Working under the direction of the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Alliances (SPA), the External Relations Specialist (ERS) is responsible for expanding and developing partnerships with pastors, Christian Schools, Home School Associations, corporations, organizations, municipalities, and educational institutions with the goal of increasing student enrollment, student professional opportunities, and academic resources for Liberty University. The External Relations Specialist (ERS) develops and implements projects related to strategic relationships and articulates the University’s mission to a variety of organizations and businesses, acting as a liaison between SPA and these entities in support of the University’s overall mission. The ERS also travels to special events and coordinates SPA’s role in the design and delivery of activities to support engagement with key alumni, corporations, churches, educators, and community constituencies. The ERS will also work, in concert and communicate with the offices of Admissions, Career Services, and Alumni Relations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Initiate and maintain collaborations with school level partners, develop, lead, and manage a comprehensive plan to promote the University to external organizations.

• Research, develop, refine, and evaluate opportunities for alliances that will expand the University’s market reach and awareness, support its brand position, and maintain its reputation.

• Support the comprehensive enrollment of Liberty academic programs.

• Prioritize engagement geared towards increasing job and internship opportunities, mentors, and events in the Career Center.

• Identify, cultivate, and engage individuals and organizations who can positively impact the Liberty student experience. These partnerships should result in deeply immersive projects and activities, internships, and employment opportunities.

• Maintain a tracking system to record dates, information, and expectations to ensure the experiences of potential supporters is positive.

• Represent the University in off-campus professional and business meetings, conferences, and other events to increase visibility in the business community in support of existing partnerships, exploration of new partnerships, and assistance with the University’s student recruitment strategy.

• Foster an environment where partnerships can thrive.

• Responsible for building, fostering, and maintaining long-term relationships with alumni, employers, parents, other external constituents, and friends of the University that result in increased engagement.

• Communicate and maintain contact with industry leaders, Human Resources reps, affinity groups, and other applicable organizations and entities to insure an up to date understanding of industry needs.

• Work with the Alumni Office to identify alumni contacts that will translate into employers, career cluster members, and other valuable contacts for our students.

• Serve as the key point of contact between the Career Center and external stakeholders and partners with alumni and employers to create pathways into their firms.

• Work with the Career Center to regularly check and discuss Handshake and reach out to employers that the Career Center does not have current relationships with through prior connections.

• Work with Development to identify, cultivate, and engage potential donors.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position would be responsible to supervise staff, potential future staff, interns, and to coordinate departmental work.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS

• Strategic skills in external relations and partnership development.

• Writes in a clear and concise manner, edits efficiently, and possesses ability to think through complex communication scenarios and issues.

• Motivated and skilled to achieve goals and deadlines.

• Capable of building relationships, working with others, and cultivating collaboration with a diverse group of people.

• Innovative and independent work skills.

• Abilities in marketing as well as written and verbal communications, including public speaking.

• Willingness to learn supervisory skills to direct and coordinate the work of others.

• Technology skills in MS Office applications.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in external relations, partnership development, special events and volunteer management.

• Bachelor’s degree required.

Time Type

Full time

Location

Lynchburg - In Office

The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal and state statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes. It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job. All personnel related activities such as compensation, benefits, transfers, job classification, assignments, working conditions, educational assistance, terminations, layoffs, and return from layoffs, and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including all applicable state of employment protected classes. The University is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. The University’s hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law. Federal law creates an exception to the “religion” component of the employment discrimination laws for religious organizations (including educational institutions), and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.