Early Career Recruiting Program Manager

The Early Career Recruiting Program Manager at DigitalOcean plays a pivotal role in shaping our future talent pipeline. This dynamic position combines full-cycle recruiting for early-career talent (e.g., interns, new graduates, apprentices) with the strategic design and execution of impactful early career programs. This individual will be responsible for attracting, engaging, and hiring diverse talent directly from universities and other early-talent pipelines, while also building and nurturing programs that provide meaningful development opportunities and pathways into DigitalOcean. This role is crucial for strengthening our employer brand within academic communities and ensuring a robust, sustainable talent supply for our growing organization.

What You’ll Do:

• Full-Cycle Early Career Recruiting for US & India:
• Manage the end-to-end recruitment process for a portfolio of early career roles (internships, new graduate positions, apprenticeships) across various departments.
• Develop and execute innovative sourcing strategies to identify, attract, and engage diverse candidates from universities, coding bootcamps, and other early talent pools.
• Conduct thorough candidate screening, manage interview processes, and facilitate offer negotiations to ensure a positive and efficient experience.
• Act as a trusted advisor to hiring managers, guiding them through the early career hiring process and promoting best practices.
• Early Career Program Design & Management:
• Design, develop, and implement comprehensive early career programs (e.g., internship programs, new graduate rotational programs, co-op experiences) that align with DigitalOcean's talent strategy and business needs.
• Oversee all aspects of program logistics, including onboarding, mentorship pairing, performance management frameworks, and program-related events.
• Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders (hiring managers, HR Business Partners, D&I teams, senior leadership) to define program objectives, secure resources, and ensure program success and participant development.
• Develop and manage program budgets, tracking expenditures and optimizing resource allocation.
• University Relations & Campus Engagement:
• Build and maintain strong, strategic relationships with target universities, academic departments, career services, and student organizations.
• Plan and execute engaging campus recruitment events, career fairs, information sessions, and workshops (virtual and in-person) to promote DigitalOcean as an employer of choice.
• Identify and implement creative ways to connect with students and faculty, enhancing DigitalOcean's visibility and reputation within academic communities.
• Manage a budget for sponsoring university events and hackathons as an employer 
• Candidate & Program Experience:
• Champion an exceptional candidate experience for all early career applicants, ensuring clear communication, timely feedback, and a welcoming process.
• Continuously seek feedback from program participants, managers, and mentors to iterate on and improve program effectiveness and participant satisfaction.
• Data, Metrics & Reporting:
• Track, analyze, and report on key early career recruiting and program metrics (e.g., pipeline diversity, conversion rates, program completion rates, retention, cost-per-hire).
• Use data insights to identify trends, inform decision-making, and demonstrate the ROI of early career initiatives to leadership.
• Employer Branding & Advocacy:
• Collaborate with Talent Acquisition, Marketing, and PBP teams to ensure recruiting systems and processes actively support and enhance the employer brand and candidate experience.
• Act as an ambassador for DigitalOcean's culture and values, effectively articulating our unique employee value proposition to early career talent.

What You’ll Add to DigitalOcean:

• A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in talent acquisition, with a significant focus on early career recruitment, university relations, or talent program management.
• Recruiting Expertise: Proven ability in full-cycle recruitment, with a strong emphasis on early career or university hiring.
• Program Management Acumen: Demonstrated experience in designing, launching, and managing talent development programs, ideally within a corporate or high-growth environment.
• Relationship Building: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport and trust with diverse stakeholders, including students, university faculty, career services professionals, hiring managers, and senior leaders.
• Communication Excellence: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, capable of crafting compelling messages for various audiences and delivering engaging presentations.
• Organizational & Project Management: Highly organized with strong project management skills, capable of managing multiple priorities, deadlines, and complex initiatives simultaneously.
• Data-Driven Approach: Ability to analyze recruiting and program data, identify insights, and translate them into actionable strategies and recommendations.
• Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Resourceful and proactive in identifying challenges, proposing solutions, and adapting strategies in a dynamic environment.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with Greenhouse Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), sourcing tools and other recruiting technologies.
• Employer Branding Understanding: Understanding of employer branding principles and how operational efficiency and candidate experience contribute to a strong talent brand.
• Creativity & Innovation: Ability to think creatively to develop engaging programs and innovative sourcing strategies.

Why You’ll Like Working for DigitalOcean

• We innovate with purpose. You’ll be a part of a cutting-edge technology company with an upward trajectory, who are proud to simplify cloud and AI so builders can spend more time creating software that changes the world. As a member of the team, you will be a Shark who thinks big, bold, and scrappy, like an owner with a bias for action and a powerful sense of responsibility for customers, products, employees, and decisions. 
• We prioritize career development. At DO, you’ll do the best work of your career. You will work with some of the smartest and most interesting people in the industry. We are a high-performance organization that will always challenge you to think big. Our organizational development team will provide you with resources to ensure you keep growing. We provide employees with reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education. All employees have access to LinkedIn Learning's 10,000+ courses to support their continued growth and development.
• We care about your well-being. Regardless of your location, we will provide you with a competitive array of benefits to support you from our Employee Assistance Program to Local Employee Meetups to flexible time off policy, to name a few. While the philosophy around our benefits is the same worldwide, specific benefits may vary based on local regulations and preferences.
• We reward our employees. The salary range for this position is $80,000 -$105,000 based on market data, relevant years of experience, and skills. You may qualify for a bonus in addition to base salary; bonus amounts are determined based on company and individual performance. We also provide equity compensation to eligible employees, including equity grants upon hire and the option to participate in our Employee Stock Purchase Program. 
• We value diversity and inclusion. We are an equal-opportunity employer, and recognize that diversity of thought and background builds stronger teams and products to serve our customers. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.