Serve as member of VSB’s O’Donnell Center for Professional Development and Clay Center at VSB. Focus on experiential education efforts and the development of corporate relationships that meet the needs of business students. Act as an ambassador for student participation in externships, internships, and CoOp programs as a critical element of their holistic academic experience and manage the academic internship/CoOp courses. Collaborate with VSB entities, University Career Center, and other campus partners to develop multi-faceted employer relationships and facilitate execution of brand-building plans. Manage portfolio of opportunities, aligned by discipline/industry and student interests, as assigned by the Associate Director and in coordination with UCC’s employer relations model. Play an integral role on the O’Donnell Center team, contributing to the development of a broad range of professional development resources/services, including career programming, curriculum initiatives, and student leadership development.

Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian order. Diversity and inclusion have been and will continue to be an integral component of Villanova University’s mission. The University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University’s mission and values.

EMPLOYER OUTREACH/DEVELOPMENT:

• Collaborate with the O’Donnell Center team, VSB faculty and academic center directors, VSB Deans, University Advancement, Alumni Office, and University Career Center (UCC) to develop employer partnerships that produce positive outcomes, including internship opportunities, CoOp programs, full-time recruiting, career programs, curriculum enhancements, financial sponsorships, research projects, involvement with business societies, etc.
• Assist VSB academic centers with corporate relations efforts.
• Pursue employer referrals/inquiries with the mindset of identifying VSB and University-wide opportunities; facilitate connections between employers and VSB/VU parties, as appropriate.
• In coordination with department chairs, faculty coordinators and UCC, serve as relationship manager for employer involvement in VSB’s high-profile initiatives include the Spring Accounting Internship (SAI), CoOp Programs, market u activities, and Summer Business Institute career events.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT:

• Manage full life-cycle of assigned academic internship and CoOp programs, including marketing of opportunities, recruiting and preparation of program participants, and faculty approval process.
• Provide academic advisement and curriculum planning guidance in collaboration with Clay Center academic advisors to students who participate in an internship or CoOp course Coach students individually and in groups on internship search and preparation processes, as well as in regard to meeting the requirements for academic internships/CoOps and fulfilling employer and faculty expectations.
• Advise students on their engagement in CoOps and special initiatives such as the Spring Accounting Internship Program, Global Citizens Program internships, Villanova Financial Club Summer Internship Initiative, etc.

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION INITIATIVES:

• Serve as an ambassador for experiential education among undergraduate business students. Collaborate with Associate Director to implement strategies that advance the college’s emphasis on externship/internship/CoOp participation as a critical component of the overall academic experience and process of bridging theory to practice.
• Assist with activities that serve the needs of students with diverse backgrounds.
• Educate the VSB community on the significance of these experiences in increasing students’ opportunities for professional success upon graduation; communicate the importance of employers utilizing externship, internship and CoOp programs as the primary source for full-time hiring.
• Initiatives will include conducting a wide-array of student outreach efforts, development of collateral materials, delivery of an internship/CoOp education series, classroom presentations, implementation of promotional campaigns, and surveying students in regard to experiential education participation.
• Act as VSB’s primary point of contact regarding Handshake, Villanova’s campus career management portal.

KNOWLEDGE & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

• Collaborate with Associate Director to stay abreast of curriculum developments that may impact employer interest in VSB students’ and students’ eligibility for internship/job opportunities.
• Maintain an understanding of the knowledge gained by students in their disciplines and resulting skills/qualifications.
• Engage in internal and external opportunities to stay current with career/industry trends impacting opportunities available to our students and their career readiness, enhance understanding of employer needs and relationship development, strengthen career coaching skills, etc.
• Regularly gather information about students’ internship/CoOp interests in regard to career paths, geographic, industry and/or company preferences.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contribute to O’Donnell Center for Professional Development team and Clay Center initiatives, including the on-going development and implementation of the Backpack to Briefcase Program professional development curriculum.
• Perform additional duties and assist with special projects as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 2-4 years of professional experience.
• Background in student development, experiential education, employer relationship building, and a commitment to developing opportunities that serve as a critical component for bridging academic theory to practice.
• Understanding of the interplay between academic curriculum and experiential education.
• Familiarity with broad range of internship/ job market trends.
• Must have strong written and verbal communication skills and solid technology skills/aptitude, including Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher, Word, social media, etc.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail required.
• Must be a team player and high collaborative; ability to work with and gain the respect and confidence of faculty, administrators, alumni, students, and employers.
• Demonstrate a deep commitment to the well-being of the Villanova School of Business and the University, a commitment to the University’s Augustinian Catholic heritage, and the advancement of its mission and to serving the needs of a diverse community required.

Master’s degree in Higher Education, Human Resources, Business or related discipline strongly desired.

May require occasional off-campus travel and overnight visits.

Commensurate with experience.