Director Educational Partnerships

Sonic Automotive is a Fortune 500 automotive retailer with a commitment to delivering a superior guest experience through its network of franchised dealerships and its rapidly growing EchoPark Automotive segment. Sonic is focused on innovation, operational excellence, and developing future leaders who can drive performance across a dynamic, customer-centric retail environment. Director Educational Partnerships Salary: $100K - $120K Total Annual Compensation Job Description The Director of Educational Partnerships will design and lead Sonic Automotive’s enterprise strategy for building long-term talent pipelines through partnerships with colleges, universities, and technical schools. This role will be instrumental in developing future sales, F&I, and operations leaders by creating structured early-career pathways aligned to Sonic’s high-performance culture and guest-first philosophy. This leader will serve as a strategic connector between educational institutions and retail operations ensuring Sonic is consistently attracting, developing, and converting top emerging talent into dealership roles. Key Responsibilities Educational Partnership Strategy Develop a national partnership strategy targeting community colleges, universities, HBCUs, and technical trade programs aligned to Sonic’s footprint and growth markets. Build strong relationships with academic leadership, career services, and faculty to embed Sonic into curriculum, programs, and career pathways. Position Sonic Automotive and EchoPark as leading destinations for business, sales, and automotive career growth. Campus & Early Career Recruitment Work with Talent Acquisition to develop campus recruiting strategies across priority markets, including hiring events, classroom engagement, and branded activities. Equip Talent Acquisition teams and store leaders with tools and messaging to effectively attract and convert early-career talent. Work with Talent Acquisition to build innovative recruitment approaches that resonate with Gen Z talent, highlighting earnings potential, career pathing, and entrepreneurial opportunities within Sonic. Cross-Functional Collaboration Coordinate with brand and dealership leadership to participate in campus events Coordinate with talent acquisition team in recruiting efforts to fill Internships and Leadership Development Programs. Performance Measurement & Optimization Define and track key success metrics, including pipeline volume, conversion rates, retention, and time-to-productivity. Analyze program effectiveness and continuously optimize partnership ROI. Deliver regular insights and recommendations to executive leadership. Qualifications Required 3+ years of experience in either talent acquisition, workforce strategy, campus recruiting, or external partnerships. Strong business acumen with the ability to translate talent strategy into operational impact. Experience influencing senior leaders in a multi-location or decentralized environment. Willingness to travel (40–50%) to campuses and dealership locations. Preferred Experience in automotive retail operations, hospitality, or multi-unit service environments. Familiarity with technical, vocational, or dealership training pathways. Core Competencies External partnership development a