Corporate Relations Research and Support Specialist

Job Description

Position Overview: 

The Corporate Relations Research and Support Specialist plays a critical role in managing corporate partnerships, high-profile events, and strategic initiatives that support the university's objectives. This position demands a proactive approach in cultivating stakeholder relationships, overseeing corporate relations databases, and driving the planning and execution of key corporate engagements.  The incumbent is required to plan and communicate with senior level external stakeholders in support of university level corporate relations.  This position requires independent thinking, sound judgment and the ability to make decisions that could have a strategic impact on the university.

The CRSS is responsible for maintaining the corporate relations CRM, currently in Salesforce, ensuring data accuracy and timeliness. They organize corporate workgroup meetings, compile reports from internal stakeholders, and distribute key information to relevant parties.  The position requires regular interaction with senior internal stakeholders, such as the deans and core leadership team to help provide critical corporate relations information in support of decision making.

Additionally, the CRSS supports campus-wide corporate relations activities, including event planning, agenda development, and logistical coordination for corporate partner visits, summits, and meetings. The role extends to managing data for the university’s corporate relations balanced scorecard, coordinating efforts at external events such as airshows and symposiums, and overseeing sponsorship funding and financial reporting in alignment with university goals.  The incumbent, reviews and makes recommendations on high dollar sponsorships and process them for review.  The position manages both the sponsorship and operational corporate relations budget.

Collaboration across departments is essential.  The position provides direct corporate relations support to the Office of the President.  These duties include, but are not limited to preparing corporate briefings, summarizing university corporate interactions and meeting coordination. The incumbent provides direct support to core leadership team engagements at international trade shows – communicating with external stakeholders, planning and scheduling meetings and activities.  The incumbent attends core leadership team meetings in support of this effort and communicates scheduling and plans to the leadership team. 

Primary Job Functions:

• Corporate Event Management: Plan, coordinate, and execute corporate relations events, including symposiums, airshows, and on-campus corporate visits, working closely with university leadership to ensure successful outcomes.
• Corporate Partner Engagement: Manage CRM data entry and analysis to maintain corporate partner relationships, support work group meetings, and provide actionable insights to stakeholders.
• Budget and Financial Management: Track expenditures, manage external sponsorships, and assist in the preparation of annual budget requests for corporate relations activities.
• Strategic Outreach: Support leadership in preparing for and managing corporate summits, ensuring alignment with university goals for corporate relations.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree

Skills:

• Valid driver's license; Ability to operate university vehicles.
• MS Office; Proficiency in Salesforce or similar CRM platforms is required, with a strong ability to analyze data and provide actionable insights to enhance corporate engagement.

Experience:

• 3-5 years in corporate relations, event management, or related administrative roles. Equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.