Senior Associate Director, Business Development & Employer Engagement

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $87,000-$100,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Business Development and Employer Engagement , the Sr. Associate Director will play a critical role in driving the Career Management Center’s (CMC) overall strategic partnerships & industry engagement function.The Sr. Associate Director will bring an enthusiasm in cultivating relationships and fostering partnerships with a particular emphasis on companies seeking talent for highly quantitative roles in the US and abroad, ensuring impactful career opportunities for MBA and MS graduates. Collaborating across the Business School community, including - CMC, Dean's Office, Office of Student Affairs, Alumni Relations, and student organizations - the Sr. Associate Director will bring a collaborative mindset, energy, and creativity to building and expanding employer engagement. The ideal candidate will possess the initiative to identify new opportunities, the vision to strengthen employer relationships, the openness to collaborate and partner with colleagues across the School, and the enthusiasm to advance CBS’s mission. 

About Columbia Business School
For over a century, Columbia Business School has helped develop leaders and builders of enterprises who drive value for their stakeholders and society at large through our MBA, MS, PhD, and Executive Education programs. We are equally committed to cultivating new scholars and teachers, and to creating and disseminating pathbreaking knowledge, concepts, and tools which advance the understanding and practice of management through our faculty research and PhD programs.

Our vision is simple: to develop ideas and leaders that transform the world—from the very center of business. Our ever-evolving curriculum - featuring pioneering courses, STEM certification, and immersive experiential learning -prepares students to excel in key areas such as digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and innovation, twenty-first century finance, the intersection of business and society, and climate and sustainability. The CBS administration enables CBS’ educational and scholarly mission through strategic and operational guidance and support, optimizing School resources through well-designed, transparent processes with a culture of respect for all.

Responsibilities

Employer Engagement & Relationship Management

• Serves as sector lead and strategic advisor for employers and alumni in quantitative finance, business analytics, fintech, and other related industries.

• Identifies, initiates, nurtures new engagement with employers who are interested in hiring CBS talent who have a focus on growth potential for hiring CBS students with particular focus on emerging technology companies and startups.

• Establishes and implements employer engagement procedures and outreach protocols to convert prospective employers into active recruiting partners, providing rationale, guidance, and best practices to CMC advisors, program teams, and academic centers to ensure consistent adoption across the School. 

• Develops and executes engagement plans that help employers build sustainable talent acquisition pipelines.

• Builds and maintains relationships with employers in high-growth areas aligned with student interests.

• Works closely with MS faculty leadership and the MS Career Education & Advising team members to align on industry trends, student career interests, and opportunities to strengthen CBS brand across the relevant sectors.

• Liaises with Academic Centers & Programs to coordinate industry outreach and employer engagement.

Event Planning & Execution

• Leads high-impact recruiting and educational events end to end, assigning execution tasks to CMC support staff, student workers, and vendors and overseeing delivery against timelines 

• Engages employers in target industries as event speakers and panelists

• Partners with student clubs to develop industry insights and guide career exploration 

Data-Driven Strategy, Analysis, and Knowledge Sharing

• Analyzes engagement metrics to assess outcomes, inform outreach and engagement strategies, and demonstrate impact

• Advises the Director, Business Development & Employer Engagement on engagement strategy for target industries, recommending policy and process changes based on  analysis of engagement outcomes and industry best practices 

• Translates engagement data, employer intelligence, and industry insights into recruiting trend guidance for CMC Advisors, enhancing student advising and supporting students throughout recruiting processes.

• Educates student leaders and club members on recruiting practices, employer expectations, and industry-specific trends, aligning employer engagement with student interests and recruiting timelines.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Minimum of 4-6 years of experience in career services, recruiting, or related field

• Proven track record of building and maintaining strategic partnerships

• Deep understanding of hiring trends and graduate-level recruitment landscape

• Outstanding relationship-building and communication skills

• Strong analytical capabilities and data-driven decision-making

• Demonstrated success in project management and program development

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or master's degree in related field

• 5+ years professional experience in a corporate setting

• Demonstrated understanding of current and fut ure hiring trends 

• Experience working with diverse student populations in competitive graduate business school environments

• Proven ability to manage projects and deliver results 

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.