Career Pathways & Employer Partnerships Lead

Rock Valley College; Rockford (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL is seeking a Career Navigator Specialist to support the Workforce Empowerment Initiative (WEI). Under the WEI Program Director, you will build employer partnerships, coordinate career readiness activities, and secure employment, internships, and externships for WEI participants.

You will manage a caseload and drive a 75% employment placement goal through proactive outreach and partnerships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, public administration, education, workforce development, human resources, student services, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of two years of professional experience in workforce development, career services, employer relations, recruitment, job placement, or a related field.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Experience working effectively with individuals from diverse socioeconomic, educational, and cultural backgrounds.
• Valid Driver's License

Responsibilities

• Develop and secure strong employer pipelines that provide sustainable job, internship, and externship opportunities aligned with WEI program goals.
• Build long‑term relationships with hiring managers, decision‑makers, and WEI participants to increase hiring of WEI participants.
• Establish a minimum of one active employer partnership per WEI training program and support achievement of the program's 75% employment placement goal.
• Identify workforce trends, industry hiring needs, and employment opportunities to develop targeted recruitment and placement strategies.
• Manage employment placement activities for a caseload of approximately 100–200 participants across overlapping grant cycles.
• Actively promote WEI participants to employers, coordinate interviews, and facilitate successful transitions from training to employment.
• Collaborate with Career Services to provide career readiness workshops, resume assistance, interview preparation, and individualized employment coaching aligned with the Illinois Essential Employability Skills framework.
• Coordinate internship and externship opportunities with employers, faculty, and WEI Life Coaches to ensure timely placement and completion of required work‑based learning experiences.
• Plan and execute a minimum of two annual career fairs and related recruitment events, securing participation from at least 40 employers annually to maximize student access to career opportunities.
• Organize employer presentations, company tours, industry panels, and on‑campus recruitment activities to strengthen student exposure to career opportunities.
• Maintain accurate and current employment tracking records, including job placements, employer information, wages, employment verification, and retention outcomes.
• Conduct consistent follow‑up with program completers and employers to verify employment status, address placement barriers, and support job retention.
• Monitor employment outcomes, identify gaps in placement performance, and provide timely progress reports to the WEI Program Director to ensure grant compliance and accountability.
• Collaborate with WEI Life Coaches, faculty, Career Services, and community partners to coordinate employment services and address participant barriers to workforce entry.
• Utilize social media, cold calls, networking events, and community contacts to continuously expand the employer network and identify new job openings.
• Support students throughout their job search and placement process, including referrals and follow‑up to promote successful job retention.
• Independently manage employer outreach and recruitment activities
• Ability to motivate and problem‑solve with WEI participants regarding barriers to employment while navigating the complex needs of the grant
• Attend relevant conferences, workshops, and professional development opportunities to remain current on workforce trends and employer needs.
• Maintain regular, professional attendance and punctuality.

Skills

Relationship building

Organization

Communication

Multi-tasking

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, education, workforce development, human resources, or a closely related field

Tools

Excel

Word

Outlook

Job description

Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL is seeking a Career Navigator Specialist to support the Workforce Empowerment Initiative (WEI). Under the WEI Program Director, you will build employer partnerships, coordinate career readiness activities, and secure employment, internships, and externships for WEI participants.

You will manage a caseload and drive a 75% employment placement goal through proactive outreach and partnerships.