Development Specialist

Unit:Student Success

Department: VCU Career Services

Department
Summary:

As a member of the Employer and Experiential Development Team, the Employer Development Specialist will actively evaluate employer and external partner hiring and brand‑building needs to expand opportunities and facilitate engagement between employers, external partners and VCU students and alumni. They will assist with the posting of relevant jobs and internships, organizing recruitment events, and providing other connection points related to career and experiential opportunities.

They will steward relationships with employers to increase recruiting opportunities and outcomes for students; and assist in efforts to maintain campus recruiting policies for students, employers, faculty and staff in accordance with professional standards.

Through purposeful partnerships, innovative interdisciplinary programming, consistent advocacy and providing a supportive environment, VCU Career Services aims to reduce barriers to career and experiential opportunities, promote the development of career readiness skills, provide access to resources, knowledge and connections, and equip individuals and organizations to contribute to the current and future world of work, their communities and the broader world. The Employer Development Specialist will serve as a cross‑team collaborator, leader, and strategist in critical areas of our work in the career development and college recruiting space.

Members of the VCU Career Services team regularly engage in professional development, including in‑house and external training and conference opportunities, to best serve students and alumni, to stay current with industry standards and changes, to revise programs and services to reflect trends, and to increase our office’s visibility, both at VCU and on a broader scale.

• Coordinate and implement outreach to new and prospective employer partners who may have an interest in recruiting and retaining new hires for employment opportunities.
• Steward existing employers through the recruitment lifecycle including in person, electronic, and phone communication in alignment with campus recruiting guidelines, and respond to external party inquiries regarding experiential and employment opportunities that might be a fit for VCU students.
• Orient employer partners to VCU, VCU Career Services, Academic Internships Office, and our Handshake system so they can make informed decisions about engagement and be prepared to effectively post and follow up on employment opportunities, actively promoting on‑campus and virtual recruitment of students.
• Collaborate with the Academic Internships Office, to refer employers interested in developing academic internships.
• Collaborate with other campus partners in areas of recruitment and engagement expertise.
• Assist employers in building their presence (brand) on campus, advising them on recruitment strategies and setting expectations about number of student applicants per job posting(s), event participation and student involvement; ensure adequate and creative marketing of employer postings and events.
• Work with employer partners to strengthen recruitment pipelines and identify additional recruitment opportunities, checking in regularly to ensure high-quality services and continued campus engagement.
• Evaluate employer needs and identify corresponding services that may be provided by VCU Career Services and various campus partners.
• Provide outstanding customer service in accordance with team standards to both internal and external customers by considering how actions or plans will affect partners; follow through on responsibilities to partners. Responds with appropriate…