Position Summary

Join the Fowler College of Business as a Professional Development & Industry Relations Specialist. In this pivotal role, you’ll connect students, alumni, and employers, fostering career opportunities and delivering impactful professional development programs. Your work will directly support the career success of our diverse undergraduate and graduate business students.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and lead professional development workshops, resources, and engagement events tailored to student needs.
• Serve as the main contact for graduate business students and alumni seeking career support.
• Build and maintain relationships with alumni and industry professionals to create internship and job opportunities for business students.
• Collaborate with employers to connect them with students for internships and employment opportunities.
• Partner with student organizations and campus departments to align initiatives with student career goals.
• Monitor workforce trends and ensure programs meet current industry needs.
• Plan, deploy and analyze employment outcomes surveys to track post-graduation employment data and identify trends.
• Coordinate with SDSU’s Career Services, Graduate Business Programs, and Alumni Association to maximize career opportunities.

Why Join Us?

• Make an impact by guiding students and alumni toward their career aspirations.
• Collaborate with a supportive team and build connections with industry leaders.
• Grow professionally through experience in workforce development and higher education.
• Strengthen the link between academia and industry, contributing to the success of the Fowler College of Business.

Apply today and help shape the professional futures of our students!

Position Information

• This is a full-time (1.0 time-base), benefits eligible, permanent/probationary position.
• This position is designated exempt under FLSA and is not eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but may vary based on operational needs.
• The individual hired into this role will work on campus at SDSU in San Diego.

Department Summary

The Fowler College of Business (FCB) consists of one school and four academic departments (Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy, Finance, Management Information Systems, Management, and Marketing), a Dean, an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, a Director for Resource Management, a Director of Marketing & Communications, a Director for Graduate Programs, a Director for Undergraduate Programs, a Director for Assessment, a Director for the Career Management Center, and a Managing Director for the Center for Advancing Global Business.

The Fowler College of Business offers a variety of programs, including an undergraduate and graduate degree in business administration and specialized masters program. The college also houses several centers: the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center, the Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate, the Center for Advancing Global Business, the Corporate Governance Institute, the Institute for Inclusion and Diversity, the Center for Integrated Marketing Communication, and the Aztec Consulting Center, which are critical for the implementation of its strategic plan.

The Fowler College of Business has over 200 full and part-time academic employees and more than 45 clerical and technical employees.

FCB is an instructional division of San Diego State University, administered by the Dean. The Dean’s Office is responsible for the creation, implementation, and continued support of the instructional, research, and development processes in the College.

The Career Management Center (CMC) within the FCB provides career and professional development services for students in the Fowler College of Business. Activities within the CMC include, but are not limited to, career coaching, the development and implementation of specific activities to improve job market success of students, and development and implementation of regular events to permit employers and students to interact. A critical component of the CMC as a unit is to develop an extensive list of employers and alumni and to cultivate a relationship with other career-related agencies within the university, region, and nation to improve the development and employment opportunities of students upon graduation. The CMC is also responsible for designing metrics to assess its success, and to design and implement a constant improvement system.

For more information regarding the Career Management Center, click here.

Education and Experience

Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in a related field; including or supplemented by upper division or graduate coursework in counseling techniques, interviewing and conflict resolution where such are job related. Possession of the required knowledge and abilities is typically demonstrated through the equivalent of three years of progressively responsible professional student services work experience. One year in the program area to which assigned may be preferred but is not required.

A master’s degree in counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or a directly related field may be substituted for one year of experience. A doctorate degree and the appropriate internship or clinical training in counseling or guidance may be substituted for the three years of experience for positions with a major responsibility for professional career or personal counseling.

Key Qualifications

• Knowledge of career development theories, including career exploration, employment preparation, and job retention.
• Experience managing student and employer events, such as keynote speakers, panels, and networking programs.
• Proven ability to engage underrepresented student populations in career development and university recruitment.
• Strong research skills related to industries, career paths, and student development in higher education.
• Experience in developing and delivering high-quality career-focused presentations, workshops, and programs.
• Ability to provide career coaching to students and alumni in higher education.
• Professional experience within the business field or related industries, with an understanding of local job markets and workforce trends.

Compensation and Benefits

Starting salary upon appointment is not expected to exceed $5,540 per month. 

Salary placement is determined by the education, experience, and qualifications the candidate brings to the position, internal equity, and the hiring department’s fiscal resources.

San Diego State University offers a rich benefits package that constitutes a major portion of total compensation. For more information regarding SDSU benefits, please click here.

CSU Classification Salary Range: $5,540 - $7,893 per month. 

Diversity and Community at SDSU

At SDSU, our diversity gives us power and benefits every single member of our community. 

Through our commitment to equity and inclusion, we encourage all members of our community to purposefully learn from one another through open and respectful dialogue and responsible engagement.  For more information, click here.

Principles of Community

At San Diego State University, we are a community of diverse individuals who have and represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities. This diversity lends our community strength, and we commit to creating and sustaining an inclusive and intellectually vibrant environment that benefits all members of our university. 

SDSU’s Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that is intended to evolve over time. The statement reflects the ideals we are encouraged to uphold in our interactions with one another. 

Supplemental Information

Initial review of the required application materials, including cover letters and resumes, will begin on January 28, 2025. To receive full consideration, apply by January 27, 2025. The position will remain open until filled.

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. 

San Diego State University is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (e.g., H-1B visa). Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents that demonstrate a person's identity and authorization to work in the United States, which are consistent with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act. 

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily and is required for employment. SDSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current SDSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

SDSU is a smoke-free campus. For more information, please click here.

SDSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer that considers all qualified candidates for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, covered military and veteran status, or any other protected characteristic or status. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who request an accommodation by contacting Livia Peeples at lpeeples@sdsu.edu.