Assistant Director, Alumni Programs

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director, Alumni Programs, the responsibilities of the Assistant Director, Alumni Programs include developing programs and resources that support student and alumni professional development and mentoring. The assistant director will support the development, marketing and continued growth of Rice’s professional development technology platform (Sallyportal). Duties include the administration and successful maintenance of the technology platform and developing and implementing strategies to increase alumni and student engagement though Sallyportal. The Assistant Director is also responsible for the development of campus partner relationships to encourage participation in mentoring programs, and for the recruitment and support of career and mentoring participants from the Rice community including alumni, students and parents. In addition, this position will support the development of increased programming and strategies to increase current student connections to alumni, including Life After Rice and the OwlEdge Externship program (the targeted recruitment of members of the Rice community who volunteer to serve as speakers and hosts).

The ideal candidate is a self-starter, displays a positive attitude and professional demeanor, and is able to cultivate meaningful relationships while simultaneously coordinating multiple projects. The candidate must have rigorous attention to detail.

Essential Functions

• Develops, contacts, and maintains relationships with alumni, faculty, students, staff, and vendors
• Recruits faculty and volunteers to facilitate their participation in alumni programs and events
• Develops and implements a range of alumni events, programs, and services
• Coordinates operational and logistical planning of alumni events, activities, outreach efforts, and event registration
• Produces reports and analyzes the performance of alumni programs and services
• Recruits and oversees student workers and temporary/casual workers
• Maintains calendars on events including arranging meetings, travel, and document preparation
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions/Information

• Supports the development, marketing and continued growth of Rice’s professional development technology platform (Sallyportal)
• Develops and implements strategies to increase alumni and student engagement
• Develops campus partner relationships to encourage participation in mentoring programs, and for the recruitment and support of career and mentoring participants from the Rice community
• Assists with marketing, planning and managing of alumni programs, events, educational opportunities, and/or other alumni initiatives
• Develops, contacts, and maintains relationships with alumni, faculty, students, staff and vendors
• Recruits faculty and volunteers to facilitate their participation in alumni programs and events
• Performs all other duties as assigned
• This position may require travel and the ability to work nights and weekends as needed
• Requires frequent contact with many offices within the University, including all offices within the division and other administrative and academic offices, including those of the President and Provost, as well as with division heads, department chairs, students, faculty and other staff members
• Requires extensive contact with Rice alumni and parents, as well as frequent contact with both internal and external vendors

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree
• One year of related professional experience in a nonprofit or higher education environment, which includes experience in one or more of these areas: managing volunteers, relationship cultivation, program management, career development or other related experience
• Skills Required
  • Ability to learn new strategies
  • Written and verbal communication skills
  • Data analysis skills
  • Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously
  • Good organizational and time management skills
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules
  • Attention to detail and ability to quickly understand and remember details about alumni/donors and projects to which they are assigned

Substitutions

• No substitutions for education or experience allowed

License/Certification Requirements

Must possess (or have the ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire) and maintain a valid Texas driver’s license with no more than three moving violations and/or at fault accidents within the past 36 month, and no convictions or deferred dispositions for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence (DUI) within the past five years.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education and Experience
  • Three or more years of professional experience in one or more of the following:
    • Working in a nonprofit or higher education environment
    • Volunteer management
    • Relationship cultivation
    • Career development
    • Working in alumni relations or career services
    • Using Blackbaud CRM or similar alumni/donor database system
• Skills
  • Strong working knowledge of personal computers in a Windows/PC environment
  • Strong communication skills with ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately and tactfully
  • Detail oriented with a strong focus on accuracy
  • High level of maturity and emotional intelligence with capability of exercising good judgment

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

Current Rice University COVID policies, which include vaccination, face mask, testing, gatherings, occupancy limits, and travel policies can be found here: https://coronavirus.rice.edu/policies