Employer Engagement Strategist
Posting Number
req26250
Department
Center for Career Readiness
Department Website Link
https://career.arizona.edu/
Location
Tucson Campus
Address
Tucson, AZ USA
Position Highlights
The Employer Engagement Strategist serves as the University of Arizona's primary connector between local, regional, and national employers and U of A undergraduate talent. The Strategist develops and executes a vision and associated strategy for employer engagement, working closely with the Executive Director, Director, Experiential Learning, and leadership in college/program career centers. The role strives to build a pipeline of employers providing internship, experiential learning, and full-time opportunities for U of A undergraduate students. The Employer Engagement Strategist will serve as a connector to stakeholders within the department and across campus and must have a deep understanding of the decentralized career ecosystem at the University of Arizona. The role is responsible for overseeing the Wildcat Career Alliance, the department's sponsorship program, and for generating revenue through partnerships and driving employer partners to paid engagement opportunities such as career fairs.
Flexible Work Arrangements available after meeting performance objectives after 90 days in the role.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!
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Duties & Responsibilities
1. Strategic Planning:
- In collaboration with department leadership and other stakeholders such as college/program career center leadership, develop and execute a strategic vision for employer engagement locally, regionally, and nationally.
- Establish, execute, and assess progress against goals, timelines, and metrics.
- Identify priority industry sectors based on labor market trends and U of A programs of study; assess current gaps in engagement and develop plans to close those gaps.
- Develop strategies to connect employers to students; monitor, assess, and report on engagement effectiveness to address gaps and drive continuous improvement.
- Partner closely with department professionals overseeing early talent connections, experiential learning programs, and career events.
- Support workforce development partnerships where appropriate, connecting employers to curricular, research, and co-curricular offerings.
- Develop and nurture a deep understanding of Tucson, Pima County, state of Arizona, and national workforce ecosystems and labor market trends.
2. Employer Relationship Development:
- Establish and nurture employer partnerships to generate sponsorships, internship, experiential learning, mentorship, and full-time recruitment opportunities for U of A students, and to drive career event attendance.
- Scale and support the Wildcat Career Alliance (sponsorship) program to generate revenue for the department and build strategic relationships with employer partners interested in large scale hiring and/or brand enhancement at the university.
- Conduct regular follow up and strategy conversations with Wildcat Career Alliance members, facilitate semi-annual employer focus groups, and track sponsorship benefit usage.
- Work in partnership with Alumni Engagement at the University of Arizona Foundation to develop and grow an alumni network interested in mentoring students and/or participating in career events.
- Participate in local, regional and national professional organizations to build market presence.
3. Campus and Community Relationship Building:
- Build nurture, and/or maintain relationships with colleges, programs, and academic departments to advance employer engagement and workforce development.
- Serve as a coordinating point for employers whose recruiting needs span multiple colleges, ensuring a unified, "One U of A" approach.
- Collaborate with Alumni Engagement and university colleagues (e.g., Office of Research and Partnerships, Office of Undergraduate Research) to present a unified U of A presence to organizations around talent acquisition and workforce development.
- Serve as a knowledgeable resource for faculty and staff on the regional and national employer base and campus recruiting trends.
4. Communication, Reporting, and Representation:
- Communicate effectively via phone, email, presentations, and in-person meetings with employers regarding engagement opportunities and U of A partnership options.
- Track and report employer engagements using university systems (e.g., Handshake, Trellis).
- Contribute content to departmental employer-facing publications and materials.
- Represent the Center for Career Readiness and the University of Arizona to external organizations, professional associations, and community groups as appropriate.
- May represent the university to employers seeking to expand operations into Arizona.
5. Administration & Collaboration:
- Represent the Department on university committees and at conferences as needed and assigned.
- Participate in at least 2-3 webinars or other professional development opportunities annually and share learning with the team, by request or at the direction of department leadership.
- Perform related duties as assigned or required to meet department and university goals and objectives.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Knowledge of Handshake or other career services management software.
- Working knowledge of on-campus recruiting processes and a foundational understanding of the current trends influencing recruitment of college students.
- Strong relationship building and business development skills.
- Understanding of the decentralized career ecosystem at the University of Arizona.
- Understanding of the local, regional, and national labor market and the impact of events on economic conditions.
- Ability to exercise independent judgment and take initiative independent of direct daily supervision.
- Proven and effective oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to translate data and trends to stakeholders and into actionable strategies.
- Technological savvy and willing to utilize systems to perform and track work.
This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required.
- Minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- Occasional travel, primarily within the State of Arizona required, as needed.
Preferred Qualifications
- Masters Degree in a related field.
- 5 or more years' successful track record of managing relationships in a university career development setting.
- Successful track record of meeting business development goals.
FLSA
Exempt
Full Time/Part Time
Full Time
Number of Hours Worked per Week
40
Job FTE
1.0
Work Calendar
Fiscal
Job Category
Student Services
Benefits Eligible
Yes - Full Benefits
Rate of Pay
$65,687 - $85,393
Compensation Type
salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)
Grade
9
Compensation Guidance
The
Rate of Pay Field represents the University of Arizona's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. The University considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, and internal equity.
The
Grade Range represent a full range of career compensation growth over time. The university offers compensation growth opportunities within its career architecture. To learn more about compensation, please review our Applicant Compensation Guide and our Total Rewards Calculator.
Career Stream and Level
PC4
Job Family
Career Strategies
Job Function
Student Services
Type of criminal background check required:
Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive)
Number of Vacancies
1
Target Hire Date
7/13/2026
Expected End Date
Contact Information for Candidates
Anne Kurtin akurtin@arizona.edu
Open Date
6/11/2026
Open Until Filled
Yes
Documents Needed to Apply
Resume and Cover Letter
Special Instructions to Applicant
Notice of Availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University's campuses.Thesereports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures.
Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at cleryact@arizona.edu.
