General Summary of Duties
Serve as the primary liaison between Iowa Central Community College and the business community, building and maintaining employer partnerships that support workforce training, continuing education, and regional economic development. Identify employer workforce needs and skill gaps, promote departmental programs and services, and develop opportunities for customized and contract training. Collaborate with college staff, faculty, and contract trainers to connect businesses with practical training solutions, apprenticeships, internships, and educational pathways that support employee recruitment, retention, and advancement. Manage employer relationships from initial outreach through proposal development, program coordination, and follow-up, supporting revenue growth and long-term partnerships throughout the college’s service area.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesConstant (67–100%)
- Identify, cultivate, and maintain relationships with employers throughout the college’s service area.
- Conduct employer outreach and business visits to assess workforce challenges, skill gaps, and training needs.
- Promote customized training, contract training, open enrollment courses, and continuing education offerings that address employer needs.
- Pursue new business opportunities and expand services for existing clients to increase departmental training revenue.
- Develop, establish, and maintain an employer relationship database with accurate contact information and records of outreach, training needs, and follow-up activities in the designated relationship management system.
- Develop, establish, and maintain a database of contract trainers, subject matter experts, and training partners.
- Meet or exceed established annual goals for employer contacts, business visits, proposals, training agreements, and revenue.
Frequent (34–66%)
- Collaborate with departmental staff, faculty, and contract trainers to develop training solutions that meet employer needs.
- Prepare and present training proposals and agreements in coordination with appropriate college personnel.
- Coordinate contract training implementation, including schedules, trainer availability, delivery logistics, and client communication.
- Follow up with employers to evaluate satisfaction, identify additional needs, and encourage repeat business.
- Track and report prospective business opportunities, proposals, agreements, training activity, and revenue outcomes.
- Support marketing and promotion of workforce training, continuing education, and employee development programs.
- Travel throughout the college’s service area and beyond, as needed, to meet with employers and support business engagement and training activities.
Occasional (10–33%)
- Review labor market information and industry trends to identify emerging training needs and business opportunities.
- Connect employers with appropriate college resources for internships, apprenticeships, student recruitment, and other educational pathways.
- Participate in committees, advisory groups, business organizations, and community events as assigned.
- Attend professional development activities relevant to business engagement, workforce development, and continuing education.
- Assist in identifying and recruiting qualified contract trainers and subject matter experts.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Performance Expectations
- Represent Iowa Central Community College positively and professionally when working with employers, students, employees, partners, and the community.
- Build productive relationships with business and industry leaders and provide exceptional customer service and account management that support repeat business, long-term partnerships, and high levels of client satisfaction.
- Demonstrate strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and account management skills.
- Understand employer needs and recommend training solutions that align with departmental capabilities and priorities.
- Maintain accurate, timely records of employer interactions, proposals, agreements, and outcomes.
- Manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and follow through on commitments.
- Collaborate effectively with departmental staff, faculty, trainers, and other college personnel.
- Demonstrate initiative in developing business opportunities and meeting established engagement and revenue goals.
- Maintain discretion when handling confidential employer and college information.
- Use college systems and office technology effectively and participate in relevant training.
Minimum Qualifications
- Associate degree required; bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or a related field preferred.
- Three years of experience in business development, sales, workforce development, account management, or a related field required.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain employer relationships.
- Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, organizational, and customer service skills.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to travel throughout the college’s service area.
General Physical Activities With or Without a Reasonable Accommodation
Position involves constant (67-100%) sitting and or standing in an office setting, talking or listening to persons over the phone or face-to-face, driving, reaching, standing, walking, lifting, dexterity, grasping, hearing, repetitive motions, viewing computer screen and other various types of close visual work; frequent (34-66%) stooping, kneeling, crouching, pulling and carrying; and occasional (10-33%) exerting up to 20 pounds.
The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the essential job duties/responsibilities and performance expectations of the job, which should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individual may perform other duties as assigned.