University Recruiting Manager

Career Guide

A University Recruiting Manager builds and runs programs to hire students and recent graduates. They partner with universities, student groups, and internal hiring teams to attract early career talent and deliver a strong candidate experience from events through offer acceptance.

Key Responsibilities

Set early career hiring goals with business leaders
Create recruiting plans for internships and new graduate roles
Build relationships with university career centers and faculty
Plan and run campus events such as info sessions and career fairs
Manage candidate pipelines and track progress through each stage
Coordinate interview scheduling and hiring team readiness
Guide hiring managers on evaluation standards and fair selection
Negotiate offers within policy and support close of candidates
Run internship program logistics in partnership with business teams
Improve processes using hiring data and candidate feedback
Manage recruiting vendors and event budgets when needed
Support inclusion efforts through outreach and equitable practices

Top Skills for Success

Stakeholder Management

Project Management

Communication

Event Planning

Interview Training

Candidate Experience Design

Sourcing

Employer Branding

Hiring Analytics

Offer Management

Budget Management

Compliance Awareness

Career Progression

Can Lead To

University Recruiter

Early Career Program Manager

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Transition Opportunities

Senior University Recruiting Manager

Early Career Talent Acquisition Lead

Talent Acquisition Manager

Recruiting Operations Manager

People Programs Manager

Employer Brand Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Hiring AnalyticsBudget ManagementProgram DesignEmployer BrandingInterview TrainingProcess Improvement

Development SuggestionsOwn one end to end campus program cycle, create a simple dashboard for pipeline and conversion rates, and document a repeatable event and interview process. Ask to co lead internship experience planning and take responsibility for one budget line item to build confidence with planning and tradeoffs.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 70,000 to 95,000

Mid LevelUSD 95,000 to 130,000

Senior LevelUSD 130,000 to 180,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, with hiring volume rising and falling with the economy. Demand is strongest at companies with large internship programs and high annual graduate hiring targets.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

GoogleMicrosoftAmazonAppleMetaSalesforceDeloitteAccentureGoldman SachsJPMorgan ChaseGeneral ElectricJohnson and Johnson

Industry Sectors

TechnologyConsultingFinancial ServicesHealthcareManufacturingRetailEnergyMedia

Recommended Next Steps

Build a target school list and an outreach plan tied to hiring goals

Create event templates for invites, agendas, and follow ups

Define a consistent interview scorecard with hiring managers

Set up weekly pipeline reporting and a clear escalation path

Audit the candidate journey and fix the top friction points

Partner with marketing on a simple early career messaging toolkit

Collect intern feedback and publish a short end of season report