Industry Liaison Jobs

About Durham College

Durham College (DC) is leading the way as a post-secondary institution, offering an innovative and transformative student experience and hands-on learning opportunities. With this focus top of mind for our students and our employees, DC is proud to be one of the fastest-growing colleges in the province and annually ranked as one of the GTA’s Top 100 employers.

The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs across multiple disciplines, including culinary management, farming and horticulture, business, IT, construction and trades, science and technology, health care, engineering, social and community services, justice, media, art and design.

With a focus on experiential learning, DC graduates are known for having the skills and knowledge employers need. More than 104,000 alumni represent the college, both locally and around the world.

Serving the Durham Region and Northumberland County communities for over 50 years, with campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, the college offers over 12,500 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 145 full-time post-secondary programs – including four honours bachelor degrees and nine apprenticeship programs. Led by over 1,860 full- and part-time staff, DC has an estimated annual economic impact of more than $913 million on Durham Region.

Duties And Responsibilities

Under the administrative direction of the Manager, Experiential Learning and in collaboration with the Director, Applied Research, the incumbent works collaboratively as part of a team to identify and secure experiential learning partnerships that provide meaningful co-operative education, work-integrated learning (WIL), and applied research experiences to Durham College (DC) students as part of the Diane Blake Student Success Initiative (DBSSI). The incumbent promotes DC students and WIL opportunities to potential industry and community partners. The incumbent is responsible for identifying target markets and implementing an outreach strategy to effectively develop new employer relationships, expand existing partnerships, and meet program-specific job development targets.

The incumbent works in close collaboration with other members of the Office of Research Services, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) team, faculty, administrators, field placement advisors, and a variety of external stakeholders to expand availability of high-quality WIL opportunities and secure externally funded applied research work.

Employer / Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Provide exceptional client service at all stages of relationship development and through the recruitment cycle
• Manage their leads actively to move inactive/unproductive leads from their roster on a monthly basis and ensure high value leads are prioritized and actively followed up within accepted timeframes and then moved toward becoming a new employer/partner
• Analyze the local labour market to determine opportunities (existing and emerging) that align with Durham College offerings for co-op and applied research
• Generate, qualify, and convert relevant prospective employer/partner leads to co-op job postings and applied research opportunities
• Develop opportunities within their designated subject matter area through their own lead-generation initiatives including research, active lead follow-up calling, networking, acting on referrals, developing and leveraging a strong personal network within industry and industry associations, social media campaigns, etc.

Business Development Strategy

• Become an expert in DC co-operative education and applied research models, understanding our programs, students, and processes to effectively develop new employer relationships and expand existing partnerships
• Develop and implement an ongoing strategy for outreach and collaboration with industry organizations to strengthen ties with the Durham College community, faculty and students
• Liaise with community and governmental groups (e.g., Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development teams) to create awareness of Durham College offerings development opportunities
• Consult with and incorporate feedback from all stakeholders (students, faculty, industry, employers & staff) to identify the areas of greatest need.

Documentation and Reporting

• Prepare reports for leadership, funders, donors, etc. on progress and established targets and communicate with transparency, clarity and openness to broaden understanding of prospecting outcomes, quality of lead funnel management, lead conversion to job postings and to jobs filled, number of students hired, and number of research assistantships initiated.
• Address challenges within the business development process with solutions for optimal outcomes
• Record all communications, presentations, meetings, and the outcomes of the interaction within the lead management system and identify positive trends or possible areas of concern to be addressed. Maintain up-to-date employer/partner records using DC systems, including Orbis Outcome or Salesforce.

Event Planning and Participation

• Create an environmental scan of past community events to determine which ones are suitable for future participation
• Plan and host on-campus events, meetings, and tours that showcase DC facilities, specialized training, and quality to various external audiences
• Present a professional manner and appearance to represent work-integrated learning and applied research and the College at conferences, webinars, outreach activities and other special events

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• A valid driver’s license and reliable access to a vehicle
• In-depth knowledge of co-operative education within the Ontario college system and its features and benefits for all stakeholders (employers / industry partners; students; college community)
• Proven experience developing strong partnership with employers, industries, and levels of government
• Strong understanding and commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion principles
• Industry, labour market and economic forecasting knowledge across Canada
• Additional Certificates in Marketing and Sales and/or Project Management are an asset.
• The ability to handle pressure and meet targets
• Experience in developing marketing materials / strategies for campaigns including webinars, conference presentations, newsletter content, and social media posts
• Preference for prior work experience in the post-secondary sector
• A minimum of a 4-year degree in Business, Computer Science or Engineering
• A minimum of 5 years of sales experience with demonstrated success – preferably in a business-to-business context

Required Skills

Payband: I; Starting Rate: $36.19; Four Year Rate: $41.94

Required Experience

Two (2) Positions Available

Hours: 35 hours per week (1) one hour lunch; Mon – Fri (8:30 am – 4:30 pm), Due to the responsive nature of this role and the travel and events involved, unusual hours including evening and weekend work will be required

Please apply below by submitting your cover letter and resume to the online portal. Job Competition closes on July 12, 2023. Competition number SS23-90.