The salary range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Employer Relations & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Develop new and maintain existing employer WGU partnerships while conducting targeted and proactive organization and alumni research and outreach, including cold-calling and networking efforts to increase student opportunities.
• Collaborate with multiple university college/faculty representatives and strategic partnership managers to ensure services and engagement strategies meet employer, faculty, and student needs.
• Guide employers on recruiting options and strategies to meet their talent acquisition needs collaborating closely with the Senior Manager of Career & Professional Development
• Create new and innovative ways to promote career opportunities and connections between students and employers.

• Develop and implement policies to ensure high-quality recruiting program that reflects the inclusive and equitable needs and expectations of employers and students; Educate employers on best practices following DOL/NACE recruitment guidelines.

• Develop communications and marketing of employer related campaigns, services, resources, and events to constituents.

• Communicate extensively externally and internally in person, virtually and by telephone with key stakeholders.

Data & Administration

• Serve as Handshake subject matter expert, identifying new and innovative ways to leverage and increase student and alumni engagement within the platform.
• Manage daily operations of Handshake including approving employers and jobs, communicating with employers, creating, and updating employer, departmental events within the platform.
• Accountable for measuring and meeting success metrics and benchmarks for employer relations programming.
• Track and assess effectiveness of employer engagement, Handshake utilization, and resource success including data collection, reporting and analysis; ability to create data narratives for all stakeholders.
• Assists in CPD data collection, reporting, and analysis to inform decision-making, initiatives, and strategy.
• Contact employers for data collection, maintaining on-going relationships to ensure successful reporting.

Student & Alumni Engagement

• Develop and facilitate virtual programming focusing on Handshake logistics, career fairs, and employer events.
• Create student and alumni web content for CPD blog and social media, highlighting important employer information, events, and opportunities, as well as general career mobility topics.
• Collaborate and participate in various campus partner wide events such as Facebook Live Events, virtual and in-person commencements, and others.
• Partner with CPD Advising Team on expanding and enhancing service development and programming to ensure students and alumni are prepared for their career next steps (job search, career advancement, etc).

Event Management

• Coordinate webinar and programming requests from employers, academic colleges, student organizations, strategic partnership managers, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Plan and deliver large and small-scale virtual career events such as career fairs, employer information sessions, hiring events, interviews and other events that connect students and alumni to career opportunities.
• Develop success metrics and goals; compile data that supports event/programming success.
• Responsible for marketing and market analysis of career events; this includes developing copy for promotional materials and direct communication in WGU Handshake, CPD blog, and social media.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• Demonstrated proficiency in effective utilization and metric reporting in Handshake and Webex.
• Exceptional administrative, organizational, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to interact effectively and diplomatically in a constantly changing and ambiguous environment.
• Skill in analyzing solutions and problems to recognize alternatives and formulate logical and objective solutions.
• Demonstrated project and event management experience including planning, executing and assessment of programs.
• Superior writing, editing, and proofreading written material including, but not limited to, email correspondence, marketing, social media and blog posts, website content, campus recruiting materials, presentations, and high-level proposals.
• Strong ability to anticipate and prioritize work assignments to complete work in a timely manner when faced with fluctuating workloads, pressures of deadlines and competing demands.
• Dedicated team player, performing duties and taking initiative and action to support CPD staff in various projects with complete follow-through and with a positive attitude while representing the department.
• Skilled collaborator with ability to work effectively with other university departments, with all levels of management and diverse groups of people; ability to present information to large and small groups of employers and/or students.
• Ability to work independently with only minimal management oversight, and exercise broad independent judgement.
• Technical expertise and proficiency in Handshake, Salesforce, Word, Excel, Access, Outlook and conferencing software such as Teams, Webex and Zoom; and to quickly learn other programs as needed.

Competencies:

Organizational Impact:

• Works to achieve operational targets with significant to major impact on department, Function, or Office results. May be responsible for managing large projects or processes within the department, function, or office.
• Performs work as directed with limited oversight.

Problem Solving & Decision Making:

• Responsible for leveraging a systems-thinking approach, making moderate to significant improvements of processes, systems, and plans within the department, Function, or Office.
• Problems and issues faced are numerous and challenging, will require detailed information gathering and analysis. Problems typically affect multiple areas or specialties.

Communication & Influence:

• Collaborates cross-functionally with employees within and outside of the department. Typically has responsibility for communicating with parties external to the University.
• Works to influence parties within and outside the department, Function, or Office regarding policies, procedures, and practices.

Leadership & Talent Management

• Is responsible for providing guidance, coaching, and training to other employees in the department, Function, or Office. Responsible for managing projects involving delegation of work and review of others’ work products.
• Demonstrates the WGU leadership principles in all aspects of service to students, employees, and partners of WGU.

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, Business, Human Resources, Higher Education, or related discipline.
• Five (5) years of experience, which includes successful utilization and management of Handshake, career services and/or recruiting, employer relations, internship development/coordination, human resources, university development, alumni relations or other related marketing and program management experience.
• Experience in developing and reporting on metrics, measurable benchmarks including the collection, reporting and analysis of data; OR experience with collecting and analysis of first destination surveys or career impact data.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in related field preferred.

• Excellent technical skills in Handshake, Word, Excel and Access, Smartsheet, and additional software utilized in the Career Development profession.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Required to work flexible hours, especially during periods when services/programs may extend outside of regular work hours, including limited weekend work.

As an equal opportunity employer, WGU recognizes that our strength lies in our people. We are committed to diversity.