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Unit: Student Success

Department: VCU Career Services

Department Summary: As a member of the Employer and Experiential Development Team, the Experiential Programs Specialist will be a team leader for developing relationships with, and supporting, employers and supervisors interested in hiring VCU students for part-time on-campus employment, and supporting collaboration between VCU Career Services and relevant departments and programs across campus. They will organize student-employer engagement events for both recruiting and networking, provide connection points for career and professional development, and assist with posting relevant student employment, internships, and experiential opportunities.

Through purposeful partnerships, innovative programming, consistent advocacy, and providing a supportive environment, VCU Career Services aims to reduce barriers to career and experiential opportunities, promote the development of career readiness skills, provide access to resources, knowledge, and connections, and equip individuals and organizations to contribute to the current and future world of work, their communities and the broader world.
Members of the VCU Career Services team regularly engage in professional development, including in-house and external training and conference opportunities, to best serve students and alumni, to stay current with industry standards and changes, to revise programs and services to reflect trends, and to increase our office’s visibility, both at VCU and on a broader scale.

Duties & Responsibilities:

 Program Development and Management (45%):

• Coordinate and support the execution of major career fairs, in collaboration with the full Employer and Experiential Development team. This includes, but is not limited to, employer invitations, registration, day-of-fair logistics, and communications regarding career fairs.
• Develop and implement experiential development programs and services to facilitate student learning through employer partnerships and campus resources, including employer site visits/Career Treks.
• Manage the process of identifying or helping departments develop on-campus part-time jobs for Career Bridge students, ensuring the positions are added to Handshake with the correct qualifications, and promoting the opportunities to students through a Career Bridge collection and email communication.
• Provide leadership for and coordinate student-focused career events related to networking, career/professional development, and student support. Collaborate and communicate with specific team members, campus partners, and employers to ensure successful event design, marketing, staffing, delivery, and evaluation.
• Work with Operations Coordinator and SEMSS Communications, utilizing appropriate processes so that event marketing can be created and distributed to employers and students as appropriate.
• Schedule and confirm visits with employers and ensure they have all necessary information for their visit (parking passes, scheduling issues, etc.), and follow up with employers after their visit as necessary.
• Collaborate with VCU Career Services staff, student employees, and other campus units on projects and programs that facilitate student learning and skill development.

Relationship Development and Management (35%):

• Develop and maintain employer relationships, with a focus on employer partners interested in hiring students for part-time on-campus opportunities.
• Coordinate and implement outreach to new and prospective employer/organizational partners who may have an interest in supporting our students through networking, professional development, and engagement in experiential opportunities.
• Steward existing employers through the recruitment lifecycle, including in-person, electronic, and phone communication in alignment with campus recruiting guidelines, and respond to external party inquiries regarding experiential and employment opportunities that might be a fit for VCU students.
• Orient employer partners to VCU, VCU Career Services, and our Handshake system so they can make informed decisions about engagement and be prepared to effectively post and follow up on experiential and employment opportunities, actively promoting on-campus and virtual recruitment of students.
• Assist employers in building their presence (brand) on campus, advising them on recruitment strategies and setting expectations about event participation and student involvement.
• Provide outstanding customer service in accordance with team standards to both internal and external customers by considering how actions or plans will affect partners; follow through on responsibilities to partners. Responds with appropriate urgency, flexibility, courtesy, and good judgment to meet customer needs and resolve problems.
• Implement, review, and enforce campus recruiting guidelines in conjunction with the Employer and Experiential Development Team.
• Adhere to principles of professional conduct and ethics as outlined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), including but not limited to:
  • Engage with employer partners to promote equitable pay and wages, fair recruitment and hiring practices, mentoring and management, and professional development.
  • Implement, review, and enforce employer recruitment policies.
  • Providing resources for all those engaged in career advising and recruitment to promote informed and responsible decision-making.

Technology Management (10%): 

• Promote effective office, employer, and campus engagement with Handshake in support of student engagement, retention, experiential learning, networking, and event participation, as well as organizational relationship management and documentation.
• Communicate with employers regarding the use of our online database (Handshake), and provide service as necessary to recruiters with navigating the system, registering for events/fairs, and posting opportunities.
• Co-manage communications with the Career Bridge students with other Career Bridge staff to provide resources and guidance related to part-time, seasonal, and work-study job search, application, interview and in-job success.
• Support accurate and timely entry of data, troubleshooting, and communications with employers in the Handshake system, as needed, in collaboration with the Employer and Experiential Development team.

Assessment and Reporting (5%):

• Leverage Handshake to identify and measure metrics that track success of student programs and services, employer engagement and recruitment efforts.
• Provide monthly reporting updates to Career Bridge staff on student engagement in career development programs and networking events. 

Strategic Initiatives (5%):

• Contribute actively to the development, adaptation, and implementation of the VCU Career Services Strategic Plan through collaboration and project work.
• Participate in various campus events involving prospective students, alumni, and families to engage those stakeholders in our services and programs.
• Participate in departmental, division, and/or university committees to represent VCS as assigned.
• Serve on relevant committees and industry program groups within or representing VCU Career Services, SEMSS, and VCU at large.
• Perform other duties to support team operations and strategic plan, as assigned.

Other Position Details: 

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement with up to 40% weekly telework.
• This role is a restricted, grant-funded position with funding currently available through June 31, 2027. Continued employment is dependent upon availability of funding.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with emphasis on student affairs, higher education, business, human resources, social sciences, related field, or or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• 1 year of experience in higher education, recruitment, or related field; relevant graduate assistantships and internships will be considered.
• Demonstrated experience developing positive professional relationships and partnerships.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally in the office environment and to collaborate with employers, students, alumni, faculty, and university administrators.
• Ability to organize and effectively manage multiple priorities, programs, and projects; time management skills.
• Effective communication skills (includes both written and oral), and the ability to act with diplomacy and tact.
• Critical thinking, problem-solving, and negotiation skills, as well as the ability to synthesize new information, incorporate, and apply across tasks.
• Solid working knowledge of MS Office (includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Suite (including Sheets, Docs, Forms, Mail, Calendar). Solid beginning level is required; an intermediate level is desired.
• Ability to use database systems (e.g. Handshake, Symplicity) and project management systems (e.g. AirTable, Asana) for relationship management and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• In -process or completed master’s degree in student personnel/higher education, counseling, human resources, public administration, business, or related field.
• Experience working in a college or university career services department.
• Experience working within and supporting student and employer use of Handshake.
• Ability to generate student employment opportunities with employers and market them to students.

Salary Range: $44,000 - $46,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: Yes

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Hybrid

University Job Title: 35221N - Specialist SS 1

Position Posted: 7/17/2026

Position Closes: 7/30/2026 at 11:55PM