Associate/Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations

Associate/Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations

The School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois invites applications from qualified individuals for a 100% full-time Associate/Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations in Community, Culture, and Engagement.

The iSchool at Illinois makes a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals through teaching, research, and public engagement. Our mission is to lead the way in understanding the use of information in science, culture, society, commerce, and the diverse activities of our daily lives. We engage in inclusive community partnerships, working beyond geographic boundaries to benefit the social good. We believe in the power of information to change the world.

Job Summary

Serves as the primary liaison for corporate partners and stakeholders to strategically cultivate and sustain relationships with corporate partners, students, and faculty to advance experiential learning, workforce development, research partnerships with corporates, and revenue-generating opportunities for the iSchool.

Major Duties and Responsibilities Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations:

• Implement partnership strategies to identify, cultivate, secure, and sustain corporate partnerships that advance the iSchool's priorities in experiential learning, workforce development, corporate-collaborative research and applications, and revenue generation.
• Serve as the primary liaison for key corporate partners and stakeholders, ensuring consistent, high-quality relationship management and strategic engagement.
• Build and maintain a portfolio of corporate relationships that supports internships and practicum experiences, experiential learning, early-career pathways, employer engagement, corporate-collaborative research and applications, philanthropy, and other partnership opportunities.
• Develop and steward relationships that can translate into real-world corporate projects, case studies, applied research opportunities, and curriculum-connected experiential learning for students.
• Monitor labor market trends, industry developments, and employer needs to inform partnership strategy and identify emerging opportunities for the school.
• Establish contracts with external organizations to enhance partnership opportunities for engaged student learning.

External Representation for Corporate Audiences:

• Promote the value of the iSchool and its academic programs to external corporate audiences by articulating the distinct strengths of Information Sciences relative to other disciplines and professional fields.
• Develop and communicate a compelling value proposition for corporate partners that highlights the School's interdisciplinary expertise, student talent, and strengths.
• Represent the School at industry events, professional conferences, workforce development convenings, and other external forums and meetings to maintain visible presence and expand awareness of iSchool programs and capabilities for corporate partners.
• Create opportunities to showcase student talent, faculty expertise, and School accomplishments to corporate audiences.

Programs, Events, and Operational Coordination:

• Plan and coordinate employer-facing events and engagement opportunities that connect corporate partners with students, faculty, and other internal stakeholders.
• Support development of programs to strengthen relationship-building and create meaningful touchpoints between the School and corporate partners.
• Coordinate logistics, communications, and follow-up for visits, events, presentations, and partnership activities.

Administration:

• Closely collaborate with the administrators and staff in Career Services, Experiential Learning, Advancement, Marketing, and other areas to align corporate partnership strategy, communications, and programming with School priorities.
• Participate in and contribute to iSchool, Community, Culture, and Engagement office meetings, planning sessions, and strategic initiatives that advance the office and the School's mission.
• Coordinate with internal partners to ensure corporate relations activities are well integrated with student opportunity, advancement, outreach, and School-wide engagement efforts.
• Support reporting, planning materials, and other documentation related to partnership activity, engagement outcomes, and strategic priorities.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of shared processes, systems, and workflows that support the effectiveness of the office.

Major Duties and Responsibilities Associate Director of External Corporate Relations: Corporate Partnership Development (50%):

• Lead strategies to identify, cultivate, secure, and sustain corporate partnerships that advance the School's priorities in experiential learning, workforce development, corporate-collaborative research and applications, and revenue generation.
• Serve as the primary liaison for key corporate partners and stakeholders, ensuring consistent, high-quality relationship management and strategic engagement.
• Build and steward a portfolio of corporate relationships that supports internships and practicum experiences, experiential learning, early-career pathways, employer engagement, corporate-collaborative research and applications, philanthropy, and other partnership opportunities.
• Develop and steward relationships that can translate into real-world corporate projects, case studies, applied research opportunities, and curriculum-connected experiential learning for students.
• Conduct strategic planning and market intelligence, such as monitoring labor market trends, industry developments, and employer needs to inform partnership strategy and identify emerging opportunities for the School.
• Assess the effectiveness of corporate partnerships and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Establish contracts with external organizations to enhance partnership opportunities for engaged student learning.

External Representation for Corporate Audiences (20%):

• Promote the value of the iSchool and its academic programs to external corporate audiences by articulating the distinct strengths of Information Sciences relative to other disciplines and professional fields.
• Develop and communicate a compelling value proposition for corporate partners that highlights the School's interdisciplinary expertise, student talent, and strengths.
• Represent the School at industry events, professional conferences, workforce development convenings, and other external forums and meetings to maintain visible presence and expand awareness of iSchool programs and capabilities for corporate partners.
• Create opportunities to showcase student talent, faculty expertise, and School accomplishments to corporate audiences.

Programs, Events, and Operational Coordination (15%):

• Plan and coordinate employer-facing events and engagement opportunities that connect corporate partners with students, faculty, and other internal stakeholders.
• Develop and implement programs to strengthen relationship-building and create meaningful touchpoints between the School and corporate partners.
• Coordinate logistics, communications, and follow-up for visits, events, presentations, and partnership activities.

Administration (15%):

• Closely collaborate with the administrators and staff in Career Services, Experiential Learning, Advancement, Marketing, and other areas to align corporate partnership strategy, communications, and programming with School priorities.
• Participate in and contribute to iSchool, Community, Culture, and Engagement office meetings, planning sessions, and strategic initiatives that advance the office and the School's mission.
• Coordinate with internal partners to ensure corporate relations activities are well integrated with student opportunity, advancement, outreach, and School-wide engagement efforts.
• Support reporting, planning materials, and other documentation related to partnership activity, engagement outcomes, and strategic priorities.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of shared processes, systems, and workflows that support the effectiveness of the office.

Additional Physical Demands

Minimum Qualifications Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Three (3) years (36 months) of progressively responsible experience in corporate partnerships, employer relations, external relations, business development, advancement, or a related field in higher education or a comparable environment.
• Experience developing and maintaining corporate relationships and supporting partnership initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications - Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations:

• Master's degree in higher education administration, business, communications, information sciences, or a related field.

Minimum Qualifications - Associate Director of External Corporate Relations:

• Bachelor's degree.
• A total of five (5) years (60 months) in education, training and/or work experience in corporate partnerships, employer or external relations in higher education.
• Proven record of accomplishment in managing corporate relationships, establishing strategic partnerships, or spearheading revenue-growth initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications - Associate Director of External Corporate Relations:

• Master's degree in higher education administration, business, communications, information sciences, or a related field.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - Assistant Director of External Corporate Relations:

• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to articulate a compelling value proposition for academic programs and student talent.
• Ability to work highly