Co-op Job Developer

University of Guelph; Guelph; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Guelph is seeking a Co-op Job Developer in Guelph, Ontario. This employer-facing role reports to the Manager of Co-operative Education & Work-Integrated Learning and focuses on building relationships with businesses for the co-op programs in Business and Arts.

The role requires an undergraduate degree and several years of related experience, with strong sales and communication skills, plus an understanding of labour market trends and equity, diversity, and inclusion principles.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a related field; several years of employer development and sales experience preferred.
• Proven ability to generate leads and convert them to meet targets.
• Ability to research labour market trends and identify relevant employment sectors.

Responsibilities

• Core lead generation and sales activities including research, cold outreach, and prospecting.
• Identify employer targets and decision-makers via LinkedIn or directories.
• Communicate value of co-op programs to employers and manage objections.
• Retain and support employers through the onboarding to at least one full employment cycle.
• Record and report interactions and outcomes accurately in the official system.

Skills

Lead generation

Sales

Relationship management

Communications

Data-driven decisions

Education

Undergraduate degree

Job description

Location: Guelph, ON, CA, N1G 2W1

Primary Category Page: Staff and Management

Division: Student Affairs

Requisition ID: 2963

Department: Experiential Learning

This position is represented by the agreement between the Professional Staff Association and the University of Guelph

Temporary full-time from 10/12/2026 to 10/12/2027

Temporary Absence of the Regular Incumbent

If you are a current employee of the University of Guelph you must apply on the internal Career Page in order to be considered as an internal applicant.

Career Opportunities (sapsf.com)

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