Director of Corporate Engagement

Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA

3d • $87,000 - $97,000

About The Position

Virginia Tech is seeking a strategic engagement leader who thrives on creating high-profile, innovative experiences that connect alumni, industry leaders, and the university’s world-class research community. This position offers a unique opportunity to engage alumni within companies, celebrate C-suite VIPs through storytelling and event participation, and showcase the university’s research strengths through large-scale industry convenings, corporate engagement events, and strategic forums. The Director of Corporate Engagement within the Innovation and Partnerships team is responsible for leading engagement and outreach activities that advance the university's ambitious partnership, research visibility, and alumni engagement goals. The team is organized around three centers — LINK, LICENSE, and LAUNCH — which focus on corporate, foundation, and alumni partnerships; research commercialization; and venture development, respectively. As the front-end of the engagement and partnership funnel, this role sets strategy and leads implementation across a variety of engagement and outreach platforms. These platforms include a full range of experiences, such as alumni networking events, corporate visits, and major industry and government convenings that highlight Virginia Tech’s research leadership and innovation ecosystem. Reporting to the Vice President for Innovation and Partnerships, this individual oversees the Experiences and Impact team, responsible for building and scaling engagement platforms that connect alumni, corporate partners, and university leadership. The successful candidate will design and pilot new engagement initiatives, evaluate their impact, and scale successful models across the university’s corporate and alumni networks. This position oversees ongoing stewardship and communication with key alumni, corporate partners, executive champions, and internal stakeholders. The role requires strong strategic thinking and project management skills and the ability to work closely and effectively with university leadership, faculty, Advancement, and industry partners to develop high-impact engagement strategies. The ideal candidate will possess excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills to support storytelling and engagement among VIP audiences. Overall, the Director of Corporate Engagement plays a critical role in expanding research-based partnerships, strengthening alumni engagement within industry, increasing philanthropic support, and elevating Virginia Tech’s national brand.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in communications, business, public administration, higher education, or a related field, or a Bachelor’s degree in one of these fields with significant relevant experience equivalent to an advanced degree, including experience in alumni relations, corporate engagement, event strategy, communications, partnership development, or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing high-impact engagement initiatives, such as industry convenings, corporate partnerships, alumni networks, or major events.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing staff and coordinating complex initiatives across multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with alumni leaders, corporate partners, and/or senior executives, including C-suite and leaders across industry, government, or nonprofit sectors.

Nice To Haves

• Experience designing and executing large-scale industry convenings, executive forums, or high-profile events that bring together corporate leaders, alumni, government stakeholders, and university leadership.
• Experience working in a research university environment or similarly complex organization, particularly in roles that connect industry, government, and academia.

Responsibilities

• Manage and lead a team of approximately 4 - 5 employees responsible for organizing and executing events and engagement activities for the unit.
• Provide strategic direction to staff responsible for programming, logistics, communications, and outreach while coordinating cross-functional support across the Innovation and Partnerships team.
• Serve as a key liaison between LINK and central Advancement engagement teams, including college- and unit-based advancement teams, to coordinate alumni and corporate engagement strategies, share best practices, and align programming that connects alumni, industry partners, and university leadership.
• Serve as a representative for LINK on Advancement’s Senior Leadership Team, working alongside other LINK leaders to align engagement strategies, coordinate cross-unit initiatives, and ensure LINK priorities are integrated into broader Advancement efforts.
• Develop and scale engagement platforms and signature offerings that build on successful programs such as Hokies at Work, Leaders+, and Women in Industry.
• Measure outcomes and track engagement metrics to ensure strong return on investment and alignment with university priorities.
• Oversee alumni-focused professional and career networking initiatives, including stewardship of engagement platforms such as the alumni job board, mentorship programs, and other career connection resources.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees