
Sr. Assistant Director, Recruiting Programs & Employer Engagement
Position Announcement
Sr. Assistant Director, Recruiting Programs & Employer Engagement
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, seeks a dynamic team member to serve as the Sr. Assistant Director, Recruiting Programs & Employer Engagement (UHR Title: Sr. Program Administrator) within the Office of Career Exploration and Success.
Application Deadline to Apply: 11:59 pm on June XX, 2024
Connecting Talent to Opportunity in the Heart of the Northeast
Located between two major metropolitan hubs—New York City and Philadelphia—New Jersey offers unparalleled access to a wide range of employers across industries. From global corporations and healthcare systems to startups, research labs, government agencies, and nonprofits, the region is home to thousands of organizations actively recruiting top talent. Rutgers–New Brunswick’s central location makes it a powerful connector between students and the regional job market, positioning our career fairs and recruitment events as vital touchpoints for employers seeking the next generation of professionals. The Sr. Assistant Director, Career Fair Strategy & Event Experience plays a pivotal role in shaping these experiences, helping to ensure that our events reflect both the evolving hiring landscape and the diverse career goals of our students.

Institution Overview
Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the flagship campus of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a renowned academic institution that boasts a vibrant and diverse community of learners. With its enrollment numbers exceeding 43,000 students, Rutgers-New Brunswick offers a broad range of programs across its schools and colleges, providing students with ample opportunities for intellectual growth and personal development. The campus's rich history, state-of-the-art facilities, and distinguished faculty contribute to a dynamic learning environment that prepares students for success in their chosen fields and equips them with the skills necessary to thrive in an ever-changing world.

About Career Exploration and Success
Career Exploration and Success (CES) is committed to assisting students with making connections between their academic experience and career paths. We provide career-related advising, resources, and programs to help individuals discover their interests, values, and skills, explore careers and majors, develop skills through internships and experiential opportunities, and pursue their post-graduate goals. We build relationships with alumni, employers, and graduate schools to optimize internship, job, and career opportunities while also creating strategic partnerships with campus departments to assist students in developing and articulating co-curricular experiences that will help to ensure they are competitive in their future pursuits.
CES is comprised of four units, each with its own director who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of their unit, making hiring decisions, providing leadership to their unit, managing their unit's budget, solving challenges and celebrating wins, and making decisions aligned with overarching goals.

About the Industry and Student Connections Unit
One of four units within the Office of Career Exploration and Success, the Industry & Student Connections unit strengthens, expands, and diversifies recruiting relationships to maximize not only career opportunities for Rutgers University–New Brunswick students and graduates but also to generate support for the university’s academic mission from these important partners. Staff organizes recruiting events such as fairs, interviewing days, employer information sessions, and more. They also build relationships with recruiters and help them to connect with campus partners. The unit also oversees the Knights of the Round Table corporate partners sponsorship program which financially supports CES operations. The ISC unit consists of eight full-time staff members and three graduate coordinators organized into two teams led by associate directors: Recruiting Programs team and Industry-to-Campus Connections team (associated with this role).

About the Recruiting Initiatives & Operations Team
Aligned with the ISC Unit's mission, the team is dedicated to creating dynamic employment opportunities that enable industry partners to effectively connect with students at-large through networking events, interview programs, and employment platforms, fostering opportunities for students’ future pursuits.

About the Associate Director, Recruiting Initiatives & Operations
Larissa Keller brings more than two decades of experience to her leadership of the Recruiting Initiatives & Operations team within Career Exploration and Success. A proud Rutgers alumna, Larissa has been with CES since 2001 and has played a central role in shaping the university’s employer engagement strategy. In her current role, she oversees the strategic execution of all recruiting events and services, including high-impact initiatives like the CES Career Catalysts Case Study Competitions and the Student Organization Reception and Employer Networking Dinner (SOREND).
Known for her attention to detail, collaborative spirit, and deep institutional knowledge, Larissa remains focused on enhancing the experience for students, employers, and alumni alike. Her leadership ensures that Rutgers continues to offer meaningful, career-connected opportunities that reflect the evolving needs of the workforce and the diverse aspirations of our student body.

About the Director of Industry & Student Connections
Michelle Galando is the director of Industry & Student Connections, appointed in November 2023. Michelle has served in various roles over 10 years within CES, including Associate Director of Industry-to-Campus Connections, Assistant Director of Networking Programs, and Recruiting Programs Coordinator. In 2023, Michelle was selected as the Outstanding Career Services Supervisor of the Year by the HireBig10+ Career Consortium, honored for her genuine support and regard for her colleagues who reported to her. She is also a former President of the New Jersey Career Center Consortium and very active in the career services community.

About the Executive Director
Michelle Galando, Director of Industry and Student Connections, reports to William (Wil) Jones, Executive Director of Career Exploration and Success. Wil was officially named Executive Director in 2021 by Rutgers University-New Brunswick Chancellor-Provost Francine Conway. Jones previously served in various roles within CES, including Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives, Senior Director, and interim Executive Director. At Rutgers, he co-founded the industry-centric career community approach to career development – which has become a national model – to diversify office offerings and help students think about their professional goals beyond the confines of their academic discipline. Before joining Rutgers, Wil oversaw an industry relations team at the University of Maryland, among other responsibilities.

