience in an art or media industry preferred.
• Established reputation in the arts and media fields preferred.
• Understanding of higher education student recruiting, career development and employment trends, hiring needs of the Arts and Media industry.
• Proven ability to plan and successfully execute events.
• Knowledge of body of work concepts and portfolio development.
• Demonstrated ability to present data driven metrics to make a business case.
• Demonstrated ability to relate to students from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with all constituencies of the College.
• Ability to understand and utilize computer technology, including database management.
• Proficiency in MS Office.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Strong organization and time management skills, and the ability to perform non-routine work with changing priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of/familiarity with social media tools.
• Familiar with best practices in career services.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified applicants should submit their resume online at https://colum.taleo.net/careersection/jobdetail.ftl?job=2300002O&lang=en

At Columbia, we offer a rewarding work environment for our faculty and staff. We take pride in offering competitive benefits with affordable health, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefit program, life and accidental, death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work/life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement and financial planning benefits.

We invite you to join our talented faculty and staff and become part of our collective aspiration to ensure Columbia prepares students for success in their creative fields through innovation, engagement and real-world experiences.

Additional Information

• Position subject to a background screening.
• This is a non-union position.
• This position is overtime ineligible.

Qualified candidates of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Work Location: In person

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