Associate Director Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Associate Director roles sit at the senior professional tier where H-1B visa specialty occupation approval is straightforward and employer-sponsored green card pathways open quickly. Most positions require a directly related graduate or bachelor's degree, and employers at this level routinely file LCAs and I-129 petitions to retain qualified international candidates.
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Career and Professional Development (CPD) is Virginia Tech’s centralized career services unit dedicated to educating and supporting students as they explore academic majors and career options, obtain and reflect upon career-related experiences, develop essential skills for workplace success, and launch post-graduation career plans, including employment and graduate/professional school.
The Associate Director for Career Development and Employer Engagement works from Academic Building One in Alexandria, Virginia, serving all Virginia Tech students based in the Greater Washington, D.C. area. This primarily includes graduate/professional and doctoral students, but will also include undergraduate student engagement. The Associate Director provides career and executive coaching, develops programs with academic and campus partners, and builds employer relationships that create opportunities for both students in the region, at the Blacksburg campus, around the Commonwealth, and online. The position is a member of the Employer Engagement and Recruitment Services team and reports to the Director of Employer Engagement and Recruitment Services.
The Employer Engagement and Recruitment Services team conceptualizes and delivers programs, services, and resources to positively influence the overall talent acquisition experience for all students and employers recruiting at Virginia Tech. This team fosters new employer relationships and strengthens existing partnerships to increase the number, quality, and accessibility of internships, other work-based learning experiences, and postgraduate employment opportunities. Because this position serves both students and employers, the Associate Director works closely with CPD colleagues across university locations, including the Associate Director for Career Integration and Graduate Student Engagement, and the Director of the Hokie One Stop, our centralized student-focused service center in the Greater Washington, DC area.
Required Qualifications
- A master’s degree in counseling, higher education administration, student affairs/student personnel services, business, human resources, talent/organizational development, or related field.
- Experience advising or coaching students and/or working professionals.
- Familiarity with executive coaching and talent development approaches.
- Experience in employer relations, recruiting/talent acquisition, workforce development, or comparable partnership development.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships with faculty, staff, employers, and other partners; work independently while collaborating across locations; and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong communication, listening, and strategic problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience advising/coaching graduate and doctoral students and professionals at different career stages.
- Training or experience in executive coaching, leadership development, and talent development.
- Experience in university career services, recruiting, corporate human resources, or workforce development in the Greater Washington, D.C. area.
- Experience designing and facilitating workshops, classroom presentations, and employer programs or recruiting events.
- Familiarity with Handshake or a similar CRM (customer relationship management) system.
- Experience collecting and reporting data.
Pay Band
{lPayScaleID}
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
90,000
Hours per week
40
Review Date
12/15/26
Additional Information
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact (Sue Ellen Crocker) at (scrocker@vt.edu) during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
Job Description
Career and Professional Development (CPD) is Virginia Tech’s centralized career services unit dedicated to educating and supporting students as they explore academic majors and career options, obtain and reflect upon career-related experiences, develop essential skills for workplace success, and launch post-graduation career plans, including employment and graduate/professional school.
The Associate Director for Career Development and Employer Engagement works from Academic Building One in Alexandria, Virginia, serving all Virginia Tech students based in the Greater Washington, D.C. area. This primarily includes graduate/professional and doctoral students, but will also include undergraduate student engagement. The Associate Director provides career and executive coaching, develops programs with academic and campus partners, and builds employer relationships that create opportunities for both students in the region, at the Blacksburg campus, around the Commonwealth, and online. The position is a member of the Employer Engagement and Recruitment Services team and reports to the Director of Employer Engagement and Recruitment Services.
The Employer Engagement and Recruitment Services team conceptualizes and delivers programs, services, and resources to positively influence the overall talent acquisition experience for all students and employers recruiting at Virginia Tech. This team fosters new employer relationships and strengthens existing partnerships to increase the number, quality, and accessibility of internships, other work-based learning experiences, and postgraduate employment opportunities. Because this position serves both students and employers, the Associate Director works closely with CPD colleagues across university locations, including the Associate Director for Career Integration and Graduate Student Engagement, and the Director of the Hokie One Stop, our centralized student-focused service center in the Greater Washington, DC area.
