University of Houston · 12 hours ago
Director of External Relations (Rio Grande Valley)
Rio Grande City, TX
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
3+ years expThe University of Houston is seeking a Director of Rio Grande Valley External Relations to lead strategic initiatives in student recruitment and alumni relations. This role involves building relationships with stakeholders, managing budgets, and overseeing program implementation to enhance the university's presence and engagement in the region.
E-LearningEducationUniversities
Hiring Manager
Cristian Garcia
Responsibilities
Develops and executes a comprehensive external relations strategy that aligns with university priorities
Identifies emerging regional needs and opportunities, advising senior leadership on strategies to strengthen partnerships
Tracks expenses for recruitment and other external expenses
Pursues external funding opportunities, including grants and sponsorships
Directs the planning, implementation, and assessment of initiatives designed to advance short and long term outcomes
Reviews program data and reports to evaluate progress, and recommends adjustments to strategies
Builds and maintains strong relationships with community leaders, K–12 partners, business and nonprofit
Oversees day-to-day operations
Establishes clear goals, metrics, and evaluation processes to track progress and ensure improvement
Serve as a lead for the university’s activities in the Rio Grande Valley and surrounding South Texas region
Assist with the region’s undergraduate recruitment efforts by attending recruitment fairs, high school events, and counselor engagement events
Design and coordinate recruitment activities for UH’s graduate programs under the guidance of the Graduate School
Organize official university events in the region for prospective students, families, and school officials
Serve as an alumni relations liaison for the region. Design engagement activities for area alumni including watch parties, mixers, alumni and admitted student receptions
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree with 3 years minimum experience
Relevant Experience in Relationship Building
Connections with RGV
Knowledge of Texas High Education Environment
Prior experience working in the Rio Grande Valley and/or South Texas
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Must be a multi-tasker, organized, and able to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills
Ability to interact with all levels of internal and external constituents
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
Company
University of Houston
The doctoral degree-granting and largest university of the University of Houston system.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
University of Houston has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (107)
2024 (76)
2023 (80)
2022 (42)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$9.3MKey Investors
National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing BiopharmaceuticalsUS Department of EnergyCancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas
2024-04-09Grant
2023-10-05Grant· $2M
2018-09-19Grant· $4M
Leadership Team
Arthur Conklin
Professor Emeritus
Brené Brown
Huffington Endowed Chair + Research Professor
Recent News
2025-12-04
2025-10-25
Company data provided by crunchbase