Associate Director, Alumni and Volunteer Experience

About the role

Department

ADV Regional Alumni Engagement

Job Summary

The Associate Director, Alumni and Volunteer Experience, is an integral part of a team focused on the University’s regional alumni engagement strategy. The position is responsible for programs and fundraisers designed to engage the alumni community worldwide, increase participation, and advance the objectives of UChicago Alumni, divisional alumni initiatives, and the broader University.

This position uses best practices and knowledge within Alumni Relations and leads a program designed to engage the alumni community worldwide, increase participation, and advance the objectives of the Alumni Association and the broader University. Researches, executes, and implements best practices in alumni relationship management.

This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements strategic plans for a portfolio of regional alumni communities, establishing measurable engagement goals and using participation and engagement data to evaluate outcomes and refine strategies.
• Serves as primary University liaison to a diverse portfolio of alumni communities.
• Manages a portfolio of engaged alumni, stewarding their volunteer experience and engagement with a focus on identifying opportunities to deepen engagement.
• Partners with departmental leadership to implement strategies to recruit, retain, train, support, and steward volunteer leadership across regions, with an emphasis on deepening volunteer and alumni engagement.
• Manages all aspects of engagement for assigned alumni communities, including programming, communications/marketing, and budget.
• Travels to assigned regions to build and strengthen engagement and participation.
• Collaborates with partners across the division and the University to align and maximize the impact of programs and services for alumni, students, parents, and friends. Identifies opportunities to strategically engage assigned alumni communities in support of signature UChicago Alumni engagement and fundraising initiatives.
• Builds a culture of philanthropy across assigned alumni communities, supporting divisional qualification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies and ensuring that volunteer boards meet philanthropic goals.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions and with an eye towards broadly diversifying the advancement profession.
• Is part of the strategy of the Alumni Association in order to provide peerless service to alumni worldwide and develop lifelong relationships in a manner consistent with sound business practices and overarching University and development goals.
• Assists in leading and coordinating the planning, organization, and management of events, programs, and services designed to cultivate and maintain ties between the University of Chicago and key constituent groups. May assist in or individually create a marketing plan to maximize participation and engagement of alumni, parents, and friends.
• Has a deep understanding of strategic planning, data management, the creation and tracking of metrics, and the creation and implementation of new constituent relations programs worldwide. Measures, tracks, and reports participation and success of initiatives.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications: Preferred Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience

• Minimum five years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni engagement, marketing, public relations, sales, or similar field.
• Managing relationships with volunteers, alumni, donors, or similar constituent groups, including strategies to deepen engagement.
• Developing and implementing constituent engagement strategies, programs, or initiatives.
• Using data and metrics to evaluate engagement and inform strategy.

Technical Skills or Knowledge

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to Advancement, including Phoenix, the University's Donor Relationship Management Salesforce System.
• Proficient in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.

Preferred Competencies

• Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.
• Self-motivated and take initiative.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
• Strong commitment to customer service.

Working Conditions

• This position has a hybrid work schedule which includes weekly in office presence.
• Standard office environment.
• Travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed.
• This position is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, addressed to Hiring Committee (required)

Additional information

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

• Job Family
• Alumni Relations & Development
• Role Impact
• Individual Contributor
• Scheduled Weekly Hours
• 37.5
• Drug Test Required
• No
• Health Screen Required
• No
• Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
• No
• Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range $76,500.00 - $90,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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