Specialist, Talent Acquisition - University

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

As part of our Human Resources team, you’ll help us attract, hire and retain the top talent we need to achieve our bold vision. You’ll play a vital role in defining, developing and maintaining the winning culture that empowers diverse individuals to work together and create the impossible. We’re seeking change leaders, talent strategists, employee advocates and culture architects to enable our teams, partners, and businesses to do and be their best.

The Specialist, Talent Acquisition (University Relations) leads full-cycle recruiting for intern, co-op, and entry-level/new-grad talent, managing sourcing, screening, selection, offer rollout, and onboarding with consistency, fairness, and compliance. This role builds strong partnerships across hiring managers, HR partners, university career centers, and student organizations to deliver a best-in-class candidate and stakeholder experience, helping the company compete like a challenger for top early-career talent.

• Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration Partners with hiring managers and HR business partners to define intern/entry-level hiring needs and headcount plans. Collaborates with cross-functionally to align recruiting strategy with business goals, intern program managers, and cross-functional team heads to align recruiting strategy with business goals and ensure a seamless candidate-to-hire experience.
• University & School Relationship Management Owns a portfolio of target schools, building relationships with career centers, academic departments, and student organizations. Tracks engagement, ROI, and hiring outcomes by school to guide investment decisions. Represents the company at career fairs, info sessions, and conferences, including logistics and staffing for these events.
• Student & Candidate Engagement Designs engagement strategies across the student funnel—info sessions, coffee chats, networking events, and social outreach. Creates compelling job/internship postings, conducts screening interviews potential, and program requirements, and supports intern cohort programming to improve full-time conversion rates.
• Managing Multiple Talent Levels Coordinates recruiting simultaneously across interns, co-ops, and new grads, tailoring sourcing and screening to each population. Manages high-volume campus cycles and coaches hiring managers on early-career processes and campus hiring timelines.
• Core Operations Manages postings, ATS/HCM workflows, and interview logistics. Implements policies and training on campus recruiting best practices for hiring managers and HR partners. Uses data (school yield, conversion rate, offer acceptance, etc) to optimize strategy. Maintains confidential data in compliance with applicable laws.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree, or at least 3 years with a master’s degree. Experience should include HR, university relations, or campus recruiting, with exposure to external stakeholder management and large-scale recruiting events.
• Ability to travel to campuses and career fairs, including occasional evening or weekend work during peak recruiting seasons

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience managing relationships with career centers, student organizations, or other external…