Intermediate Specialist, Industry Engagement and Development

University of Ottawa · Main Campus · $85,040–$107,421 (stated in the posting)

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Position Purpose:

Support the University’s mandate to build strong, strategic relationships with industry partners that expand experiential learning opportunities for students across programs with an assigned portfolio. This includes developing, leading, and growing strategic employer partnerships in support of all experiential learning (EL) programs offered through CDEL, including co-op, career fairs, on campus activities and curriculum collaborations.

Serve as an ambassador for the University of Ottawa, promoting its reputation and values within industry and professional communities, promote the full portfolio of CDEL experiential learning programs, and ensure high‑quality, meaningful employer engagement. Maintain a strong external presence and build and sustain relationships that support student learning, employability, and institutional priorities.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

Employer Portfolio and Relationship Management

• Develop, manage, and sustain an assigned portfolio of employer partners in support of CDEL experiential learning programs, including co‑op, career‑integrated learning, and employer engagement initiatives.
• Act as the primary point of contact for assigned employer accounts, ensuring consistent, responsive, and high‑quality service delivery.
• Identify employer hiring and engagement needs and align them with appropriate experiential learning opportunities and student talent, in collaboration with internal partners.
• Maintain regular, proactive communication with employers, both digitally and in-person, to foster long‑term relationships and ongoing participation in CDEL programs.
• Ensure accurate and timely maintenance of employer account information, engagement activities, and outcomes in CRM and related databases to support continuity, reporting, and strategic planning.

Partnership Development and Growth

• Identify, prospect, and secure new employer partnerships through targeted outreach, referrals, market research, and strategic networking, often off-campus and in-person.
• Contribute to the development and execution of business development strategies and annual partnership objectives established by CDEL leadership.
• Expand the scope and depth of employer engagement by identifying opportunities for sustained and multi‑program participation, including hiring, events, mentoring, sponsorships, and sector‑based initiatives.
• Apply a relationship lifecycle approach that emphasizes retention, expansion, and diversification of employer involvement over time.
• Develop and report on key performance indicators (KPI’s) for partnership development and growth and adjust engagement strategies as required to support organizational goals.

External Representation and Market Intelligence

• Represent the University of Ottawa and CDEL as an ambassador at employer, industry, alumni, and community events, promoting experiential learning programs, students, and institutional priorities.
• Maintain a visible and credible presence within employer and industry communities to strengthen awareness, reputation, and connections.
• Leverage external engagements to gather market intelligence on labour market trends, sector needs, and emerging opportunities.
• Share insights and observations with colleagues and leadership to inform employer engagement strategies, program development, and priority setting, taking into account organizational goals and KPI’s.

Experience, Collaboration, and Continuous Improvement

• Assess and monitor the quality and suitability of employer‑provided experiential learning opportunities to ensure alignment with academic, ethical, and learning standards.
• Address employer and student concerns professionally and proactively, escalating issues when appropriate and contributing to timely resolution.
• Participate in employer and student feedback processes, including evaluations and surveys, and recommend improvements to engagement practices and service delivery.
• Collaborate with CDEL colleagues and internal partners (faculties, analysts, event coordinators, marketing teams, alumni, advancement teams) to deliver a coordinated and consistent employer experience.
• Participate in the training, mentoring, and supervision of student staff supporting Industry Engagement and Development activities, as required.

What you will bring:

• Knowledge of business development, employer engagement, and experiential learning principles normally acquired through an undergraduate degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Minimum five years of experience in business development, employer relations, sales, account management, or related client-facing sales roles.
• Bilingualism- French and English (spoken and written).
• Knowledge of experiential learning programs.
• Demonstrated experience building and maintaining employer relationships through direct engagement and networking.
• Strong comfort representing an organization externally and promoting programs in professional settings.
• Strategic thinking, analytical skills, and understanding of labour market dynamics.
• Experience coordinating events and outreach initiatives in fast‑paced environments.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in both official languages.
• Experience using CRM tools for account management, tracking engagement, performance and data.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with attention to detail and tight deadlines.
• Proactive, enthusiastic, and committed to delivering high‑quality programs to students and services to partners.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, online researchand analytics tools
• Flexible schedule and willingness to travel locally and regionally for industry meetings and events, in accordance with the applicable collective agreement.
• Valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

Key Competencies at uOttawa:
Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa: 

Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact hrtalentmanagement@uottawa.ca to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.

If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.

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