Senior Director, Digital Off-Grounds Recruiting and Speciali…

The University of Virginia Darden School Of Business, one of the world’s leading business schools, seeks candidates for a Senior Director, Digital Off-Grounds Recruiting and Specialized Careers to join its Career Development Center (CDC) team. With strong momentum in the full-time MBA and executive formats, the Senior Director joins Darden at an exciting time. Darden holds a #1 ranking in MBA education experience in the US for the 9th year in a row by the Economist magazine, and has industry-leading employment outcomes – 97% of the Class of 2019 reported at least one offer of employment, post-MBA and 100% of the Class of 2020 had a summer internship experience. The Princeton Review ranked Darden the No. 6 MBA program for careers based on a survey of current students and career outcomes.

Darden’s CDC provides almost 1,000 graduate business students (MBA and Specialty Masters) with one-on-one career coaching, lifelong career management skills and exceptional internship and post-degree job search support. The team empowers students on their job search journey, and its commitment to student success has no bounds. The department thrives on helping students maximize their employment opportunities.

The CDC engages over 150 companies on-Grounds annually that recruit and hire students for careers in management consulting, investment banking, general management and technology. Each year, talented Darden MBA students seek opportunities outside of these traditional sectors that systematically recruit MBAs in significant numbers through on-campus processes at leading business schools. However, many leading employers also leverage technology and other means to recruit MBAs without coming to campus or in small numbers. Many students seek opportunities from leading firms but do so in a more focused or specialized manner. This position will support and motivate students to determine what type of jobs they would like to seek and teach students on how to go about a search and application process for specialized, non-traditional MBA careers that mean the most to them. The position will also work to surface job opportunities at leading firms that do not come on grounds and in niche or specialized functions of high interest to students.

This position has the unique ability to build deep and meaningful relationships with Darden MBA students pursuing a specialized or unique job search. Examples of a specialized job search process may include:

• Supporting students pursuing a dual degree (MSDS/MBA, JD/MBA, MD/MBA or MEd/MBA),
• Making contacts for students seeking careers in not-for-profit, government or education,
• Engaging students who may prefer a career in a specific geographic area, including globally, and
• Assisting students interested in private equity, tech startups or employment under an entrepreneur.

A successful Senior Director will invest significant time in one-on-one coaching sessions with students, providing structure and motivation. The role will track and follow up with students on leads, job postings, applications, interviews, offers and acceptances. In addition, she/he will jointly develop plans and expectations on timing, effort, processes, connections and outcomes related to a specialized search. The role will be responsible for increasing the pipeline of job opportunities available to Darden students from large firms that may hire in specific targeted geographies or roles without recruiting in person at Darden. The role will work closely with the Darden Analytics team to develop and ensure best-in-class use of data and systems to identify specialized job search trends and to develop a robust database and pipeline of Darden and UVA alumni and firms in identified fields that hire in areas of interest to students. The role will interface with other UVA career offices to increase impact through these networks.

The Senior Director, Specialized Careers will work across CDC departments – including collaboration with other Senior Directors who have expertise in consulting, general management/marketing, finance and technology, with colleagues working with international students and with those who coach Executive MBA and MS in Business Analytics students. Together the team will identify niche opportunities in spaces that may require intense off-Grounds recruiting processes, such as boutique consulting, buy-side finance roles or global geographies. The position will also work closely with other important Darden departments including Alumni/Engagement, the Batten Institute, Mayo Center for Asset Management, Center for Global Initiatives and the Institute for Business in Society, among others, to cultivate and develop relationships in support of student career searches and networking. The role will also work in close partnership with the Office of Engagement and Alumni Career Services in the Darden School Foundation to connect with alumni as volunteers, mentors and resources for specialized career searches and to surface shared opportunities of interest to Darden alumni. The position will ensure the CDC leverages the UVA and Darden networks to surface new connections and opportunities aligned with student interests.

There is a strong preference for this position to be based in Charlottesville, VA with work requirements in Darden’s office in Rosslyn, VA.

