Description

The Chambers College of Business and Economics Center for Career Development is currently accepting applications for a (Hybrid) WV Internship Program Director.

About the Opportunity

The (Hybrid) WV Internship Program Director will establish, scale, and manage an internship program that focuses on the workforce development needs of public and private sector employers throughout the State of WV. This position will play a pivotal in building talent pipelines between WVU students and external partners to reduce brain drain and increase the percentage of students who remain in the state to work and live upon graduation. The Program Director will create and execute campus branding and recruitment strategies for organizations featuring traditional internship opportunities within WV and beyond. Additionally, they will provide consultative services that help organizations curate internships/micro-internships that provide students with valuable resume-building experiences. The incumbent will manage partnerships and ensure strategic alignment with First Ascent, Generation WV, and other initiatives focused on workforce development and talent retention in the Mountain State. This position will also provide strategic guidance to select employers with hiring needs outside of WV and provide career coaching services to a subset of students.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

37.5-hour work week
13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits.
401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
Wellness programs
What you'll do:

Strategic and Internal Partnerships

Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy to foster partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders, collaborating with leaders across the university and the State of WV.
Lead partnerships and ensure strategic alignment with First Ascent, Generation WV, and other initiatives focused on workforce development and talent retention in the Mountain State.
Build relationships with faculty and college leadership in target areas to integrate internship and experiential learning into the curriculum and campus culture.
Facilitate connections between faculty and employers to help employers source the best talent for their roles and to provide faculty with real-time feedback on evolving industry needs and the quality of talent produced by the University.
Employer Relations

Manage end-to-end relationships with a portfolio of employer partners, overseeing all aspects of engagement and service delivery.
Foster connections between employers and potential interns to build robust talent pipelines, specifically supporting West Virginia-based employers and addressing their unique talent acquisition needs.
Coordinate ad hoc career mentorship days, company site visits, on-campus meetings, interviews, and career development events (networking receptions, career fairs, classroom presentations, etc.).
Research and contact new employers based on student interest, curriculum alignment, and faculty research areas.
Gather direct feedback from employers on ideal candidate qualifications and assess student preparedness quality, identifying improvement areas.
Establish and nurture strong relationships with public, private, and non-profit organizations statewide, emphasizing the pivotal role of internship programs in talent retention.
Offer consultative services to guide employers in designing and executing impactful internship experiences that contribute to short and long-term talent acquisition strategies.
Program Management

Establish strategic goals and key performance indicators for the Internship Program.
Develop and oversee marketing campaigns to increase student interest in West Virginia-based careers.
Design and implement professional development programming to enhance internship success rates.
Strategically plan and execute summer internship events to create cohort experiences.
Lead data-driven decision-making processes to continuously improve program effectiveness.
Career Coaching/Career Development

Develop and implement a strategic approach to career coaching for a subset of students.
Establish and manage a continuous communication loop with career service professionals and employers to ensure alignment with industry demands.
Lead benchmarking initiatives with peer institutions to drive innovation in career and professional development services.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in business management, human resources, marketing, public relations, or related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
A minimum of three (3) years of experience involving:
Human resources, alumni relations, fundraising, economic development, or higher education administration.
Program/project management/implementation of new initiatives.
A minimum of two (2) years of experience involving capacity building/scaling initiatives through strategic partnerships.
Innovative, strategic, and thoughtful leadership.
Adept at cultivating positive relationships across diverse professional constituencies.
Self-motivation; independently solves complex, time-sensitive problems.
Knowledge of talent acquisition strategies and accompanying laws.
Confidentiality and professionalism with respect to sensitive student information.
Exceptional customer service orientation.