Academic Development Manager

Warehouse Automation; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Three weeks PTO plus ten paid holidays

On-site fitness center

Flexible schedule and hybrid work

Job summary

MHI seeks an Academic Development Manager in Charlotte, NC, hybrid role, to build our academic partnerships and workforce pipeline. You will lead CICMHE governance and growth, managing relationships with universities, community colleges, and high schools.

You’ll oversee sponsorships, budgets, and events like Student Day, MHTI, and IMHRC. You’ll track performance metrics, report outcomes to leadership, and collaborate with Marketing and IT to maintain content and CRM records.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in association management, academic engagement, workforce development, or related field.
• Strong project management, event coordination, and stakeholder communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and event management tools.
• Hybrid environment with periodic travel to events and partner sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead CICMHE governance and growth, manage governance, budget execution, financial reporting, and microsite.
• Recruit members and volunteers; onboard CICMHE volunteers, committees, and student representatives.
• Own academic and industry partnerships with universities, community colleges, and high school CTE programs; build networks.
• Manage sponsorships and budgets for events like Student Day, MHTI, IMHRC, and the Student Design Competition.
• Track data and report outcomes; establish metrics and use data to grow attendance and diversity.
• Represent MHI and CICMHE at conferences and convenings; collaborate with Workforce Development and Marketing on outreach.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with teams on pipeline events and sponsors; maintain CRM records with IT and Marketing.

Skills

Project management

Event coordination

Stakeholder communication

Hybrid work adaptation

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Salesforce

Event management tools

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Academic Development Manager

** Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, US

30+ days ago Requisition ID: 1077

MHI is looking for an Academic Development Manager to build the next generation of supply chain and material handling talent — by growing our academic partnerships, student programs, and workforce pipeline initiatives.

You'll lead this work through MHI's academic engagement arm, the College-Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE). That means driving governance, audience growth, and rebranding efforts that expand CICMHE's reach across universities, community colleges, high schools, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs — while raising the Academic Community's visibility across MHI and the broader industry.

You'll be the connective tissue between MHI and the academic world — from high school CTE programs through university research and faculty engagement — bringing the next generation of professionals into the industry from the earliest stages of their academic journey.

Direct experience working with university programs, faculty networks, or CTE institutions — and an understanding of how academic organizations make decisions — is a strong plus.

Location

Charlotte, NC (Hybrid). Local travel up to 5%; domestic travel up to 25%; international travel up to 5% (for the International Material Handling Research Colloquium, IMHRC).

What You'll Do

• Lead CICMHE governance & growth.Serve as primary staff liaison to CICMHE leadership, volunteer committees, and advisory groups. Manage governance, budget execution, financial reporting, and the CICMHE microsite. Execute rebranding and audience-development initiatives.
• Recruit members & volunteers.Onboard and support CICMHE volunteers, committee members, and student representatives. Actively recruit new institutional members and faculty participants to grow membership year over year.
• MHTI — MHI's academic research conference
• IMHRC — the International Material Handling Research Colloquium

Manage these end-to-end at MODEX, ProMat, and standalone programs, with a focus on growing participation and institutional reach. Track outcomes against MHI's Workforce Development “Inspire and Recruit” priorities.

• Own academic & industry partnerships.Serve as MHI's primary relationship owner for universities, community colleges, and high school CTE programs — cultivating them as curriculum-aligned, long-term pipeline partners. Build relationships with academic councils, accreditation bodies, and faculty networks.
• Manage sponsorships & budgets.Oversee budgets for Student Day, MHTI, IMHRC, and the Student Design Competition. Secure and manage academic program sponsorships, ensuring sponsor deliverables are fulfilled.
• Track data & report outcomes.Establish performance metrics — institutional participation, attendance, membership growth, student engagement, geographic reach. Use data to grow attendance at MHTI/IMHRC, expand Student Day participation, and increase institutional diversity across programs. Report outcomes to MHI leadership.
• Represent MHI & CICMHE at academic conferences, faculty convenings, industry-education forums, MODEX, ProMat, and MHI's Annual Conference.
• Collaborate cross-functionally.Partner with the Workforce Development Manager on shared pipeline events and sponsors. Coordinate with Marketing on outreach. Field inquiries from faculty, students, and institutions; maintain website content and CRM records with IT and Marketing.
• Academic and industry partnership development
• Program and event management
• Volunteer and committee leadership
• Budget and project management
• Communication and stakeholder engagement
• CRM, data management, and performance reporting
• Relationship building and stakeholder service

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• 5+ years in association management, academic engagement, workforce development, or a related field
• Strong project management, event coordination, and stakeholder communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and event management tools
• Comfortable in a hybrid environment with periodic travel to events and partner sites

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience working with university programs, faculty networks, or CTE institutions
• Background in supply chain, logistics, material handling, or an adjacent industry
• Familiarity with workforce pipeline programs, sponsorship development, or industry-education partnership models
• Familiarity with audience development, membership growth, or institutional outreach campaigns
• Experience supporting credentialing, research, or academic recognition programs
• Experience with AI-assisted content development tools

About MHI

MHI is the largest nonprofit U.S. material handling and logistics trade association, representing the leading providers of material handling and logistics solutions. MHI sponsors the two leading U.S. trade shows for material handling and logistics equipment, systems, and technologies — ProMat and MODEX.

At MHI, we've built a dynamic environment where employees genuinely care about shared success. Our core values: extraordinary member service, continuous improvement, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a respectful, inclusive workplace.

What We Offer

• Three weeks PTO plus ten paid holidays
• On-site fitness center
• Flexible schedule and hybrid work

MHI is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and an inclusive workplace for all employees.