Student Employment Success Specialist - Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration - UTK

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Internship Development, the Student Employment Success Specialist provides centralized leadership and coordination for student employment initiatives at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The coordinator works across campus to create a more consistent, accessible, and career-connected student employment experience by supporting hiring departments, improving communication and resources, expanding the use of Handshake, and promoting effective student supervision and professional development.

The coordinator also administers the university's federally funded Job Location and Development (JLD) program, developing off-campus employment opportunities for currently enrolled students in the greater Knoxville area. Responsibilities include employer development, student outreach and coaching, management of part-time employment events, JLD fiscal and program reporting, and completion of the applicable FISAP reporting requirements. The position collaborates closely with Financial Aid, Human Resources, academic and administrative units, and other campus partners while maintaining appropriate separation and documentation of JLD-funded and institutionally funded activities.

Responsibilities

CAMPUS STUDENT EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY AND COORDINATION (40%)

• Serve as the centralized coordinating resource for campus student employment, connecting departments with Human Resources, Financial Aid, Payroll, and other relevant offices.

• Build and maintain a campus-wide network of student employment supervisors and departmental contacts to establish shared goals, service expectations, and annual priorities.

• Evaluate the student employment lifecycle to identify barriers, clarify roles and processes, and recommend improvements to the student and supervisor experience.

• Develop and maintain centralized student employment resources, including a website, supervisor toolkit, calendar, and communication plan.

• Establish consistent guidance for posting and promoting student positions in Handshake to increase the visibility and accessibility of opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

• Provide training, resources, and professional development for student employment supervisors related to recruitment, onboarding, inclusive supervision, mentorship, performance feedback, and student development.

• Support departments in designing meaningful student positions that incorporate clear learning outcomes, increasing levels of responsibility, UT Career Competencies, and Vol Edge.

• Gather feedback from students and supervisors to guide continuous improvement and develop recognition opportunities for outstanding student employees and supervisors.

JLD EMPLOYER AND OPPORTUNITY DEVELOPMENT (35%)

• Develop and maintain relationships with off-campus employers in the greater Knoxville area to expand employment opportunities for currently enrolled students.
• Conduct proactive outreach to current and prospective employers offering part-time, seasonal, community-service, and other student-compatible employment.
• Help employers develop positions that accommodate student schedules and, whenever practicable, complement students' educational programs or career goals.
• Advise off-campus employers on student recruitment strategies, Handshake utilization, position descriptions, wages, inclusive hiring, supervision, and professional development.
• Recruit employers for the Part-Time Job Fair, Summer Experiences Fair, and other relevant engagement opportunities.
• Track placements and follow up with employers to collect required employment and wage information.

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT/JLD PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION, ASSESSMENT, AND COMPLIANCE (20%)

• Maintain accurate employer, opportunity, contact, placement, and wage data in Handshake and other approved systems. 
• Establish baseline measures of campus student employment, including the number and types of opportunities, participating departments, student applicants and hires, wages, and student and supervisor experiences. 
• Develop dashboards or recurring reports that identify trends, gaps, and areas for improvement. 
• Track employer contacts, outcomes, and student wages associated with JLD-developed employment. 
• Complete the JLD portion of the annual FISAP report in collaboration with Financial Aid. 
• Manage the JLD budget and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance with federal requirements and allowable costs. 
• Maintain time-and-effort or other required documentation distinguishing JLD-funded activities from institutionally funded campus student employment activities. 
• Conduct periodic student and supervisor needs assessments. 
• Produce an annual student employment impact report with recommendations for the following year. 
• Establish annual goals and performance measures for both JLD and campus student employment initiatives.

OTHER TEAM, DEPARTMENTAL, DIVISION & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES (5%)

• Team: Support other Employer Development Team efforts including orienting employers to UTK recruiting, researching and staying informed of employer development and employer industry trends, and looks for areas for growth and new opportunities
• Departmental: Serve on leadership team for department to ensure most effective operations of the department, analyze long-term impact of decisions and plans, and establish and evaluate standards of performance. Assist in other departmental activities, events, and programs that in line with the center's mission, including career fairs and major events, departmental marketing and community outreach.
• Divisional: Participate in division activities that are in line with the overall mission of the Division of Student Success.
• Professional: Participate in professional development activities to ensure professional growth and knowledge needed to provide effective leadership. Investigate employment trends and hiring practices and train center staff on such information; Participate in various local, state, regional, and national organizations such as, chambers of commerce, SoACE and NACE to increase employment opportunities for students and alumni.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree

Experience:

• Minimum of one year of relevant experience in areas such as recruiting, sales or marketing, business development, relationship management, career services, workforce development, human resources, or other relevant fields. Relevant graduate assistantship experience may count toward this requirement.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

• Knowledge: Knowledge of student employment, career development, employer engagement, program administration, and assessment 

• Skills: Skills in relationship building, written and verbal communication, consultation, training, project management, data management, and reporting 

• Ability: Ability to collaborate across departments, manage multiple priorities, evaluate and improve processes, apply policies and requirements, and support career-connected student employment experiences 

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge: Knowledge of federally funded Job Location and Development programs, FISAP reporting, Handshake, Vol Edge, and higher education student employment practices 

• Skills: Skills in employer development, fiscal administration, program evaluation, event management, and using career-services technology 

• Ability: Ability to develop off-campus employment opportunities, coordinate campus-wide initiatives, interpret federal compliance requirements, analyze employment and wage data, and translate findings into program improvements

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits 

• UT market range: MR06

• Anticipated hiring range: Minimum $48,000

• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions 

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted.

• Resume

• Cover Letter

• List of 3 Professional References

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