Manager, Academic and Industry Relations Manager

The Aspen Group (TAG) is one of the largest and most trusted retail healthcare business support organizations in the U.S. and has supported over 20,000 healthcare professionals and team members with close to 1,500 health and wellness offices across 50 states in four distinct categories: dental care, urgent care, medical aesthetics, and animal health. Working in partnership with independent practice owners and clinicians, the team is united by a single purpose: to prove that healthcare can be better and smarter for everyone. TAG provides a comprehensive suite of centralized business support services that power the impact of five consumer-facing businesses: Aspen Dental, ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, WellNow Urgent Care, Chapter Aesthetic Studio, and Lovet Pet Health Care. Each brand has access to a deep community of experts, tools and resources to grow their practices, and an unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality consumer healthcare experiences at scale.

As a reflection of our current needs and planned growth we are very pleased to offer a new opportunity to join our dedicated team at Aspen Dental as a Manager, Academic and Industry Relations Manager.

Overview: The Manager, Academic and Industry Relations Manager, Hygiene, is responsible for generating quality leads through strategic engagement with dental schools, residency programs, industry events, and academic partnerships and associations. This role assesses fit and readiness, and ensures effective handoffs to the Talent Acquisition team, playing a critical role in filling the top of the recruiting funnel and driving long-term pipeline growth. In addition to the core responsibilities, Manager, Academic & Industry Relations lead and support a team of individual contributors by providing coaching and performance management, strategic vision and direction, and operational leadership to ensure team success and program effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities:

• Recruitment Strategy Execution:

Develop and execute academic recruitment strategies, including planning, hosting, and attending events at hygiene schools and industry conferences nationwide to build brand presence and generate candidate leads.

• Candidate Engagement & Handoffs:

Engage and prescreen student candidates, nurture leads, and facilitate handoffs of top prospects to the hygiene recruiting team with a focus on driving through to hire. Supports year-round hiring activity by cultivating relationships with students & industry partners, reactivating interest to bring back into the funnel, and aiding the Talent Acquisition Manager in converting hires.

• Collaboration & Communication:

Partner with Talent Acquisition, Hygiene Support, Operations, and field dentists to align strategy & priority, communicate upcoming events, and support shared goals.

• Event Management:

Coordinate all aspects of school and industry events, including logistics, communication, and post-event lead conversion.

• CRM and Documentation:

Maintain and collect accurate data and timely records of candidate activity and engagement through Phenom and surveys, ensuring visibility and transparency across the recruitment funnel.

• Faculty & Industry Relationship Management:

Build and sustain strong relationships with faculty and industry partners. Regularly document the “temperature” of faculty engagement and school openness, knowledge of community & student population, and insights on school history/demographics.

• Budget Stewardship:

Submit timely expense reports and manage event budgets responsibly, allocating resources based on impact and return.

• Cross-Functional Support:

Provide backup coverage and support for teammates as needed. Proactively participate in initiatives that benefit the team and region.

• Communication & Influence:

Prepare and deliver communications to inform and influence candidates, internal teams, and external stakeholders.

• Project Management:

Apply project management skills to execute regional and team initiatives effectively using appropriate tools and platforms.

• Creative School Engagement:

Develop creative strategies to gain access to schools and overcome entry barriers or objections. Keen focus on understanding highest yield schools and uncover strategies to grow relationships.

• KPIs:

Reviews funnel efficiency and performance to ensure alignment with Key Performance Indicators. Partners with Manager to identify opportunities for improvement and deliver results.

• Strategic Planning & Prioritization:

Develop and share quarterly planners that outline key priorities, academic calendar flows, and focus areas for the team. Partner with TA Managers to identify opportunities and build solutions.

• Team Performance Management:

Coach and hold team members accountable to KPIs and outcomes. Identify performance gaps and provide direction, support, and development opportunities.

• Team Coverage & Support:

Ensure appropriate regional event coverage by coordinating backup and filling gaps when needed due to team absences.

• Alignment with Hygiene Operations:

Plan and lead monthly alignment meetings with Hygiene Ops leadership to ensure clarity on objectives, feedback loops, and shared initiatives.

• SOP Development & Maintenance:

Update and evolve standard operating procedures (SOPs) as strategies and tools change, ensuring consistency and excellence across the team.

• Leadership Communication:

Serve as the communication bridge between the Academic Hygiene team and senior leadership, surfacing insights, reporting performance metrics, and sharing field feedback.

• Data & Reporting:

Pull & analyze funnel performance to understand ROI on schools & events attended, support performance management conversations, and drive strategic initiatives.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Prior experience with full cycle recruitment (agency experience preferred).
• Direct management experience leading recruiting teams of at least 3 individual contributors.
• Preferred experience with campus recruitment and/or high-travel teams.
• Availability for overnight travel 25–40% of the time to oversee & coach team during events; remaining work is remote. Candidates should reside within Central or Eastern time zones.
• Must be a competent and self-motivated remote worker—able to lead, learn, strategize, and take full ownership of goals and territory.
• Strong project ideation and execution skills—must be able to initiate and complete new projects independently.
• Proficiency in Excel and virtual platforms such as Teams and Zoom.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Salary starting at $100,000 + 20% Quarterly Performance based bonus

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