Position Description
The Sr. Assistant Director, Recruiting Programs & Employer Engagement (Sr. Program Administrator) oversees the daily operations that support on-campus recruiting at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. Reporting to the Associate Director of Recruiting Initiatives & Operations, this role manages CES’s Interview Suite Programs—including the On-Campus Interview and Recruiter-in-Residence programs—and front office operations at the Busch Student Center, Rutgers’ central hub for employer engagement. The position ensures smooth coordination of in-person and virtual interviews, supervises student staff, and maintains service standards for both employers and students. It also facilitates employer visibility through tabling, info sessions, and event approvals in Handshake, while supporting cross-campus use of the interview suite. This role plays a key part in advancing CES’s mission to deliver equitable, high-impact recruiting experiences for all career communities.
Interview Suite Programs
Manages all operations of the CES Interview Suite, including the Interview Program and Recruiter-in-Residence Program. Coordinates scheduling, employer communication, and support services for both in-person and virtual interviews. Proactively connects with campus departments (e.g., Student Affairs, academic units, the Provost Office, etc.) to expand utilization of the Interview Suite and explore additional applications of employer-facing engagement across campus. Ensures a seamless student and employer experience through effective logistics, clear communication, and adherence to CES standards

BSC Recruiting Front Office Management
Oversees daily front desk operations and student staffing at the CES Front Office located in the Busch Student Center, which serves as the primary location for student check-in for advising appointments, employer interviews, and Recruiter-in-Residence engagements. Maintains a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Associate Director of Operations to ensure shared standards in front office service delivery. Coordinates space usage, front desk coverage, and real-time problem-solving in a high-traffic employer services environment.

Recruiting Everywhere (Across Campus and Virtual)
Coordinates employer-hosted information sessions and on-campus tabling efforts to promote visibility and access both in-person and virtually. Oversees scheduling, approvals, communications, and logistical support through Handshake and other platforms. Ensures branding consistency, signage, and event execution in alignment with CES goals. Works with CES staff and campus partners to recommend strategic dates, modalities, and locations that align with student interest and academic calendars, while facilitating employer participation in a way that enhances the university’s recruiting ecosystem.

Leadership and Budget Management
Provides day-to-day supervision for one undergraduate intern (up to 10 hours/week) supporting recruiting logistics, communications, and front office initiatives. In collaboration with the Associate Director of Operations, co-supervises Federal Work Study students assigned to front desk staffing. Responsible for onboarding, training, performance oversight, and coverage planning. Manages a dedicated recruiting programs budget, monitors expenditures, and ensures fiscal responsibility related to employer events, staffing, and related activities. Leads efforts to bring recruiters back to campus for in-person interview and outreach programs, working with staff and employer partners to reinforce Rutgers–New Brunswick as a key recruiting destination.

Miscellaneous:
Participates in CES department, unit, and team meetings, and university working groups as assigned. Contributes to special projects, peak recruiting event support, and internal initiatives. Actively engages in professional development opportunities to stay current with best practices in employer engagement, event management, and recruiting technology. Additional responsibilities may be assigned to support CES’s mission and evolving priorities.

Candidate Profile
To be considered for the assistant director position, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Experience and Education: This position requires a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of relevant experience, a master’s degree and three years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience. Candidates should demonstrate a strong track record of supporting employer engagement, recruiting operations, or career services initiatives that connect students with industry opportunities. Experience within a career services, employer relations, or higher education setting, particularly in a role that supported recruiting logistics or student-facing services is preferred. Experience with college recruiting or university relations, either from an employer or institutional perspective is also preferred.
- Skills and Competencies: The ideal candidate will have a strong student-focused orientation with experience supporting recruiting or employer-facing programs. They should be able to manage complex scheduling, troubleshoot in real time, and coordinate service logistics across both virtual and in-person platforms. This role requires a confident decision-maker who can operate autonomously while leading recruiting initiatives with professionalism. The candidate should also demonstrate clear communication skills, the ability to manage external partnerships, and a commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality service. Strong organizational skills and adaptability are essential for thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.







Salary Transparency
The budgeted starting salary range is between $78,020 and $80,000.

Flexible Work Arrangement Program
Rutgers is pleased to announce the extension of the FlexWork@RU Pilot Program through August 31, 2024. Full-time staff members within Career Exploration and Success are permitted to either a 4:1 compressed work week or up to two days per week of remote work.
The flexible work arrangements outlined in Rutgers Policy 60.3.22 are part of a pilot program that is effective September 1, 2022 and extended through August 31, 2025. Therefore, there is no guarantee that this flexible work arrangement will continue beyond that date. Flexible work arrangements are not permanent, are subject to change or cancellation and contingent on the employee receiving approval in the FlexWork@RU Application System. Additional information may be found at https://futureofwork.rutgers.edu.
Additionally, CES has implemented #FocusFriday, a department-wide practice where internal meetings between CES colleagues are discouraged every Friday. This dedicated time enables staff to concentrate on accomplishing their goals. Periodic meditation or mental health breaks throughout the day are also supported. To further support productivity, CES encourages the utilization of automated "Focus Blocks" through Microsoft Outlook. These automated blocks allow staff members to schedule designated periods of uninterrupted work time, further maximizing productivity and focus.

Benefits Program
Rutgers offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. For details, please go to http://uhr.rutgers.edu/benefits/benefits-overview.
Rutgers also offers a benefit program to eligible full-time postdoctoral fellow students. For details, please go to https://finance.rutgers.edu/healthcare-risk/insurance/postdoctoral-health-insurance.

Non-Discrimination Statement
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, or any other category covered by law in its admission, programs, activities, or employment matters. For additional information, please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement

Search Committee:
Jennifer Broyles, jbroyles@echo.rutgers.edu (Search Committee Chair)
Director, Career Readiness - Career Exploration & Success
The remaining committee members will be announced shortly.

Apply Today
Application Deadline to Apply: 11:59 pm on June XX, 2024