Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Development
The University of Chicago

Job Info

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Department

Crown External Affairs

About the Department

As one of the first schools of social work in the United States, the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice has shaped the field through a combination of research, teaching, and practice. Since the School's founding more than 100 years ago, Crown Family School faculty, students, and alumni have addressed such complex social problems as poverty, violence, educational inequality, child welfare, homelessness, health, and environmental disparities. Included within Crown Family School is the Urban Education Institute (UEI), a model for how to engage in the systemic improvement of pre-K-12th grade schooling. Through four integrated units, UEI conducts rigorous research (UChicago Consortium), trains educators (UChicago UTEP), operates school campuses (UChicago Charter), and provides research-based learning tools (UChicago Impact). On the global stage, the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development, led in partnership with the Biological Sciences Division, is addressing health inequities and their root causes. It serves as the University's gateway in bringing together teams from around the University and partner communities to address social determinants of health and improve infrastructure to promote community health and well-being around the world. Other Crown Family School centers, including the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention, the Center for Health Administration Studies, the Smart Decarceration Project, the Employment Instability, Family Well-being, and Social Policy Network (EINet), and the Network for College Success, work in partnership with community residents, businesses, and stakeholders to achieve the greatest breakthroughs. Today, our work has never been more important. More than 8,000 Crown Family School graduates in the US and globally hold leadership positions in academia, at nonprofits, and at governmental agencies - committed to create a more just and more humane society through principles of inclusion, equity, and diversity.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Development assists in the planning, implementation, and staffing of a coordinated structure of alumni programs and volunteer activities designed to strategically connect students with alumni, to educate students about their membership in the Alumni Association, to cultivate future alumni participation and leadership, and to transition students into engaged alumni. The Assistant Director is charged with the identification, cultivation, stewardship, and training of alumni leaders/volunteers through the successful development and implementation of events, programs, and recognition opportunities designed to grow engagement of students and alumni in meaningful ways and that advance the objectives of the Crown Family School , its Alumni Association, and the broader University. The Assistant Director works with their supervisor and volunteer leadership to develop measureable goals, objectives and the tactics. This role is the principal contact and liaison for the Alumni Association and its Board. The Assistant Director provides recommendations, guidance, and support to volunteers who develop and implement a schedule of diverse programs that that maximize engagement and effectively showcase the mission of the School, while being appropriately scaled to School size and budget. As the primary liaison with the alumni, the Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Development manages email correspondence and exchanges/inquiries and help alumni navigate Crown Family School and the University for information, service, and programs. The Assistant Director works with the communications team to craft and coordinate messaging to the boarder alumni community through the production of mailings, emails, invitations, social media and web posts. This role tracks participation and progress in student/alumni programs. Assists in developing a departmental strategic plan, setting departmental goals, and creating and adhering to an annual budget. The Assistant Director also manages the School's Annual Fund communications, with oversight from the Associate Dean of Development. The activities of this position are focused on increasing engagement and participation of the School's community of alumni and friends via diversified communication programs and activities. May conduct visits and discovery calls, passing leads to the appropriate fundraisers.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with manager and leverage data to identify and target critical gaps in alumni outreach and programming by milestone and region.
  
• Collaborate with manager on local and regional efforts.
  
• Complete individual meetings in person and remotely.
  
• Filter leads to gift officers as appropriate.
  
• Develop toolkits and scripts for use by alumni leaders to drive event attendance.
  
• Develop class/decade captain program and collaborate with gift officers to establish a reunion giving program.
  
• Identify unique alumni stories and profiles for publication.
  
• Identify and recruit distinguished alumni for speaking invitations for alumni, student and donor programs locally and regionally.
  
• In coordination with the University's annual giving staff, oversees all aspects of the School's campaign for annual gift support from alumni and other constituents at all levels through direct mail and call.
  
• Works closely with annual giving staff, School leadership, faculty, staff, and alumni volunteers to develop plans and initiatives to increase the level of giving and the number of annual donors to the School.
  
• Acts as a principal contact and liaison for alumni within a specific region and coordinate regional activities with other areas of development and assures that no conflict occurs.
  
• Establishes and maintains metrics of success and makes sure those are present in departmental strategic plans, goals setting, and the annual budget.
  
• Performs other related work as needed.
  

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree.
  

Experience:

• Professional fundraising or volunteer management experience with increased responsibility and project management required; proven success in one or more of the following areas: alumni relations, development, public relations, events management, or other similar professional work experience .
  

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Computer literate and experienced in Microsoft Office Suite.
  

Preferred Competencies

• Experience with alumni or donor relations.
  
• Strong verbal and written communications skills with demonstrated ability to communicate with discretion, tact and diplomacy; including working with volunteers.
  
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple, ongoing projects.
  
• Demonstrated ability to incorporate data and feedback into decision-making.
  
• Highly collaborative with the ability to build consensus.
  
• Customer service orientation.
  
• Ability to perform multiple projects simultaneously with attention to detail and deadlines.
  
• Ability to exercise strong interpretive judgment.
  
• Exceptional work ethic, detail oriented, with strong attention to detail.
  
• Seek opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University, Crown Family School, and with colleagues at peer institutions.
  
• Willingness to keep a flexible work schedule that requires some evening, weekend and early morning hours.
  
• Easily navigate to preferred alumni venues in the city and suburbs.
  
• Some out of town travel.
  
• Experience working with people from diverse backgrounds.
  
• Familiarity with University of Chicago and the field of social work is preferred.
  

Application Documents

• Cover Letter (required)
  
• Resume (required)
  

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

Job Family

Alumni Relations & Development

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

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.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at:http://securityreport.uchicago.edu.Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

This job has expired.