COB Director of Internships, Career Services & Professional Development

Eastern Michigan University•Ypsilanti, MI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Internships, Career Services and Professional Development leads the College of Business' career and professional development function serving business students, with direct responsibility for internship placement, professional development programming, and the cultivation of strong, lasting relationships between the College and the employer community. This role is the primary architect of the business student experience that connects classroom learning to professional practice - from securing and overseeing internships, to running signature events such as Company Days, etiquette lunch and dinners, the executive speaker series, and facilitating executive mentoring and preparing students to compete confidently for the roles they want after graduation.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree is required.
A minimum of 3 years of experience in career services, university relations, corporate recruiting, human resources, or a related field is required.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain professional relationships with employer partners, alumni, and community stakeholders is required.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate with faculty to meet student professional development needs is required.
Strong public speaking and event management skills, with experience planning and executing multi-stakeholder events are required.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, faculty, executives, and employer representatives alike are required.
Proficiency with career services or recruiting platforms and standard office/productivity software is required.

Nice To Haves

A master's degree in higher education, business, counseling, or a related field is preferred.
Prior experience in a university career services office, corporate talent acquisition function, or business school employer relations role is preferred.
Familiarity with the regional business community and existing employer networks is preferred.
Experience designing professional development curricula or programming for undergraduate or graduate business students is preferred.
Experience managing student staff, graduate assistants, or program coordinators is preferred.

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end internship program for College of Business students, including employer sourcing, position development, matching, onboarding support, and academic credit coordination where applicable.
Build and maintain a growing portfolio of internship-providing employers across relevant industries, with particular attention to regional and local business partners.
Track internship outcomes, placement rates, and student/employer satisfaction, and use that data to continuously improve program quality.
Serve as the point of contact for internship-related questions from business students, faculty, and employer partners, and resolve issues that arise during an internship term.
Partner with University-level career services to encourage student participation in campus-wide career events.
Recruit students to participate in College of Business career and professional development activities.
Plan and execute Company Days, coordinating employer participation, logistics, and student engagement to maximize recruiting and networking value for both sides.
Organize and host the College's etiquette lunch and dinners, including securing venues, speakers/facilitators, and coordinating student registration and preparation materials.
Arrange career excursions to regional and national companies, in collaboration with department heads and faculty, building relationships with host organizations and preparing students to make the most of each visit.
Coordinate executive panels and the executive speaker series, including identifying and inviting speakers, managing event logistics, and working with faculty to align programming with curricular themes.
Cultivate and maintain relationships with alumni, employer partners, and community organizations to expand the College's network of internship and career opportunities, in concert with the College’s Director of Development and the EMU Foundation.
Design and execute a calendar of professional development activities for students, including resume and cover letter workshops, interview preparation, LinkedIn and personal branding sessions, executive mentoring, and networking skills training, in conjunction with the Faculty Director of Student Professional Development Initiatives and Engagement.
Develop programming tailored to different stages of the student journey: from first-year foundational career readiness through senior-year job search strategy.
Partner with the Faculty Director of Student Professional Development Initiatives and Engagement and faculty to enhance student career readiness, including identifying and offering supplemental workshops and certifications, assisting in integrating career readiness content in courses, supporting student attendance at conferences and competitions, and other career-related opportunities for students as needed.
Track student participation and engagement in career services programming and report on outcomes to College of Business and Career Services leadership.
Provide one-on-one career advising to students on internship search strategy, career exploration, and job search planning.
Maintain current knowledge of hiring trends, in-demand skills, and industry expectations across the fields College of Business students pursue and translate that knowledge into practical guidance for students.
Support students from diverse backgrounds and circumstances with equitable access to career development resources and opportunities.