Job Description

Director of Alumni & Parent Relations
University of Puget Sound
Job ID: 8384
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

Staff Posting Details

Appointment: Regular, full-time (1.0 FTE) position

Work Location: This position is based in Tacoma, WA, and is hybrid eligible (minimum of 3 days on-site) after a successful evaluation period.

Position Summary:

The Director of Alumni and Parent Relations at the University of Puget Sound is the primary keeper of relationships between the university and the 50,000 alumni, students and families who call campus home. The ideal candidate for this position is a relationship-builder at heart; seeking to bring Loggers together through a variety of targeted engagement opportunities that foster connection for a lifetime. As a member of the University Relations leadership team, the Director of Alumni and Parent Relations is a key contributor to divisional initiatives that aid the university in meeting its short- and long-term strategic and fundraising goals. Utilizing data and other resources, the director builds and implements an arc of engagement opportunities for alumni and families that coalesce with programs in the Offices of Annual Giving, Capital and Planned Giving, and Donor Relations. The director also collaborates closely with other colleagues across the division, including the Office of Marketing and Communications, and members of the campus community including the highly esteemed faculty. The director is an externally-facing role with high visibility that reports to the associate vice president for constituent relations and supervises a forward-facing team of professional staff and student staff.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Lead, manage, and direct the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations as it seeks to involve and engage alumni, students, parents, and families of current and former students in the life of the University of Puget Sound. Work with the associate vice president for constituent relations to ensure that office plans are aligned with the vision of the president, vice president for university relations, and board of trustees.
• Strategize a suite of targeted and relevant engagement opportunities that are directly tied to the divisional goals and support successful fundraising outcomes, ensuring prioritized populations of alumni and parents/families have opportunities to be cultivated in their commitment to the University of Puget Sound.
• With colleagues in the Office of Marketing and Communications, build an arc of in-person and digital engagements and targeted communications that ensure all alumni and parents/families across the globe feel connected to the intellectual life of the university. Ensure communications honor generational differences while visioning the university's future.
• Define and leverage data analytics - including but not limited to: alumni surveys, attachment scores, etc. - to inform the office's work. Use data to assess impact and effectiveness and be willing to course-correct as needed. University Relations uses Raiser's Edge NXT as the constituent database.
• Serve as the primary support and first line of contact for the Alumni volunteer structure, with direct leadership of the Alumni Council Executive Committee. Design volunteer engagement that results in a deepened, more meaningful connection to the alma mater. Guide campus offices in their successful leadership of volunteers. Plan and execute volunteer meetings and support volunteers as they seek to implement plans and achieve programmatic goals year-round. Track outcomes and ensure targeted volunteer goals are met (i.e., recruitment, attendance, etc.).
• Grow the class-based and affinity-based engagement structures that begins with the student experience and continues to the 50th reunion and beyond. Lead the recruitment and engagement of alumni volunteers and a robust class and affinity reunion program that facilitates increased ownership and pride among alumni volunteer leadership. Partner with colleagues in Student Affairs to successfully engage current students in this work.
• Manage the relationship of a small portfolio of highly-esteemed constituents, inclusive of all engagement and giving activities.
• Provide leadership and supervision to the staff of the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations and manage the office's day-to-day operations. Establish and achieve Alumni and Parent Relations contact staff goals for constituent interaction and volunteer recruitment, fundraising, stewardship, and orientation purposes, including documentation of outcomes and follow-up.
• Serve as a member of the University Relations leadership team, effectively contributing to the planning and goal setting for the division.
• Represent the University of Puget Sound in a consistently professional and ethical manner.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises assistant and associate directors and office manager.

Budget Responsibilities

Manages office budgets and prepares budget variance and other reports as needed and in accordance with established deadlines.

Qualifications:

• Three or more years of experience leading alumni and parent programming, or managing a constituent engagement program or similar experience;
• A track record of program development and implementation, reporting and analysis;
• Ability to be innovative while also appreciating university traditions and current practices;
• Significant experience working productively with volunteers;
• The ability to work and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with a broad range of internal and external constituents including faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and friends of the university;
• The ability to work independently, solve problems, handle confidential information, navigate sensitive situations, and resolve conflict in an amicable manner;
• Superior management and personnel skills, and a track record of leading, managing, and motivating a team to meet and exceed goals;
• Highly developed computer skills including experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as constituent relations software such as Raiser's Edge;
• Excellent organizational and planning skills as well as superior attentiveness to detail;
• A commitment to working with colleagues and volunteers from diverse backgrounds and fostering an inclusive work environment; Ability to travel locally and work some evenings and weekends; and,
• A bachelor's degree
• Ability to respectfully work, communicate and provide leadership within a diverse campus community

Compensation and Benefits:

The anticipated range for this position is $86,756 - $94,130. Decisions about starting salaries are made based on the extent and relatedness of the candidate's education and experience and on internal equity and market considerations.

Puget Sound offers a generous benefits package for eligible staff employees, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement plan options and 403(b) contributions
• Paid vacation, sick leave, floating holiday, campus holidays and bonus holidays
• Education benefits, such as full tuition for eligible employees and their families
• Access to university facilities and entertainment (fitness center, pool, library, concerts, lectures and more!)

Please note:

• Positions that work less than .75 FTE (1,560 hours per year) do not qualify for long-term disability or education benefits.
• Positions that work less than .50 FTE (1,040 hours per year) will accrue paid sick leave but are not eligible for additional benefits.
• Temporary positions that work at least .50 FTE (1,040 hours per year) will be eligible for benefits.

This position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

For more information on Puget Sound's non-exempt staff benefits package, visit: Summary of 2025 Benefits for Staff Members in Non-Exempt Positions.pdf

For the Campus Holiday and Bonus Day Schedule, visit: https://www.pugetsound.edu/human-resources

Application Deadline:

Review of applications will begin immediately. Search and selection procedures will be closed when a sufficient number of qualified candidates have been identified.

Required Documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest

Applications submitted without the required attachments will not be considered.

All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of all required background checks.

University Diversity Statement

We acknowledge the richness of commonalities and differences we share as a university community; the intrinsic worth of all who work and study here; that education is enhanced by investigation of and reflection upon multiple perspectives.
We aspire to create respect for and appreciation of all persons as a key characteristic of our campus community; to increase the diversity of all parts of our University community through commitment to diversity in our recruitment and retention efforts; to foster a spirit of openness to active engagement among all members of our campus community.
We act to achieve an environment that welcomes and supports diversity; to ensure full educational opportunity for all who teach and learn here; to prepare effectively citizen-leaders for a pluralistic world.

Puget Sound is committed to an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. We seek diversity of identity, thought, perspective, and background in our students, faculty, and staff. To learn more please visit: https://pugetsound.edu/about-puget-sound-0/mission-core-values/institutional-equity-diversity

The University of Puget Sound is an equal opportunity employer.

Please note that we generally do not sponsor applicants for work visas for staff positions. Therefore, we generally require applicants for staff positions to be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.