A liaison job is a position where the role is to act as the middle-man between two people or entities. For example, a systems analyst works with both the workers of a business and the management of the same business. In this case, the systems analyst works toward understanding the software, automation and workflow needs of the employees of the company that have to carry out the work to report these needs back to the management to ensure it complies with the overall goals of the business.
With the advancement of technology and the Internet, opportunities for a liaison job have opened widely. In addition to technology, free trade has also opened this door. Offshore outsourcing is one arena where there are many opportunities.
When it comes to offshore outsourcing, the challenge is transitioning technical positions into the customer-service orientation that a liaison job requires. For example, if a computer technology company outsources to a company that employs computer technicians in India, this may or may not cause a problem. While the technicians know the technical side of the computer business, they may have the customer-service skills and personality traits that an effective liaison between the computer company and its customers need.
In short, a liaison job can refer to any position where this is an intermediary between two parties. A parent liaison is a position where the person holding the role is the intermediary between the parents of the kids and the school officials of the school. The liaison would meet with both sides of the equation.
A parent liaison meets with parents and the kids to find out what their concerns are. The liaison then meets with the school officials to report the concerns of the parents to them. The liaison then works with the school officials to come up with responses or solutions to go back to the parents with their concerns.
Beyond technology, the legal field is another popular place for a liaison role. When two parties are in dispute over a situation, transaction or other issue, a liaison can play a vital role in resolving the matter. A liaison between the two parties works to help them come to an agreement so that it keeps the matter out of the court system. Depending on the state, this may require further education or requirements than simply holding a law degree or having experience working in the legal field.