Senior Director of Alumni Relations
The Senior Director of Alumni Relations serves as a senior member of the Alumni Relations leadership team, providing strategic direction and oversight for key alumni engagement programs and initiatives. The position has primary responsibility for the Alumni Chapters program and leads efforts to strengthen, expand, and enhance chapter engagement and volunteer leadership. The Senior Director will also identify and develop new opportunities to engage alumni, families, and friends and provide…
strategic leadership for the continued growth of the alumni tours and travel program.
The position serves as the primary staff partner to the Executive Director of Alumni Relations in supporting the Alumni Board of Directors and its activities. The Senior Director supervises the Engagement Coordinator and provide direction for the coordination of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) events and engagement initiatives. The role also includes collaboration across campus with schools, colleges, and campus partners to advance alumni engagement and philanthropic support.
In addition, the position plans and executes select high-level Alumni Relations events and cultivates relationships with key alumni and engagement prospects, with an emphasis on building pathways that support future philanthropic involvement. Success in this role requires strong strategic leadership, relationship-building, program development, volunteer management, and the ability to translate Alumni Relations priorities into meaningful opportunities for lifelong engagement and future philanthropic support.
Special Instructions to Applicants
This position is structured as a permanent position within the Division of Development & Alumni Relations. We are unable to sponsor a work visa for this position.
Additional Schedule Information
8:00am–5:00pm; Flexibility to work evenings and weekends will be necessary to meet business needs
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent plus 10 years of professional experience to include 3 years of supervisory experience
Preferred Qualifications
- At least eight (8) years of work in development, advancement, engagement, alumni relations, sales, service, or other experience in a philanthropic setting
- Supervisory and management experience related to holding teams accountable to goals
- Budget management experience
- Volunteer management experience
- Event planning experience
- Sales and marketing experience
- Communications experience
- Development/Advancement and Alumni Relations/Engagement experience
- Program Development experience
- Program management experience
- Fluent experience creating and working with spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel)
- Ability to establish the trust of colleagues and build strong relationships with key faculty/staff
- Exhibits behavior that supports the mission, vision, and values of the University of Georgia
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competence
- Management and supervisory abilities that motivate, coach, and lead groups and individuals
- Experience in volunteer management and event planning.
- Critical thinking, strategic planning, and ability to execute tasks at a high level.
- Experience with fundraising or advancement.
- Excellent time management and the ability to prioritize multiple competing priorities.
- Exemplary communications skills (both written and verbal).
- Commitment to outstanding customer service.
- Collaborative style combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment
- Creative thinker with ability to receive constructive feedback on ideas.
- Demonstrated computer competency and knowledgeable of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, TEAMS, and social media outlets.
- Quick learner, self-starter, and can adapt to a fast paced, multi-faceted, and dynamic organization.
- Ability to articulate a proposal clearly and concisely for a new strategy or solution to a problem so that others can quickly and easily understand.
- Ability to maintain high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to university business and confidential donor and prospect information.
- Communicates and employs interpersonal actions that model high standards of professional, responsible, accountable, and ethical conduct.
Additional Division Expectations
- Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment.
- Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising and engagement reporting are expected of all professionals. All professionals will be held accountable for meeting this expectation.
Physical Demands
- Sit for extended periods while working at a computer workstation and during travel as required by job responsibilities
- Hold a valid driver’s license
- Driving as needed to perform job duties
- Travel in and out of state
- Work evenings and weekends, as necessary
- Sit and work at a computer workstation for an extended amount of time
- Work using electronic mail, telephone, face-to-face discussions, paper form correspondence
- Communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and listening
- Organize and establish priorities; Remember detail; multi-task
- Lift and/or move up to 20 pounds
- Walk, stand, stoop, lift, kneel, climb
Duties/Responsibilies
(15%) Chapter and Program Management
- Responsible for developing a strategic plan for the Chapters program to ensure the Division of Development & Alumni Relations’ (DAR) priority markets and future markets are effective chapters and strong volunteer leaders in place for each chapter.
- Manage a team of Chapters staff, fostering an environment of collaboration with Regional Development and other DAR partners to increase productivity of Chapters.
- Lead staff in areas of interpersonal communication, professional development, and problem solving.
- Regularly communicate with the Director of Alumni Relations to ensure the vision and plans for Chapters are being executed properly.
- Responsible for the oversight of an annual budget for the chapters program.
- Build internal relationships with campus colleagues to improve the Chapter experience.
- Enhance pre- and post-event engagement strategies and best practices for entire Alumni Relations team to follow.
(30%) Alumni Board Engagement and Campus Partner Collaboration
- Provide support to the UGA Alumni Relations Board.
- Serves as primary liaison to board members as directed by Executive Director
- Responsible for assisting the Alumni Board President with meeting planning (3 annual meetings, exec retreat, and orientation), accountability for board members, goal tracking for reporting.
- Oversee the board nomination process as directed by the Executive Director
- Supervise Engagement Coordinator and their responsibilities with 40 Under 40, Bulldog 100, and Alumni Awards processes.
- Responsible for planning and executing monthly or bi-monthly campus partner meetings.
- Responsible for developing a campus liaison structure to promote strong collaboration and to send/collect volunteer referrals.
- Serve as the primary liaison to DAR divisions, including the Regional Development, Career Center, Business Engagement, and Constituent Relations teams, for events and programs as needed.
(30%) Engagement Programming and Events
- Research, plan, and execute new engagement programming.
- Further develop and promote alumni tours program to generate additional scholarship support for experiential learning.
- Benchmark with peer and aspirational peers to strategically launch new engagement programs and enhance current programs.
- Serve as a primary lead for planning and execution engagement events and programs (football suite, tailgates, Advancing the Arch leadership training weekend, regional partnerships, and other events).
- Manage the football suite invitation process, curate invite list, staffing requirements, ensure sky suite is used strategically, working closely with Executive Director, and assigned Engagement Coordinator who manages sky suite administration.
(10%) Management and Supervision
- Manage and supervise staff members reporting directly to this position.
- Develop performance initiatives, expectations, and evaluate his/her performance annually.
(15%) Other Collaboration and Strategic Engagement Responsibilities (to include, but not limited to)
- Attend DAR and University events as a senior representative of Alumni Relations.
- Represent the department working with other departments across the university.
- Assist in assessing metrics and data analysis for program evaluation.
- Manage portfolio of high-level engagement prospects for the purpose of future philanthropic support.
- Ensure engagement with constituents is captured in the Giving and Alumni Information Link system (GAIL).
- Work collaboratively with the communications team to manage Web pages, social media pages, and newsletters.
- Work collaboratively across all unit functions within the Office of Alumni Relations to ensure all teams can fulfill obligations, meet deadlines, and to consistently maintain business continuity.
About the University of Georgia
Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.
About the Division of Development and Alumni Relations
The Division of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Georgia advances the goals, objectives, and priorities of the university by generating private financial support, building, and maintaining relationships with alumni and donors, and assisting students with career development opportunities.
About the Office of Alumni Relations
The UGA Alumni Relations advances the academic excellence, interests, and traditions of Georgia’s flagship university by inspiring engagement through relevant programming, enhanced connections, and effective communications.
EEO Policy Statement
The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).
USG Core Values Statement
The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02.
Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.
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