Assistant Director - Employer Relations

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Job Title: Assistant Director, Employer Relations

Department: Career Development

Division: Academic Affairs

FLSA Status: Exempt

Grade Level: 6

Salary Range: $47,000 - $59,600

Union: N/A

Reports to: Director, Career Development

Position summary: Cultivate new and maintain existing relationships with employers and other partners that support experiential learning, internships, and employment for MICA students and alumni. 

General purpose: Serve as a key point of contact in Career Development for employers and collaborate with Career Development colleagues on internships and job recruitment for students and alumni at MICA. The Assistant Director contributes to experiential learning at MICA through event coordination, program development, and workshop delivery while building and sustaining internal and external partnerships.

Major role functions:

• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with employers in the private, nonprofit, entrepreneurial, and government sectors to expand internships, employment, freelance, fellowship, residency, and project-based learning opportunities available to students and alumni; 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employers recruiting MICA students and alumni.

• Design and lead Career Development team’s efforts to provide networking opportunities and student and alumni access to residencies and fellowships

• Develop, iterate, assess, and refine ongoing goals for employer relations outreach, engagement strategies, and performance for MICA and the Career Development team

• Provide project management for new department initiatives designed to bolster student, alumni, and employer resources

• Serve as liaison between employers and MICA faculty to provide appropriate feedback and development of curriculum based on industry feedback and trends

• Initiate connections between employers and faculty to facilitate sponsored projects 

• Strategically cultivate and broaden MICA's employment and internship opportunity outreach through analysis of current employer data and desired industry connections

• Collaborate with Global Education and other areas to develop shared skill-based badging and/or co-curricular transcripts focused on high-impact practices across areas to improve visibility of outcomes for students and alumni. 

• Represent Career Development at MICA events including Admission, Advancement, Orientation, Graduation, and ArtWalk events and workshops as assigned

• Provide appropriate career advising to students and alumni as part of the Career Development team as needed.

Essential duties and  responsibilities:

• Map and create connections between employer talent needs with the unique portfolios of MICA students and alumni.

• Analyze employer engagement, recruiting activity, hiring trends, and career outcomes to guide strategic planning and continuous improvement.

• Identify emerging workforce trends and employer talent needs to inform outreach strategies and strengthen employer engagement.

• Build connections between employers, faculty, and academic departments to support sponsored projects, curriculum feedback, industry partnerships, and experiential learning opportunities.

• Manage MICA network, our data-driven employer tracking system (12Twenty), to analyze market trends and track non-traditional career outcomes.

• Design and coordinate networking events, employer information sessions, career fairs, portfolio reviews, site visits, and other employer engagement programs.

• Deliver workshops and presentations on career readiness topics including networking, self-marketing, freelancing, pricing creative work, client management, interviewing, and the effective use of AI tools in career development.

• Support administrative and institutional research needs with systematic collection, verification, and analysis of post-graduation outcome data (employment rates, continuing education, and median starting salaries) required to meet federal reporting mandates

• Compile quantitative and qualitative data supporting accreditation, federal reporting, institutional assessment, and strategic initiatives.

• Partner with academic departments to provide discipline-specific labor market information, employer insights, and career readiness programming.

• Provide presentations and advising to students about local employer events, trips and site visits, and immersive learning opportunities

• Perform other related duties as assigned 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of employer relations, recruiting practices, workforce development, and career services within higher education.

• Knowledge of internship, experiential learning, and career readiness best practices.

• Understanding of labor market trends, creative industries, and emerging employment models, including freelance and entrepreneurial careers.

• Ability to build and sustain collaborative relationships with employers, faculty, alumni, and community partners.

• Strong business development, networking, and relationship management skills.

• Excellent presentation, facilitation, and public speaking abilities.

• Ability to advise and coach students from diverse backgrounds on career planning and professional development.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret employment data and generate actionable insights.

• Experience using CRM or career management platforms (such as 12Twenty, Handshake, or similar) and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.

• Excellent project management, organizational, and event planning skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while working collaboratively within a team.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a broad range of constituents with a commitment to meeting the unique needs of students, alumni, employers, colleagues, and external stakeholders

• An active commitment to equity in all forms, including the ability to create and maintain positive working relationships with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives

• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative work style with a high level of maturity, professionalism, and diplomacy

• Excellent communication, writing, planning, problem-solving, and organizational skills

• Appreciation for the arts and an interest in art students and their educational/professional goals

• Commitment to professional development and involvement in professional associations

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field

• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in employer relations, career services, talent acquisition, workforce development, university recruiting, business development, or a related field.

• Experience developing partnerships with employers or external organizations.

• Experience planning and facilitating programs, workshops, or networking events.

• Evidence of experience with data collection and analysis

• Proficiency with Google Suite and Microsoft Office and contact management systems 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Higher Education, Marketing & PR, or related field in Art & Design.

• 3+ years in corporate recruiting, full-desk agency staffing, or creative industry talent acquisition.

• Deep understanding of freelance, contract, and fractional work structures.

Reporting to this position: No direct reports

Conditions of Employment:

• Satisfactory background check

• Some travel may be required

Physical demands and work environment: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical Demands: While performing the duties of the job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. (may be adjusted depending on position)

• Work environment: While performing the duties of the job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.

• Required training: Handbook orientation, Anti-Harassment, Hazard Communication, Emergency Plans & Fire Prevention, Personal Protection Equipment. (additional training may be added, SEE: EHS Manager training schedule)

Maryland Institute College of Art is committed to its policy of providing equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status (disabled, Vietnam-era, or otherwise). Furthermore, the College does not tolerate any form of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment or sexual violence. This policy applies to all programs, facilities, and activities provided by Maryland Institute College of Art, including but not limited to admission, educational programs, and employment.

Applicants must apply online for each job in which they are interested. You will not be considered for any job for which you have not specifically applied. We do not accept applications via email, U.S. mail, or fax. Successful candidates for any staff or faculty positions will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

MICA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Human Resources at 410-225-2363.