Alumni Relations Officer

Alumni Relations Officer

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Alumni Relations Officer at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.

Essential functions (job duties):

Plan and implement a wide range of alumni engagement initiatives including programs, events, and services. Share in the duties of officially representing the Office of Alumni Relations (Alumni Relations) and the Alumni Association (Association) at on and off-campus events. Assist in building and managing a robust and sustainable alumni volunteer base that is representative of the Wayne State University alumni population at-large and key sub-populations. This position reports to the Director, Alumni Relations.

Participate in the planning, coordination and implementation of a portfolio of affinity programs that bring together and serve alumni who share common industry and/or identity-bonds through events, programs, benefits, services, and volunteer opportunities that create and sustain lifelong relationships with the University. Assist with all aspects of related events, programs, benefits/services, and volunteer opportunities that encourage and facilitate student-alumni interaction.

Serve as primary liaison for alumni affinity groups, students (future alumni) and recent alumni (graduated within the last ten years) ensuring stakeholders have accurate information and regular updates on alumni engagement activities.

Develop personal contacts and build strong, long-term relationships with alumni, students, and volunteers. In coordination with colleagues, conduct personal visits with alumni to identify, cultivate, and recruit volunteers, and deepen loyalty to the University.

Work closely with the Office of Annual Giving and other development colleagues to identify alumni with giving potential, offer prospective donor referrals, collect and maintain accurate alumni contact information in the division's CRM system (Advance).

Research, maintain, and apply a current working knowledge of innovative approaches and trends in alumni engagement, specifically related to program, volunteer, and event management.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:


Education Bachelor's degree
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in business administration, public relations or other related field. 

Experience Experienced (minimum 2 years of job-related experience)
Minimum of two (2) years experience in alumni programs, volunteer management, event planning, fundraising, or related area required. Experience in a higher education or non-profit environment preferred. 
Experience in successfully developing, implementing, and executing constituent engagement strategies, programs, and events.

Professional understanding of, and interest in, Alumni Relations' best practices and general operations. Positive and collaborative professional philosophy, recognizing that this position is integral to the achievement of the Alumni Relations' goals and objectives.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS: Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and professionally both orally and in writing. Strong interpersonal skills are a must. Ability to work successfully with persons from diverse backgrounds.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION: Ability to manage several projects simultaneously, prioritize and plan work activities while meeting respective deadlines. Strong organizational and time-management skills required. Demonstrated ability to manage and execute multiple creative projects in various media, often at the same time. Maturity, sound judgment and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a deadline-oriented environment.

ANALYTICAL AND PRESENTATION SKILLS: Ability to evaluate, interpret, and present complex information effectively in professionally prepared documents or presentations. Must possess a demonstrated attention to detail in order to achieve a high degree of accuracy.

TECHNICAL SKILLS: Proficient in the use of complex administrative systems software, preferably in the higher education environment. Proficient with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word and Excel.

LEARNING AGILITY: Independent and innovative self-starter who displays an ability to learn quickly and easily adapts to changing situations. Experience researching topics to gain knowledge and understanding when information gaps exist.

TEAMWORK: Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues within the division and other units to gain full understanding of the project and desired outcome; ability to produce high quality and consistent results with assistance of team members; provide support to teammates when tackling complex projects.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION: Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors and proactively managing implicit bias.

School/College/Division:

H86 - Development & Alumni Affairs

Primary department:

H8604 - Alumni Relations

Employment type:

• Regular Employee
• Job type: Full Time
• Job category: Staff/Administrative

Funding/salary information:

• Compensation type: Hourly Wage
  
• Salary minimum: $55,000
• Salary hire maximum: $60,000

Working conditions:

Normal office environment. Adhere to confidentiality and data usage policy of the division. This position requires a high level of commitment and enthusiasm. It will require regular evening and weekend work to support alumni programs, time-sensitive projects, and participation in scheduled university and alumni events such as Commencement, Welcome Week, Homecoming and Alumni Week. Travel may be required on occasion.

Job openings:

• Number of openings: 1
• Reposted position: No
  

Background check requirements:

University policy requires certain persons who are offered employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment, the university will inform you if a background check is required.

Equal employment opportunity statement:

Wayne State University provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. The university encourages applications from women, people of color and other underrepresented people. Wayne State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.