Co-op Job Developer

University of Guelph; Guelph; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Guelph is seeking a Co-op Job Developer to drive employer outreach and develop relationships for the Business and Arts co-op programs. The role focuses on lead generation, prospecting, and converting employers to participate in co-op opportunities.

Reporting to the Manager of Co-operative Education & Work-Integrated, this position requires strong communication, data-driven decision making, and the ability to navigate complex conversations with employers while promoting the

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a related field with several years of employer development and sales experience.
• Proven ability to generate leads and convert them to meet targets.
• Knowledge of labour market trends and sector research for co-op programs.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in practice.

Responsibilities

• Lead generation and prospecting to identify employer targets and sectors.
• Engage decision-makers via cold outreach, calls, and personalized emails.
• Explain value of co-op programming and manage objections with employers.
• Support employer registration and transition through employment cycles.
• Record interactions and outcomes in the official system of record.
• Support external events and staff larger events for Co-operative Education.

Skills

Lead generation

Sales

Relationship mgmt

B2B experience

Labour market research

Equity & inclusion

Communication

Time management

Data-driven decisions

Digital tools

Education

Undergraduate degree in related field

Tools

CRM systems

LinkedIn/Prospecting tools

Job description

Department:Experiential Learning
This position is represented by the agreement between the Professional Staff Association and the University of Guelph
Temporary full-time from10/12/2026to10/12/2027
Temporary Absence of the Regular Incumbent

General Purpose

The Experiential Learning department plays a critical role in fostering student success and employability and supports the institution’s commitment to providing students with opportunities to apply their learning in real-world contexts. The department provides career development for UofG students including co-operative education, career education, campus and community-integrated learning, and experiential learning development and recognition. These areas are supported by business operations, marketing and communications, employment services and systems. The University has the second largest co-operative education program in Ontario, with over 7,000 participating students. Thousands more students engage in a broad range of co-curricular learning opportunities both on and off-campus.

The Co-op Job Developer role is an employer facing position (not student facing), reporting to the Manager of Co-operative Education & Work-Integrated in the Business and Arts portfolio. The assigned portfolio for this role will be the Business and Arts co-op programs.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Core lead generation and sales which would include targeted research, cold outreach and prospecting:
• Identify employer targets and sectors
• Find decision-makers (via LinkedIn or directories)
• Execute effective cold calls and personalized emails
• Communicating the value and benefits of co-op programming to potential and existing employers.
• Navigating complex conversations regarding objections to hiring students, in addition to providing feedback to employers whose positions may not fit co-op programming requirements.
• Retention, support and transition of new employers from the point of employer registration to the successful completion of at least one full employment cycle.
• Recording and reporting interactions and outcomes accurately and completely.
• Researching, supporting and/or executing key external events for the promotion of Co-operative Education at the University of Guelph.
• Continuous improvement of business development approaches, processes and technology for greater efficiency, effectiveness, productivity and results.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in a related field along with several years of previous experience in employer development and sales, preferably in a business-to-business environment building positive and productive relationships, an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated sales skills and relationship management with a proven record of accomplishment in generating leads and successfully converting them to meet strategic targets.
• Understanding of labour market trends and ability to research employment sectors for assigned co-op programs.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and have experience supporting diverse communities, including Indigenous people, women, newcomers, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to provide high-quality, professional interactions and customer service to prospective and new employers.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills to document, track and report on interactions and the status of each lead within the official system of record.
• Respectful and contributing team player and influencer to achieve objectives through support from others.
• Excellent time management skills, with the ability to prioritize and triage obligations.
• Ability to identify and leverage digital technologies.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing data to inform decision-making.
• Ability to adhere to existing operational processes within a team.
• In-depth knowledge of Co-operative Education and its challenges and opportunities.
• The ability to assist with external event strategy, including research, development of proposals, preparation/collection of marketing collateral/information, and scheduling of team members to staff larger events.
• Comfort attending large- and small-scale events virtually and in-person to represent Co-op programming.
• Excellent reporting and documentation skills for expense claim submission.
• Creative thinker with the ability to find helpful solutions to challenging problems.
• The ability to handle pressure and meet targets.

Employee Type: Regular
Position Number: 10531013
Classification: P&M FT- Band 04
Professional/Managerial Salary Bands
The target hiring salary for this position is minimum and up to 96% of midpoint for the salary grade.
*Tentative evaluation; subject to committee review.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: 10/13/2026
Closing Date: 10/20/2026