University Relations & Early Career Program Manager

Sazerac Company Overview

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka. 

We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.

Job Description/Responsibilities

Position Summary

We are seeking an innovative and results-oriented University Relations Program Manager to lead and enhance our recruiting efforts for interns and leadership development rotational hires across our Corporate and Manufacturing functions. This role will play a critical part in building a talent pipeline from universities and supporting recruitment vendor management, including contracts and budgeting. The ideal candidate has a background in corporate programs for engaging Interns and early career talent, strong relationship-building skills, and experience in vendor relations.

Key Responsibilities

University Relations & Program Management:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive university relations strategy, including partnerships with key colleges and universities, to source top talent for internship and leadership development rotational programs.
• Coordinate and facilitate on-campus recruitment activities, such as career fairs, information sessions, and student organization partnerships.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with university faculty, career services teams, and student organizations to promote the company’s brand and opportunities.
• Oversee the full-cycle recruitment process for interns and leadership program candidates, including screening, interviewing, selection, and offer management.
• Manage program logistics, including onboarding, mentorship assignments, performance evaluations, and end-of-program transitions for both Corporate and Manufacturing functions.

Program Performance & Metrics:

• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for university recruiting, including application rates, offer acceptance rates, intern-to-hire conversion rates, and retention of leadership development hires.
• Provide data-driven insights and regular reports on the effectiveness of recruitment initiatives to HR leadership and business stakeholders.
• Collaborate with business leaders to continuously improve the structure and impact of the internship and leadership development programs, ensuring alignment with talent needs.
• Develop and implement strategies to attract and hire diverse talent for internship and leadership programs.

Recruitment Vendor Management

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with recruitment vendors to ensure seamless collaboration and service delivery.
• Support the review, negotiation, and execution of vendor contracts to ensure optimal terms and conditions for Sazerac, and compliance with company standards and legal requirements.
• Help align vendor costs to the TA budget to ensure cost-effective hiring solutions.

Qualifications/Requirements

Key Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or other related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in university recruiting, campus relations or programs, or talent acquisition, with a focus on internship and early-career hiring.
• Experience recruiting or working in both Corporate and Manufacturing environments is strongly preferred.
• Proven track record in developing and executing programs and programmatic strategies.
• Familiarity with designing and managing leadership development programs or rotational programs is a plus.

Skills:

• Strong project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple recruitment cycles and initiatives simultaneously.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to leverage recruitment data and metrics to optimize hiring strategies and program outcomes.
• Proficiency with applicant tracking systems (such as iCIMS), early career recruiting platforms and tech (such as Handshake and Epic Hire), and recruitment marketing platforms preferred.

Performance Goals

• Increase intern-to-hire conversion rates within the first year of employment.
• Build and nurture relationships with new university partners, ensuring a diverse and high-quality candidate pipeline.
• Improve program retention rate for leadership development rotational hires after the first 12-18 months of their program.
• Drive an increase in engagement and application rates for university-targeted recruitment marketing campaigns.
• 90 days:
• Prepare for the engaging onboarding of incoming class of Interns and LDPs for Summer 2025
• Lean into engagement strategy to keep incoming class engaged and updated on our business and the exciting work they’ll be doing
• Review and refine the Fall 2025 recruiting strategy and calendar
• Learn end to end process
• Develop relationships with HRBPs and business leaders in our biggest customer groups
•  120-180 days:
• Refine and streamline end to end process map
• Present updated strategy and process to TALT, HRLT, and business leaders to gain alignment
• Train appropriate parties on updates strategy and process in advance of the Fall recruiting season kickoff

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