Associate Director, Employer and Experiential Partnerships

Months Per Year

12

Work Model

Onsite

Seattle University will be one of the most innovative and progressive Jesuit and Catholic universities in the world, educating with excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. We embrace an intersectional framework for defining diversity in its broadest sense, including differences in gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, generational history, culture, socioeconomic class, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, political perspectives, geographic origin and physical ability. Seattle University strives to be a welcome, open and safe campus climate for all who learn, live and work at Seattle University.

Seattle University's Core Competencies

Effective Team Collaboration: Works harmoniously with others towards a common goal, leveraging individual strengths to achieve shared objectives.

Emotionally Intelligent Communication: Engages in a skillful exchange of information, thoughts, and feelings, verbally and non-verbally.

Ethics and Integrity: Demonstrates an unwavering commitment to honesty, professionalism, and alignment with our Jesuit mission in all actions and decisions.

Flexibility and Innovation: Embraces change, approaching problems with curiosity adaptability, and is committed to making a positive impact.

Mindful Inclusion: Fosters mindful inclusion by consciously creating a workplace that celebrates differences, embraces cultural humility, and empowers uniqueness.

Outcomes-Driven Orientation: Sets clear objectives, pursues excellence, and delivers measurable outcomes while upholding Jesuit Catholic values.

Job Description Summary
The Associate Director provides leadership for the development, management, and stewardship of employer and industry partnerships that expand access to internships, employment, experiential learning, mentorship, recruiting programs, and other career-connected opportunities for Seattle University students and recent alumni.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Career Engagement, the Associate Director translates the university’s institutional employer engagement strategy into coordinated outreach, partnership development, recruiting activity, and measurable student opportunities. The position manages the full lifecycle of employer engagement from prospect identification and relationship cultivation through activation, stewardship, assessment, and renewal.

The Associate Director works closely with Career Engagement colleagues, the Albers Career Center, faculty, experiential learning partners, Alumni Engagement, Advancement, Student Employment, and other campus stakeholders to support an integrated university-wide career ecosystem.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to Seattle University’s Jesuit Catholic mission, professional formation, social justice, equity, inclusion, cultural humility, and student success.

Position Description

The Associate Director provides leadership for the development, management, and stewardship of employer and industry partnerships that expand access to internships, employment, experiential learning, mentorship, recruiting programs, and other career-connected opportunities for Seattle University students and recent alumni.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Career Engagement, the Associate Director translates the university’s institutional employer engagement strategy into coordinated outreach, partnership development, recruiting activity, and measurable student opportunities. The position manages the full lifecycle of employer engagement from prospect identification and relationship cultivation through activation, stewardship, assessment, and renewal.

The Associate Director works closely with Career Engagement colleagues, the Albers Career Center, faculty, experiential learning partners, Alumni Engagement, Advancement, Student Employment, and other campus stakeholders to support an integrated university-wide career ecosystem.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to Seattle University’s Jesuit Catholic mission, professional formation, social justice, equity, inclusion, cultural humility, and student success.

Essential Functions

Employer and Industry Partnership Development - 35%

• Develop and maintain a diverse portfolio of employer, industry, government, nonprofit, and community partnerships aligned with student interests, academic programs, workforce trends, and institutional priorities.

• Identify and cultivate new employers that can provide internships, entry-level employment, project-based learning, mentorship, job-shadowing, career treks, classroom engagement, and other experiential opportunities.

• Build employer pipelines across industries and occupational areas, with particular attention to sectors with strong regional demand and relevance to Seattle University students.

• Meet with employers to understand workforce needs and develop customized engagement strategies that connect organizations with Seattle University students, faculty, academic programs, and university initiatives.

• Advise employers on recruiting practices, internship program development, employer branding, campus visibility, and inclusive approaches to attracting and retaining early-career talent.

• Proactively cultivate organizations committed to creating equitable access to employment and experiential learning for first-generation students, students of color, students with disabilities, international students, veterans, and other historically underrepresented populations.

• Maintain awareness of labor-market conditions, emerging industries, workforce trends, recruiting practices, and changing employer expectations.

• Represent Seattle University and Career Engagement at employer meetings, professional associations, chambers of commerce, workforce-development conferences, and community events.

Employer Stewardship and Partnership Activation - 20%

• Manage the full employer relationship lifecycle, including cultivation, onboarding, activation, stewardship, assessment, renewal, and expansion.

• Develop engagement plans for priority employers and ensure consistent communication and follow-through across the university.

• Translate employer interest into specific opportunities such as internships, jobs, mentoring relationships, sponsored projects, career events, classroom presentations, site visits, and experiential learning partnerships.

• Coordinate with academic colleges and campus partners to connect employer opportunities with appropriate students, programs, faculty, and student organizations.

• Support college-based career and professional formation leaders by providing access to employer relationships, labor-market insights, and external partnership opportunities.

• Strengthen employer retention by providing responsive service, gathering feedback, communicating impact, and identifying opportunities for deeper engagement.

• Develop resources and engagement pathways that make it easier for employers to understand how to connect with Seattle University.

Recruiting and Career-Connected Programming - 25%

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for employer-facing recruiting programs and career-connected events.

• Collaborate with the Career Education team to ensure that employer programming complements students’ career readiness preparation and learning needs.

• Partner with the Albers Career Center and other university offices to coordinate employer outreach, reduce duplication, and create a consistent experience for employer partners.

• Recruit employers and industry professionals to participate in mock interviews, résumé reviews, mentorship programs, classroom presentations, career education workshops, and other student-learning activities.

• Support the development of micro-internships, project-based experiences, job-shadowing, and other lower-barrier opportunities for students who are still developing