Executive Director of Employer Engagement

Job Title: Executive Director of Employer Engagement

Job ID: 31029

Location: LaGuardia Community College

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Founded in 1971 in Long Island City, Queens, LaGuardia Community College is one of seven community colleges of the City University of New York/CUNY. LaGuardia offers more than sixty associate degree and certificate programs, more than fifty non-degree workforce training programs, and dozens of ESOL, GED, and pre-college programs. In 2024, LaGuardia served approximately 26,000 students. Twenty-nine percent of our degree-seeking students were born outside of the United States, coming to LaGuardia from 131 countries and speaking thirty-one heritage languages. More than half are the first generation in their families to pursue a college education.

Sixty-nine percent of LaGuardia degree students live in Queens; the rest come from Brooklyn and beyond. Virtually all LaGuardia degree students are ethnic minorities (86 percent), 59 percent are women, 28 percent are over the age of 25. Forty-five percent are Hispanic, well above the threshold of 25 percent required by the US Department of Education for designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Sixty-seven percent of LaGuardia degree-seeking students receive some form of financial aid. About one-half of our degree-seeking students attend part-time (51%), usually because they need to work to support their families. Tuition and fees are $5,271 per year for a full-time student.

Reporting to the President, the Executive Director of Employer Engagement initiates and manages the college’s relationships with private sector employers, as well as with government agencies and arts, cultural, community service, and other nonprofit organizations. This cabinet-level position plays a key role in connecting LaGuardia to employers across NYC in order to forge lasting partnerships that yield internships and jobs for students along with industry expertise to support faculty efforts to ensure that program curricula reflect evolving employer expectations. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead LaGuardia’s participation in the CUNY Chancellor’s signature career success initiative, “CUNY Beyond”;
• Manage a team of industry specialists;
• Coordinate and support LaGuardia’s “CUNY Beyond” team, including four “Pillar Leads” and four “Enablers” to ensure timely progress toward programmatic goals;
• Cultivate high-impact relationships with employers to support student internships, job placement, apprenticeships, and career-connected learning;
• Support department chairs, program directors, and faculty in their efforts to secure experiential and work-based learning opportunities for students, including clinical and field placements to satisfy degree requirements;
• Collaborate with advancement, academic, and workforce teams to pursue funding opportunities, including sponsorships and corporate philanthropy;
• Develop systems and dashboards to track employer partnerships and student outcomes;
• Collaborate with the college’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment to evaluate program performance, ensure Strategic Plan alignment, and drive continuous improvement;
• Promote successful partnerships and programs, and enhance LaGuardia’s profile among leading NYC employers;
• Serve as a convener of employer partners; create forums to solicit employer input/feedback;
• Facilitate workshops, seminars, and guest lectures to promote and support employer partnerships on campus;
• Serve as a liaison to the CUNY central administration on matters related to employer engagement;
• Prepare financial and programmatic reports regarding the “CUNY Beyond” initiative for the CUNY Central Administration as required;
• Conduct labor market research (using Lightcast, NYS DOL, US BLS, etc.) to identify conditions and trends impacting degree and workforce programs and employment outcomes for graduates;
• Represent LaGuardia in business, trade and industry associations as appropriate.

QUALIFICATIONS

This position is in CUNY's Executive Compensation Plan.  All executive positions require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree (MBA, MPA preferred).
• At least ten years of related professional experience, ideally in roles involving partnerships, human resources, talent development, or external affairs.
• Relevant private sector experience preferred.
• Track record of building and managing successful partnerships.
• Experience engaging with employers to advance education and/or workforce development goals.
• Excellent communication, organizational, research, and writing skills.
• Excellent planning, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• A collaborative mindset, with the ability to work with multiple teams and keep big-picture goals in focus.

CUNY TITLE

Administrator

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

$150,00 -$175,000

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development.  We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off.  Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, go to www.cuny.edu, access the employment page, log in or create a new user account, and search for this vacancy using the Job ID or Title.  Select "Apply Now" and provide the requested information.

CLOSING DATE

October 25th, 2025

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY

CUNY Job Posting: Executive

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply.  At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups.  Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.