Director Educational Partnerships

Sonic Automotive; North Carolina; On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Sonic Automotive is seeking a Director of Educational Partnerships to design and lead an enterprise talent pipeline strategy through college and technical-program partnerships. The role focuses on building long-term pathways for future sales, F&I, and operations leaders aligned with Sonic’s high-performance culture.

The role drives campus engagement, recruitment programs, and cross-functional collaboration across dealership networks, with a strong emphasis on measurable ROI and leadership

Qualifications

• 3+ years in talent acquisition, workforce strategy, campus recruiting, or external partnerships.
• Strong business acumen; translate talent strategy into operational impact.
• Experience influencing senior leaders across multiple locations.
• Willingness to travel 40–50% to campuses and dealership locations.
• Preferred: automotive retail operations, hospitality, or multi-unit service environments.
• Familiarity with technical or dealership training pathways.

Responsibilities

• Develop a national partnership strategy with colleges, universities, and technical programs.
• Lead campus recruitment efforts and support store leaders with messaging and tools.
• Coordinate with brand and dealership leadership to engage campuses and manage internships and leadership programs.
• Define and track success metrics (pipeline, conversions, time-to-productivity) and optimize ROI.

Skills

Talent acquisition

Workforce strategy

Campus recruiting

External partnerships

Job description

Sonic Automotive is a Fortune 500 automotive retailer with a commitment to delivering a superior guest experience through its network of franchised dealerships and its rapidly growing EchoPark Automotive segment. Sonic is focused on innovation, operational excellence, and developing future leaders who can drive performance across a dynamic, customer-centric retail environment.

Director Educational Partnerships

Salary: $100K - $120K Total Annual Compensation

The Director of Educational Partnerships will design and lead Sonic Automotive’s enterprise strategy for building long-term talent pipelines through partnerships with colleges, universities, and technical schools. This role will be instrumental in developing future sales, F&I, and operations leaders by creating structured early-career pathways aligned to Sonic’s high-performance culture and guest-first philosophy.

This leader will serve as a strategic connector between educational institutions and retail operations ensuring Sonic is consistently attracting, developing, and converting top emerging talent into dealership roles.

Key Responsibilities

Educational Partnership Strategy

• Develop a national partnership strategy targeting community colleges, universities, HBCUs, and technical trade programs aligned to Sonic’s footprint and growth markets.
• Build strong relationships with academic leadership, career services, and faculty to embed Sonic into curriculum, programs, and career pathways.
• Position Sonic Automotive and EchoPark as leading destinations for business, sales, and automotive career growth.

Campus & Early Career Recruitment

• Work with Talent Acquisition to develop campus recruiting strategies across priority markets, including hiring events, classroom engagement, and branded activities.
• Equip Talent Acquisition teams and store leaders with tools and messaging to effectively attract and convert early-career talent.
• Work with Talent Acquisition to build innovative recruitment approaches that resonate with Gen Z talent, highlighting earnings potential, career pathing, and entrepreneurial opportunities within Sonic.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate with brand and dealership leadership to participate in campus events
• Coordinate with talent acquisition team in recruiting efforts to fill Internships and Leadership Development Programs.

Performance Measurement & Optimization

• Define and track key success metrics, including pipeline volume, conversion rates, retention, and time-to-productivity.
• Analyze program effectiveness and continuously optimize partnership ROI.

Deliver regular insights and recommendations to executive leadership.

Required

• 3+ years of experience in either talent acquisition, workforce strategy, campus recruiting, or external partnerships.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to translate talent strategy into operational impact.
• Experience influencing senior leaders in a multi-location or decentralized environment.
• Willingness to travel (40–50%) to campuses and dealership locations.

Preferred

• Experience in automotive retail operations, hospitality, or multi-unit service environments.
• Familiarity with technical, vocational, or dealership training pathways.

Core Competencies

• External partnership development and influence
• Data-driven execution and continuous improvement
• Strong storytelling and employer branding
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, performance-driven culture

Why This Role Matters at Sonic

Sonic Automotive’s continued growth depends on a strong, ready-now bench of leaders who can drive sales performance, deliver exceptional guest experiences, and lead high-performing teams. This role directly fuels that future by creating predictable, scalable pathways for early-career talent to enter and grow within the organization.

Experience the best the automotive industry has to offer and apply today. We look forward to sharing our success with the brightest talent out there!