Director Educational Partnerships
Sonic Automotive•Charlotte, NC
About The Position
The Director of Educational Partnerships will design and build long-term talent pipelines through partnerships with colleges, universities, and technical schools. This role will be instrumental in developing future leaders. This leader will serve as a strategic connector between educational institutions and retail operations, ensuring Sonic is consistently attracting, developing, and converting top emerging talent into dealership roles.
Requirements
- 3+ years of experience in either talent acquisition, workforce strategy, campus recruiting, or external partnerships.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to translate talent strategy into operational impact.
- Experience influencing senior leaders in a multi-location or decentralized environment.
- Willingness to travel (40–50%) to campuses and other locations.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in automotive retail operations, hospitality, or multi-unit service environments.
- Familiarity with technical, vocational, or dealership training pathways.
Responsibilities
- Build strong relationships with academic leadership, career services, and faculty to embed Sonic into curriculum, programs, and career pathways.
- Position Sonic Automotive, Sonic Powersports and EchoPark as leading destinations for business, sales, and automotive career growth.
- Work with Talent Acquisition to develop campus recruiting strategies across priority markets, including hiring events, classroom engagement, and branded activities.
- Equip Talent Acquisition team with tools and messaging to effectively attract and convert early-career talent.
- Work with Talent Acquisition to build innovative recruitment approaches that resonate with Gen Z talent, highlighting earnings potential, career pathing, and entrepreneurial opportunities within Sonic.
- Coordinate with brand and dealership leadership to participate in campus events
- Coordinate with talent acquisition team in recruiting efforts to fill Internships and Leadership Development Programs.
- Define and track key success metrics, including pipeline volume, conversion rates, retention, and time-to-productivity.
- Analyze program effectiveness and continuously optimize partnership ROI.
- Deliver regular insights and recommendations to executive leadership.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
No Education Listed