Required Qualifications
- A master’s degree in counseling, higher education administration, student affairs/student personnel services, business, human resources, talent/organizational development, or related field.
- Experience advising or coaching students and/or working professionals.
- Familiarity with executive coaching and talent development approaches.
- Experience in employer relations, recruiting/talent acquisition, workforce development, or comparable partnership development.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships with faculty, staff, employers, and other partners; work independently while collaborating across locations; and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong communication, listening, and strategic problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience advising/coaching graduate and doctoral students and professionals at different career stages.
- Training or experience in executive coaching, leadership development, and talent development.
- Experience in university career services, recruiting, corporate human resources, or workforce development in the Greater Washington, D.C. area.
- Experience designing and facilitating workshops, classroom presentations, and employer programs or recruiting events.
- Familiarity with Handshake or a similar CRM (customer relationship management) system.
- Experience collecting and reporting data.
Pay Band
{lPayScaleID}
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
90,000
Hours per week
40
Review Date
12/15/26
Additional Information
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact (Sue Ellen Crocker) at (scrocker@vt.edu) during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Associate Director Jobs
Frame your credentials around specialty occupation
Associate Director roles must meet the H-1B specialty occupation standard, meaning your degree field must directly relate to the position. Pull the O*NET profile for your specific function and confirm the degree requirement before applying.
Target employers with active LCA filing history
Use Migrate Mate to find employers who have filed LCAs for Associate Director or equivalent senior manager titles. Consistent filing history signals an established sponsorship process, not a one-off exception made under pressure.
Distinguish director-level PERM timelines in negotiations
If an employer offers to sponsor your green card, ask whether they'll file EB-2 or EB-3. Associate Director roles often qualify for EB-2, which skips the PERM labor certification for National Interest Waiver candidates, cutting months from the process.
Request premium processing before your start date
At the Associate Director level, employers can absorb the premium processing cost on Form I-907. Confirm this in writing during offer negotiation, since standard USCIS processing can run several months and delay your authorized start.
Verify prevailing wage tier before the LCA is filed
Associate Director titles frequently fall into DOL Wage Level III or IV. Check the OFLC Wage Search for your job's Standard Occupational Classification and location so you can flag any offer below the certified prevailing wage before it becomes a problem.
Prepare a degree equivalency letter for three-year degrees
If you hold a three-year bachelor's degree from outside the U.S., secure a credential evaluation that explicitly confirms equivalency to a U.S. four-year degree. USCIS adjudicators scrutinize this at the Associate Director level, where specialty occupation RFEs are common.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which visa types realistically cover Associate Director roles?
The H-1B is the primary path because Associate Director positions are specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Australian nationals can use the E-3 visa, which has no lottery. Chilean and Singaporean nationals may use H-1B1 visa. If you're already in the U.S. in L-1A status leading a team, that also covers this seniority level.
Do Associate Director positions qualify for EB-2 green card sponsorship?
Most do. EB-2 requires either an advanced degree or a bachelor's degree plus five years of progressive experience, and Associate Director roles typically carry both. Some candidates with strong research or policy backgrounds also self-petition under the National Interest Waiver, which removes the PERM labor certification requirement and significantly shortens the timeline.
How do I find employers actively sponsoring Associate Director roles?
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified LCA sponsorship history for senior professional titles, so you can search specifically for organizations that have already filed for roles at this level. That's more reliable than inferring willingness from company size or industry alone.
Will a three-year bachelor's degree satisfy the specialty occupation requirement?
It can, but you'll need a formal credential evaluation letter confirming U.S. equivalency to a four-year degree. USCIS accepts three-year degrees from many countries when the evaluation is detailed and job-specific. Without that letter, your employer's I-129 petition is vulnerable to a Request for Evidence, which delays your start date and adds cost.
Can an employer rescind sponsorship after the I-129 is filed?
Yes. An employer can withdraw a petition before USCIS approves it, and the filing fees are non-refundable. At the Associate Director level, withdrawal is rare but can happen during restructuring or budget cuts. If you're between jobs and already hold H-1B status, your new employer can file a transfer petition immediately upon accepting your offer, without waiting for approval.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Associate Director jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.