Careers at UMass Amherst

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. The University sits on 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Associate Director of Outreach and Employer Relations reports to the Executive Director of Outreach and Employer Relations and works closely with other units in the Isenberg School to create, plan, and execute professional development opportunities for external constituents to engage with current students. The Associate Director will identify and connect with external partners to build networking, professional development programming, and pathways to internship and job opportunities for Isenberg undergraduate and graduate students, including on-campus events as well as off-campus field experiences. The Associate Director will maintain existing relationships as well as cultivate new ones and, in conjunction with Isenberg School leadership, will develop a strategic vision and plan for ongoing engagement with our external partners. The Associate Director will develop, plan, and execute Isenberg’s first mentoring program for undergraduate and graduate students, prioritizing mentorships for first-generation and under-represented minority students, as well as student veterans.

Essential Functions

• Outreach and Engagement:
• In conjunction with Isenberg leadership, develops a strategic vision and plan for ongoing engagement with external partners, including employers and alumni, and oversees execution of that plan throughout the calendar year.
• Creates, cultivates, and maintains external relationships to ensure active engagement; provides strategic opportunities to connect Isenberg undergraduate and graduate students with external partners.
• Strategically identifies corporate partners to serve as sponsors of off-campus field experiences, including corporate site visits, overnight networking events in the Boston and New York City areas, and other professional development opportunities off-campus.
• Partners with departments and other academic units to identify relevant and appropriate on-campus professional development opportunities, including class speakers, panelists, and career mentoring opportunities; works with event staff to ensure positive experience for students and guests.
• Special Programming:
• Develops, plans, and executes Isenberg’s first comprehensive and strategic career mentoring program by working closely with departments, Undergraduate Programs, Graduate and Professional Programs, and Isenberg leadership to assess needs and effectively partner current students with mentors; prioritizes first-generation, under-represented minorities, and student veterans for mentoring program.
• Collaborates with the Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging to effectively reach and support first-generation students, under-represented minorities, and student veterans in a mentoring program; designs additional opportunities between external partners and marginalized student groups.
• Communications, Databases, and Reporting:
• Communicates regularly with high-level internal and external partners to plan and execute a wide array of professional development opportunities.
• Along with others in the Isenberg School, contributes to and maintains a database of active employers and alumni and reports on engagement activities, their success, and recommendations for future opportunities.
• Supervises strategic communications with partners and oversees content creation on appropriate media channels to maximize visibility of opportunities both to promote beforehand and report on afterwards.
• Supports the Office of Career Success and other units in the Isenberg School with communications involving professional development outreach.
• Takes initiative by preparing correspondence, reports, and presentations regarding outreach activities and events on behalf of the Office of Career Success and other units; tracks said communications to ensure successful activities and events are documented for future endeavors.

Other Functions

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor's degree and five (5) years of professional experience in a business discipline (e.g. accounting, operations, marketing, finance, human resources or general management) or higher education services.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to diverse groups.
• Ability to interact effectively with faculty, students, employers, and alumni constituents. Capable of working successfully with a diverse population including (but not limited to) faculty, academic and non-academic professional and classified staff, administrators, employers in executive positions, students, and the general public.
• Must have excellent management and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work well with students, business decision makers, employers, and faculty.
• Must have excellent written, oral, and presentation skills.
• Working knowledge of career services technologies such as online recruiting tools and management systems and other computer proficiencies.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an outstanding ability to develop, nurture, and maintain relationships with external partners, including employers and alumni. 

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master’s degree.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 8:30am – 5:00 pm.
• Required to work some nights and weekends.
• This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee’s work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the Professional Staff Union, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the Professional Staff Union collective bargaining agreement.

Salary Information

Level 27

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis until the position is filled. Early submissions are encouraged.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.  To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.  It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.