About Us Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world. The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone. Role Summary The Sr. Manager, Early Career Talent will lead a team dedicated to building and scaling our university recruiting initiatives. This pivotal role is responsible for attracting, engaging, and hiring top early career talent from universities and colleges to fuel our company's growth. Reporting to the Global Head of Talent, this leader will be instrumental in developing and executing a comprehensive university relations strategy, cultivating strong academic and organizational partnerships, developing and managing current and new early career talent programs such as the RV Tech Summer Internship program and Co-Op program, and ensuring an exceptional candidate experience for all early career talent. The ideal candidate will be a strategic and innovative leader with a proven track record of developing and executing successful university recruiting strategies in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. This role is hybrid and located at our Palo Alto office. Responsibilities Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of university recruiters and program specialists, fostering a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement in early career talent acquisition. University Strategy & Program Development: Design, implement, and optimize a comprehensive early career talent acquisition strategy, including internship programs, co-op programs, undergraduate and graduate hiring, and other university-focused initiatives. Campus Relations & Partnerships: Build and nurture strong, strategic relationships with target universities, professional organizations, career services, faculty, and student organizations to enhance our employer brand and talent pipeline. Program Management & Execution: Oversee the end-to-end management of all university recruiting programs, including campus outreach, event planning (career fairs, info sessions, tech talks), candidate sourcing, screening, interviewing, and offer management. Employer Branding & Attraction: Partner with marketing and internal communications teams to develop compelling employer branding initiatives tailored to the early career audience, showcasing our company's culture and opportunities. Candidate Experience: Ensure an exceptional and inclusive candidate experience for all early career talent applicants, from initial engagement through onboarding, reflecting our company's values. Data Analysis & Reporting: Develop and analyze key performance metrics for university recruiting, providing insights on program effectiveness, return on investment, and opportunities for optimization to key stakeholders. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with hiring managers, business leaders, HR Business Partners, and other Talent Acquisition teams to understand early career talent needs, align on hiring goals, and integrate university hires seamlessly into the organization. Compliance & Best Practices: Stay current on early career talent acquisition trends, university recruiting best practices, and relevant employment laws and regulations, ensuring compliance across all programs Budget Management: Manage the budget for university recruiting programs and initiatives, ensuring effective allocation of resources. Qualifications Minimum of 7 years of experience in university recruiting or early career talent acquisition, with a 5 years of experience in a people leadership role, demonstrating a proven track record of managing, coaching, and developing high-performing teams. Demonstrated experience in designing, implementing, and scaling comprehensive university recruiting strategies and programs. Strong understanding of the university landscape, including campus recruiting cycles, student demographics, and effective engagement strategies. Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with university partners, internal stakeholders, and diverse student populations. Excellent project management skills with the ability to lead and manage multiple complex programs and initiatives simultaneously. Strong analytical skills with the ability to leverage data to drive decisions, measure program effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement. Proficiency with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and CRM tools commonly used in university recruiting. Exceptional communication skills (written and verbal), with the ability to effectively present to and influence various audiences, including students, faculty, and senior leadership. A passion for fostering diverse talent pipelines and creating inclusive opportunities for early career professionals. Ability to adapt to changing priorities and business needs in a dynamic environment. Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred. Ability to travel regularly during peak recruiting seasons and work a minimum of 3 days onsite per week. Pay Disclosure Salary Range/Hourly Rate for Palo Alto, California Based Applicants: $191,600 - $239,500 (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law). Benefits Summary: Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Full Time Employee coverage is effective on the first day of employment. Part-Time employee coverage is effective the first of the month following 90 days of employment. Equal Opportunity Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com. Candidate Data Privacy Rivian and VW Group Technologies (“Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies”) may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions. Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information. Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.