Associate Director, Alumni Relations

William Paterson University invites applications for the 12-month full-time position of Associate Director, Alumni Relations.

The Associate Director of Alumni Relations will build and strengthen the William Paterson University alumni community of more than 80,000 graduates by creating and implementing engagement opportunities. Reporting to the Executive Director of Alumni Relations, the Associate Director will work closely with the alumni relations team to lead both alumni communications and assigned segments of the alumni engagement program. This individual will foster alumni connections developing and implementing strategies and key modes of engagement that include, but are not limited to philanthropic, volunteer, experiential, and communication.

Department overview:

The Office of Alumni Relations is dedicated to creating and implementing engagement opportunities that foster a strong and vibrant alumni community. The alumni relations program provides meaningful ways for alumni to remain connected to their university, fellow alumni and current students through volunteerism, experiences, communication and philanthropy. The department is committed to engaging alumni in ways that support the aspirations of the diverse body of motivated students who currently attend William Paterson University. Dedicated to empowering our students to succeed by providing a challenging, rigorous education in a highly supportive environment, our New Jersey State public university takes the extra step to engage alumni in ways that develop and maintain community, purpose, and belonging.

We invite you to be an integral part of a robust, dedicated, and welcoming team. For more information please visit: https://www.wpunj.edu/alumni/index.html

Duties and responsibilities:

• Conceptualize, plan, implement, and manage programmatic initiatives for assigned segment areas of alumni relations program.
• Plan, execute, and oversee events and activities; articulate purpose and objectives, create and maintain budget, identify audience, develop communications, manage logistics, and conduct assessment
• Develop and sustain strong relationships; work closely with alumni volunteers to identify and manage meaningful and impactful interactions and volunteer opportunities; identify opportunities to collaborate with on campus partners
• Develop and implements a multi-channel communications to engage alumni in the life of the University; create impactful digital and print communications such as invitations, announcements, reminders, follow up messages, and marketing materials; assess impact through metrics and data analysis
• Manage alumni relations website and social media platforms; continuous update and improvement of the alumni section of the alumni relations webpage and alumni social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube; develop compelling content that increases traffic and grows engagement; liaise with University Marketing and Public Relations groups
• Contribute to digital engagement initiatives to expand digital programming; webinars and workshops, online talks and lectures, virtual networking gatherings, interactive social activities, etc.
• Actively participate in fundraising initiatives; achieve personal fundraising goals by managing a portfolio of prospects; work closely with Annual Giving to identify and implement fundraising initiatives
• Provide timely, accurate, and impactful customer service to constituents; in-person, phone and email
• Perform other duties as assigned that are appropriate for the position

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from accredited college or University
• Three or more years of professional work experience
• Demonstrated skill in digital communications including web, e-communications and social media
• Ability to create, plan and execute effective engagement programs, events, and activities
• Able to work flexible hours, including evening or weekend to attend University-hosted events and meetings as required

Preferred qualifications:

• Master's degree
• Alumni engagement experience
• Communications experience
• Higher education experience
• Fundraising experience in higher education or not-for-profit settings

Personal attributes and traits:

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in both written and oral format
• Ability to determine how long it will take to complete a project and to then effectively break the project down into components and develop specific time frames to meet deadlines.
• Able to analyze multiple aspects of a situation, gain insight, and make decisions that lead to desired outcomes.
• Capable of understanding, managing, and addressing competing wants and needs in a diverse environment
• Demonstrated ability to exhibit persistence in the face of obstacles

Please click here to apply for the position.

Interested candidates will be prompted to:

Complete an application

Submit a cover letter & resume

Provide names/contacts of three professional references.

Submission of all documents listed above is required for consideration.

Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled. General questions related to this application process, please contact talent@wpunj.edu

William Paterson University is the third most diverse public university in New Jersey. As a longstanding member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), we have been designated by the US Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. William Paterson University is also proud to be designated as a NASA MSI (Minority Serving Institution). The University offers more than 250 undergraduate and graduate academic programs that range from liberal arts and sciences to pre-professional and professional programs; it enrolls nearly 10,000 students from across the country and from over 40 nations. The University is situated on a beautiful, 380-acre suburban campus in Wayne, New Jersey, just twenty miles west of New York City.

William Paterson University is an equal opportunity employer that actively values and supports diversity among faculty, staff and students. Women, minorities, and members of under-represented groups are encouraged to apply.

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