Academic Development Manager

Job Description

Job Description

MHI is looking for an  Academic Development Manager to build the next generation of supply chain and material handling talent — by growing our academic partnerships, student programs, and workforce pipeline initiatives.

You'll lead this work through MHI's academic engagement arm, the College-Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE) . That means driving governance, audience growth, and rebranding efforts that expand CICMHE's reach across universities, community colleges, high schools, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs — while raising the Academic Community's visibility across MHI and the broader industry.

You'll be the connective tissue between MHI and the academic world — from high school CTE programs through university research and faculty engagement — bringing the next generation of professionals into the industry from the earliest stages of their academic journey.

Direct experience working with university programs, faculty networks, or CTE institutions — and an understanding of how academic organizations make decisions — is a strong plus.

Location

Charlotte, NC (Hybrid). Local travel up to 5%; domestic travel up to 25%; international travel up to 5% (for the International Material Handling Research Colloquium, IMHRC).

What You'll Do

• Lead CICMHE governance & growth.  Serve as primary staff liaison to CICMHE leadership, volunteer committees, and advisory groups. Manage governance, budget execution, financial reporting, and the CICMHE microsite. Execute rebranding and audience-development initiatives.
• Recruit members & volunteers.  Onboard and support CICMHE volunteers, committee members, and student representatives. Actively recruit new institutional members and faculty participants to grow membership year over year.
• Run flagship student & academic programs,  including:

• Student Day — MHI's flagship student engagement event
• MHTI — MHI's academic research conference
• IMHRC — the International Material Handling Research Colloquium
• Student Design Competition — MHI's collegiate design competition

Manage these end-to-end at MODEX, ProMat, and standalone programs, with a focus on growing participation and institutional reach. Track outcomes against MHI's Workforce Development “Inspire and Recruit” priorities.

• Own academic & industry partnerships.  Serve as MHI's primary relationship owner for universities, community colleges, and high school CTE programs — cultivating them as curriculum-aligned, long-term pipeline partners. Build relationships with academic councils, accreditation bodies, and faculty networks.
• Manage sponsorships & budgets.  Oversee budgets for Student Day, MHTI, IMHRC, and the Student Design Competition. Secure and manage academic program sponsorships, ensuring sponsor deliverables are fulfilled.
• Track data & report outcomes.  Establish performance metrics — institutional participation, attendance, membership growth, student engagement, geographic reach. Use data to grow attendance at MHTI/IMHRC, expand Student Day participation, and increase institutional diversity across programs. Report outcomes to MHI leadership.
• Represent MHI & CICMHE  at academic conferences, faculty convenings, industry-education forums, MODEX, ProMat, and MHI's Annual Conference.
• Collaborate cross-functionally.  Partner with the Workforce Development Manager on shared pipeline events and sponsors. Coordinate with Marketing on outreach. Field inquiries from faculty, students, and institutions; maintain website content and CRM records with IT and Marketing.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Academic and industry partnership development
• Program and event management
• Volunteer and committee leadership
• Budget and project management
• Communication and stakeholder engagement
• CRM, data management, and performance reporting
• Relationship building and stakeholder service

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• 5+ years in association management, academic engagement, workforce development, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience managing volunteer committees or advisory boards
• Strong project management, event coordination, and stakeholder communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and event management tools
• Comfortable in a hybrid environment with periodic travel to events and partner sites

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience working with university programs, faculty networks, or CTE institutions
• Background in supply chain, logistics, material handling, or an adjacent industry
• Familiarity with workforce pipeline programs, sponsorship development, or industry-education partnership models
• Familiarity with audience development, membership growth, or institutional outreach campaigns
• Experience supporting credentialing, research, or academic recognition programs
• Experience with AI-assisted content development tools

About MHI

MHI is the largest nonprofit U.S. material handling and logistics trade association, representing the leading providers of material handling and logistics solutions. MHI sponsors the two leading U.S. trade shows for material handling and logistics equipment, systems, and technologies — ProMat and MODEX.

At MHI, we've built a dynamic environment where employees genuinely care about shared success. Our core values: extraordinary member service, continuous improvement, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a respectful, inclusive workplace.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary

• Comprehensive benefits: Health Plan, HRA, HSA, Dental, Vision, Life/AD&D, Short - & Long-term Disability

• 401(k) plan

• Three weeks PTO plus ten paid holidays

• On-site fitness center

• Flexible schedule and hybrid work

MHI is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and an inclusive workplace for all employees.