An ideal Senior Director will have an expertise in professional, MBA-level networking and will have a passion for teaching the art and science of networking to Darden students.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Coaches specialized job seekers on their purpose (career path definition and skills assessment), pathway (resources and options), presence (resume writing, networking, interviewing, offer-related decisions) and other aspects of an MBA job search.
• Engages with Darden centers, Darden Engagement, Alumni Career Services, leadership boards and other business units to source opportunities and support specialized job seekers. Partners across UVA, particularly with McIntire, and Darden to ensure a robust, active and current contact database of alumni and others in support of sectors and companies aligned with specialized and off-grounds searches.
• Develops and facilitates programs, presentations, and events for specialized job seekers. Advises student organizations regarding specialized job search strategies. Innovates on new ways to support specialized job seekers.
• Creates and promotes resources that educate, prepare and motivate specialized job seekers and advises a group of volunteer, second year student coaches assigned to specialized job seekers.
• Builds and maintains network with alumni and corporate hiring executives and recruiters. Identifies large firms that are seeking MBA talent for roles that are not hired for on campus. Develops expertise on employers or industries that appeal to specialized job seekers and collaborates with CDC team and leverages technology and data (Slack/LinkedIn/Indeed, for example) to pursue job postings and business development opportunities. Collaborates with Darden strategic IT and analytics team to identify and deploy the latest technologies in support of specialized careers and job postings.
• Manages and records specialized job seeker and employer data in CDC career management systems and produces related reports, analytics, insights and recommendations.
• Models and nurtures extraordinary service levels with emphasis on responsiveness to and support of students seeking specialized careers.
• Improves quality of career outcomes for specialized job seekers as measured by timely employment and compensation realized by candidates. Makes the Darden CDC best in class among the top business schools for specialized job searches.
• Collaborates, partners and builds productive relationships with CDC and other student services team members and individuals across the Darden Enterprise.
• Manages the Batten Venture Internship Program, a program that provides Darden students the opportunity to pursue summer internships with startups and venture capital firms.
• Other responsibilities as assigned; a portion of this role may also assume ownership of a small sector desired by Darden MBAs (for example, media/entertainment or corporate social responsibility).

Salary is competitive based on experience

Professional Experience:

• Masters of Business Administration (MBA) or terminal degree required. MBA from a leading business school strongly preferred. Candidates in process or holding PhD, JD or other terminal degree with required work experience are encouraged to apply.
• At least seven years of experience in business is required; career progression, leadership, and thought leadership in business is preferred.
• Personality and leadership presence to build credibility and strong relationships with internal and external constituencies; appreciates shared governance and is a team player.
• Familiarity with MBA hiring processes and with coaching individuals.
• Seasoned business professional familiar with global business trends and issues.
• Proven ability to develop productive long-term relationships with key stakeholders.
• Strong communicator, both written and verbal.
• High level of emotional intelligence, empathy, integrity and collaborative ability.
• History of talent development and coaching in business/industry.
• Ability to interface with technical leaders and deploy the latest search, analytics and other technologies to surface hiring and career opportunities.
• Willing to travel & work flexibly according to student & employer schedules.
• Familiarity with case interview method preferred.
• Impact and results orientation; gets things done both individually and through others. Attention to detail and ability to follow through on commitments. Believes in and is motivated by the missions of UVA and Darden.

This position will remain open until filled. Preference will be given to applications received by January 17, 2020. This is an exempt level, benefited position. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment. For questions about the position or the application process, please contact Ashley Cochran, Senior Recruiter at alc6dk@virginia.edu .

How to Apply:

Applications that do not contain all of the required documents will not receive full consideration, please note that multiple documents can be uploaded in the box.

Process for External Applicants: Please apply through Workday , and search for ‘ R0012633 ‘. Complete an application online and attach a cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references (name, email address, telephone number, and address).

Process for Internal UVA Applicants: Please apply through your Workday Home page, search “Find Jobs,” and search for ‘ R0012633 .’ Complete an application online and attach a cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references (name, email address, telephone number, and address).

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System and the University Physician’s Group are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person’s perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.