Assistant Director of Partner Relations and Special Events

Earlham College is a Top 100 National Liberal Arts College located in Richmond, IN, a small city that's just a short drive away from several major metropolitan areas including Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Richmond and Earlham have a symbiotic relationship. Through research, studies, internships and volunteering, Earlhamites offer Richmond expertise and service as Richmond offers our students the chance to gain valuable, real-world experience. Our community assumes no religious affiliation but follows Quaker principles and practices, which include respect for persons, integrity, a commitment to peace and justice, simplicity, and consensus-based community decision-making. Earlham is committed to and proud of being a diverse and inclusive place most clearly visible in our student body: 20% of our student body are international, coming from 60+ nations in 2022, and 24% are domestic students of color. Faculty and staff also bring tremendous diversity to the College; many have lived and worked outside the United States, and they make a point of drawing on those experiences in their interactions with students. Additionally, Earlham makes it a priority to serve as a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ communities and has a four-star rating on the Campus Pride Index. Our community is characterized by respect for every person and a commitment to social justice. Equity and inclusion are central to Earlham's institutional priorities and our leadership is committed to widening the path to an Earlham education.

Earlham College is seeking an Assistant Director of Partner Relations and Special Events to join our team!

Under the guidance and direction of the Executive Director, the Assistant Director of Partner Relations & Special Events assumes primary responsibility for developing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with a wide array of external partners that provide internship, job and career opportunities for Earlham students. The Assistant Director also assumes primary oversight of major CCE events including the Epic Expo, Career & Graduate Fairs, and other special events. The Assistant Director works with the Executive Director, other team members and internal partners to maximize the effectiveness of Career Education programming.

Essential Functions:

• Partner Relations (55%, approximately 22 hours per week)
  
  
• Manage external partner relationships
  
  
• Maintain mutually beneficial relationships with employers and internship providers, locally and regionally, as well as strategically targeted partnerships at the national and global levels.
  
  
• Maintain relationships with regional and national graduate and professional schools as well as strategically targeted global partnerships.
  
  
• Oversee the management and utilization of the Handshake jobs platform including the employer approval and job/internship vetting process.
  
  
• Remain in regular communication with partners, including keeping them informed of relevant information (e.g., term dates, policy updates, etc.); checking in with them before, during, and after program periods; and answering any queries from them.
  
  
• Develop and maintain a records and communication system to manage, engage and grow the CCE’s portfolio of employer and partner connections.
  
  
• Manage partner expectations and address their concerns and requests for special approaches, exceptions to policy, etc. Accommodate partner needs to the fullest possible extent while maintaining College standards and complying with relevant laws and statutes.
  
  
• Ensure that partners understand the Earlham College commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and that they are operating with a similar framework in their engagement with our students and graduates. Work together with the ED, Director of Community Engagement, Career Coaches, and/or other personnel to address any DEI-related issues that may emerge. When necessary, terminate partnerships with entities that do not observe key DEI indicators.
  
  
• New partnership development
  
  
• Engage with employers locally, regionally, and nationally to develop relationships that lead to new partnerships.
  
  
• Collaborate with the CCE team and Epic Center Directors to understand the need and demand for new partnerships that lead to internship and post-graduate opportunities for Earlham students. Set annual goals for new partnership development based on the needs and interests of Earlham students as communicated by the ED, CCE and Epic teams.
  
  
• Serve as the liaison to Institutional Advancement for partnerships
  
  
• Work with Alumni Engagement to connect Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion alumni who may be interested in facilitating one or more of the types of partnerships listed above. Remain active and visible in the EC connect platform.
  
  
• Event Management (40%, approximately 16 hours per week)
  
  
• Epic Expo: Serve as the lead, working with other team members across the Epic areas in administering the EPIC Expo or any successor events that feature the Earlham Epic Journey.
  
  
• Oversee the successful execution of employer related engagement activities including on-campus interviews, information sessions, etc.
  
  
• Career and Graduate Fairs: With the assistance of other team members, coordinate general and targeted fairs or related events involving partners that provide internships or post-graduate opportunities for Earlham students. Understand the needs of Earlham’s career communities through collaboration with Career Coaches to coordinate targeted events on campus, virtually and off campus.
  
  
• Student-Alumni Events: Serve as the primary liaison between the Center for Career Education and the Alumni Engagement in planning and implementing events that connect students and alumni, such as the Alumni-Student Networking Social during Homecoming.
  
  
• Professional development: Participate regularly in regional, national, or international professional development opportunities and networks.
  
  
• Committee service: Serve on various committees, as appropriate to the Center for Career Education.
  
  
• Ad hoc assignments: Complete other duties as requested by the Executive Director.
  
  
• Additional duties as assigned
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 3 or more years of related work experience.
  
  
• Proven ability to build and nurture networks of external relationships that produce tangible results.
  
  
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and experience working with a wide range of constituents, including employers, community partners, graduate schools, faculty, students, and alumni.
  
  
• Experience communicating with and supporting people from diverse backgrounds and an expressed commitment to uphold and further Earlham’s Diversity Aspirations Vision Statement.
  
  
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
  
  
• Clear understanding of and affinity with the purposes and values of a private residential liberal arts college, and the ability to translate this knowledge to prospective partners and employers.
  
  
• Experience and comfort with digital tools and technology, including social media and the ability to learn other software platforms.
  
  
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
  
  
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
  
  
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
  
  
• Ability to manage multiple tasks according to required deadlines in a fast-paced office.
  
  
• Be a positive example and resource to all Earlham Students
  
  

Additional Preferred Qualifications :

• Master’s degree in appropriate field.
  
  
• Knowledge of current and best professional practices in career education.
  
  
• Experience at a liberal arts college or institution of higher education.
  
  
• Experience in partnership development, management, and assessment.
  
  
• Familiarity with the Handshake, Terra Dotta, uConnect, and/or People Grove platforms.
  
  

The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

To Apply

• Please submit the following application materials through our Earlham Careers Portal
  
  
• Cover letter - Please address your thinking and experience with matters of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as it relates and specifically pertains to this position.
  
  
• Resume
  
  
• List of Three References with Contact Information
  
  
• Earlham College is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse community, one that reflects the makeup of society at large and that particularly welcomes and supports individuals from groups that have been historically marginalized because of factors such as race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, and physical ability. The College strongly encourages applications from women and people of color. As an institution with a Quaker identity, the College also solicits applications from members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
  
  Earlham's Work Authorization Policy
  
  Earlham utilizes E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility for all newly hired employees within the United States.