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We are currently looking for a Program Manager, University Relations & Early Career Program for our Houston, TX office.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Program Manager, University Relations & Early Career Programs is a key contributor within the Talent Management, L&D and OD/OE Center of Excellence. Reporting to the Manager, Talent Management, this role owns Boardwalk's early career talent lifecycle, from university engagement and candidate attraction through internships, conversion to full-time employment, and early career development.
The Program Manager partners closely with Talent Acquisition, HRBPs, and business leaders to translate workforce needs into sustainable talent pipelines, and leads the design, execution, and continuous improvement of university partnerships, campus recruiting, internship programming, and future rotational programs. The ideal candidate brings strong relationship-building skills, program management discipline, and a track record of creating high-quality candidate and participant experiences.
Key ResponsibilitiesUniversity Relations & Early Career Pipeline Strategy- Develop and execute the enterprise university relations and early career talent strategy, prioritizing schools and programs aligned to critical workforce and skill needs.
- Establish and manage relationships with priority universities, career centers, faculty, academic departments, and student organizations to build year-round visibility rather than event-driven engagement.
- Serve as Boardwalk's primary representative on campus and with university partners, supported by leader and employee ambassadors.
- Evaluate university partnerships based on talent quality, hiring outcomes, cost, and strategic value, and reallocate investment accordingly.
Campus Recruiting & Candidate Experience- Partner with Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partners and business leaders to forecast intern and entry-level hiring needs and build the annual recruiting plan.
- Lead sourcing, screening, interviewing, selection, and offer coordination for designated early career roles.
- Deliver a consistent, high-quality candidate experience across the recruiting lifecycle, including engagement between offer acceptance and start date.
- Build and maintain early career talent communities and pipelines for anticipated future hiring needs.
Internship Program Ownership- Own the design, planning, and execution of the enterprise internship program, including assignment quality, project scoping, and intern placement.
- Equip intern managers and mentors with clear expectations, resources, and support to drive a strong intern experience.
- Coordinate intern onboarding, orientation, development activities, leadership exposure, networking, and end-of-program presentations.
- Facilitate intern evaluations and conversion recommendations, and maintain relationships with interns after they return to campus.
- Gather intern and manager feedback and translate it into measurable program improvements each cycle.
Early Career Development & Rotational Programs- Assess and build the business case for rotational and early career development programs supporting critical talent pipelines.
- Partner with business and HR leaders to design rotation experiences, development plans, and learning milestones.
- Coordinate participant assignments, manager expectations, and program milestones, and monitor participant progression, mobility, and retention.
Employer Brand & Talent Engagement- Partner with Communications and Talent Acquisition to strengthen Boardwalk's employment brand with university and early career audiences.
- Develop consistent campus messaging, recruiting materials, and digital content that reflect Boardwalk's culture and career opportunities.
- Leverage employee, intern, and leader stories to differentiate Boardwalk with targeted student populations.
Program Management & Talent Insights- Manage the annual early career calendar, budget, vendor relationships, recruiting technology, and event logistics.
- Establish and track key metrics including applicant quality, source of hire, offer acceptance, intern satisfaction, intern-to-full-time conversion, early career retention, university effectiveness, and cost per hire.
- Provide reporting, insights, and recommendations to HR and business leaders on early career pipeline health and program effectiveness.
- Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, and scale early career processes as the program grows.
REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE:
- 5+ years of experience in university relations, campus recruiting, early career programs, talent acquisition, or related program management.
- Demonstrated experience managing internship, university relations, or early career programs end to end.
- Proven ability to build credibility and influence with business leaders, hiring managers, university partners, and candidates.
- Strong program management skills: planning, execution, stakeholder communication, and continuous improvement across multiple concurrent workstreams.
- Strong communication, presentation, and facilitation skills with student, employee, and leader audiences.
- Data fluency: ability to analyze recruiting and program data and translate findings into clear recommendations.
- Ability and willingness to travel during peak campus recruiting periods.
- Experience building employer brand campaigns or campus ambassador and alumni networks.
PREFERRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE:
- Experience in midstream energy, oil & gas, pipeline operations, utilities, engineering, or similar operational/regulatory environments.
- Certifications such as SHRM-CP/SCP or PHR/SPHR.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Boardwalk Pipelines, LP, maintains a drug-free workplace and will require pre-employment drug & substance abuse testing before hiring.
