Job description

Job ID: 288449
Location: Kennesaw, Georgia
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

About Us

Are you ready to transform lives through academic excellence, innovative research, strong community partnerships and economic opportunity? Kennesaw State University is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. With growing enrollment and global reach, we continue to expand our institutional influence and prominence beyond the state of Georgia. We offer more than 190 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to empower our 47,000 students to become thought leaders, lifelong learners, and informed global citizens. Our entrepreneurial spirit, high-impact research, and Division I athletics draw students from throughout the region and from more than 100 countries across the globe. Our university’s vibrant culture, career opportunities, rich benefits, and values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability make us an employer of choice. We are part of the University System of Georgia. We are searching for talented people to join Kennesaw State University in our vision. Come Take Flight at KSU!

Location

(Primary Location for Job Responsibilities) Our Kennesaw campus is located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144.

Our Marietta campus is located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

Job Summary

This position will be located in Midtown, Atlanta

The Associate Vice President for Business Engagement serves as a strategic leader responsible for strengthening the university’s relationships with business and industry partners. Develops and implements engagement strategies that foster corporate partnerships, enhance the institution’s reputation, support economic and workforce development, and expand opportunities for collaboration for research, talent development, and external funding support. Provides key leadership in coordinating university-wide initiatives, facilitating cross-campus collaboration, and aligning efforts with regional economic priorities to advance institutional goals and measure impact.

Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Design and implement short- and long-term strategies to build and strengthen relationships with business leaders across Metro Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and nationally.
2. Drive marketing and outreach initiatives to strengthen the university’s brand recognition and reputation among major employers and industry stakeholders.
3. Establish and manage ongoing processes to evaluate strategic plans and monitor progress toward key goals.
4. Partner with senior leadership to advance institution-wide efforts to grow corporate engagement, including research partnerships, corporate giving, recruitment pipelines, and experiential learning and professional education opportunities.
5. Proactively secure high-level meetings with C-suite executives to position university leadership for meaningful partnership development and strategic collaboration.
6. Coordinate campus-wide initiatives and events that promote meaningful engagement with industry representatives and foster collaboration.
7. Provide strategic leadership for university-wide working group to drive business engagement, support cross-divisional collaboration, and evaluate collective impact.
8. Develop and maintain a robust system for tracking business partnerships, measuring progress, and identifying areas for growth in collaboration with all other relevant divisions.
9. Serve as primary university representative in statewide economic development efforts, working closely with business recruitment agencies and government partners.
10. Facilitate collaboration among university stakeholders including colleges, departments, and administrative units to deepen private-sector partnerships and help advance institution-wide engagement strategies.
11. Provide strategic direction for workforce development and talent readiness initiatives aligned with employer needs.
12. Support the creation of academic programs including degrees, certificates, and credentials by leveraging labor market analytics, regional economic development strategies, and workforce trends.

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education

Required Experience
Ten (10) years of experience in business and/or economic development; strategic planning and/or leadership is required. Experience should demonstrate increasing responsibility.
Experience interacting with and presenting to C-suite level executives in corporate settings.

Other Required Qualifications
Current, valid and unrestricted driver’s license

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Educational Qualifications
Advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education

Preferred Experience
Experience in higher education

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ABILITIES
Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines in a dynamic environment

KNOWLEDGE
Familiarity and knowledge of Metro Atlanta and State of Georgia economies

SKILLS
Exceptional interpersonal, communication (written and verbal), collaboration, problem-solving, and organizational skills
Demonstrated initiative, independent judgment, and leadership in cross-functional team settings
Expertise in developing and executing strategic plans, marketing initiatives, and performance tracking systems
Proficiency with standard office tools, including Microsoft Office Suite and related platforms
High attention to detail with strong follow-through and organizational discipline
Strong commitment to responsive service and professionalism in phone, email, and in-person interactions

USG Core Values

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Kennesaw State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for living, work and study. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, the University prohibits harassment of or discrimination against any person because of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment, pregnancy, and medical conditions related to pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity or national origin, religion, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran or military status by any member of the KSU Community on campus, in connection with a University program or activity, or in a manner that creates a hostile environment for members of the KSU community.

For additional information on this policy, or to file a complaint under the provisions of this policy, students, employees, applicants for employment or admission or other third parties should contact the Office of Institutional Equity at English Building, Suite 225, [email protected].

Other Information

This is not a supervisory position.
This position does not have any financial responsibilities.
This position will be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position may travel 25% – 49% of the time
This position does not require security clearance.

Background Check

• Standard Enhanced
• Education
• DMV

Per the University System of Georgia background check policy, all final candidates will be required to consent to a criminal background investigation. Final candidates may be asked to disclose criminal record history during the initial screening process and prior to a conditional offer of employment. Applicants for positions of trust with screening
results which confirm a disqualifying criminal history will be immediately disqualified from employment eligibility.

All applicants are required to include professional references as part of their application process. Some positions may require additional job-based screenings such as motor vehicle report, credit check, pre-employment drug screening and/or verification of academic credentials.

https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Background_Investigation_Employment.pdf

How to apply

To apply, visit