Careers at UMass Amherst

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world. 

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Employer Engagement and Operations connects students to valuable career opportunities by coordinating campus-wide employer engagement and recruitment activities. Reporting to the Director of Employer Engagement and in collaboration with the Associate Director of High Impact Practices, the Assistant Director of Employer Engagement and Operations executes a multi-year comprehensive strategic plan for effective employer relationships that provide critical capacity in building and sustaining employer relationships across the full range of student recruitment efforts, such as career fairs, on-campus interviews, networking, communicating job and internship opportunities, and other recruitment events. The Assistant Director is a member of the central UMass Office of Career and Professional Development team and also supports employer engagement efforts across the eight decentralized career centers, providing insights into key recruitment metrics, coordinating campus-wide recruitment events, and conducting trainings.

Essential Functions

• Employer Engagement
  • Serves as the point of contact to triage employer-related inquiries. Maintains positive relationships with existing employer partners and provides prospective employers with appropriate resources to establish new program partnerships.
  • Provides strategic insight and guidance to employers to ensure their on-campus recruiting activities yield qualified candidates.
  • Leverages employer relationships to increase engagement and identifies opportunities for expansion through in-depth knowledge of UMass departments, centers, and institutes.
  • Advises employers and other entities on UMass recruitment policies and guidelines.
  • Maintains awareness of regional and national employment trends, economic development, and talent acquisition best practices.
• Events & Fairs
  • In collaboration with the Director of Employer Engagement and Associate Director of High Impact Practices, coordinates employer participation in events such as Career Fairs, Information Sessions, Networking Events, Tabling, Expert Panels, On-Campus Interviews, as well as other exploratory activities, such as Job Shadows, Company Site Visits, and Speaker Events.
  • Assumes responsibility for the planning and logistical facilitation of in-person, virtual, and hybrid recruiting events through event management, communication and database utilization.
  • Participates in event planning meetings with employers, maintaining ongoing communication from initial event planning through event day. Works with Office Operations Manager to secure space, catering, and other facility needs.
• Data Management & Data Reporting
  • Optimizes technical resources such as Handshake and Salesforce to facilitate engagement, extend reach, and assess program effectiveness.
  • Leads campus-wide Handshake efforts by supporting employers and students to optimize usage, troubleshoot technical issues, and curate opportunities.
  • Participates in quarterly Handshake user meetings to benchmark UMass efficacy and learn best practices. Attends Handshake webinars to keep abreast of new features and national trends.
  • Tracks employer relations activity, student participation, and success metrics. Creates and provides reports to leadership and other stakeholders.
  • Actively supports Career Services colleagues by leading trainings on Handshake’s new features and best practices to ensure consistency in campus-wide usage.
  • Facilitates transition from FMPro to Salesforce, working in collaboration with UMass IT and the UMass Foundation to align key fields for future reporting.
  • Maintains and updates employer database by recording relevant activities, ensuring accuracy of existing records, and adding new entries as needed.
  • Shares key metrics to support colleagues and cross-institutional data reporting efforts.
• Communication
  • Facilitates ongoing communication with the eight campus-wide Career Centers, sharing details about job postings and upcoming hiring events that are relevant to the student populations they serve.
  • Designs and maintains a calendar of recruitment events occurring across campus to connect campus leadership with employers.
  • In collaboration with the Senior Data Analyst, leverages information gathered from communications with employers to creatively promote events and employment opportunities to build successful hiring pipelines.

Other Functions

• Performs other duties as assigned.

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

• Bachelor’s degree plus two (2) years of full-time related or transferable professional experience in business, consulting, human resources, recruitment, project management, teaching, sales, higher education administration, or academic or career advising.
• Experience with strategic planning and event planning coordination and execution.
• Team player with independent initiative. Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative environment paired with the ability to function independently, balance priorities, self-monitor, and adhere to timelines.
• Strong organizational skills, program development, creative thinking, and attention to detail with the ability to balance the demands of concurrent and potentially competing projects.
• Experience developing and maintaining positive working relationships with internal and external professional stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to address diverse audiences.
• Experience using metrics to create reports.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, and general database principles.

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

• Master's degree in Business, Human Resources, Higher Education or a related field.
• Experience organizing and implementing Career Fairs.
• Experience using Handshake software.
• Experience using relational databases like FMPro or Salesforce.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.
• 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

Salary Level 26

Exempt 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.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.