Alumni Relations & Event Manager

Universities of Wisconsin•Madison, WI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Alumni Relations & Events Manager reports to the College of Engineering’s Advancement Manager and is a core member of the Advancement Office. This role provides daily management of a comprehensive program of alumni relations and coordination of the annual fund raising efforts for the College of Engineering. This position plays a key role in implementing alumni engagement and annual giving initiatives that support the strategic direction set by the Advancement Manager, the Chief Advancement Officer, and the Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering. The Alumni Relations & Event Manager is responsible for the following areas: • Alumni Communication, Engagement, and Records • Gift Stewardship • Annual Fund Program • Alumni Awards submission • Alumni Events including but not limited to: • On campus events • Regional alumni events • Engineer’s Day alumni award events Some weekend and night work required. Ability to travel as needed. This is a position for someone who enjoys broad-ranging tasks and responsibilities in a dynamic department. The Alumni Relations & Event Manager establishes and maintains communication links with internal and external constituencies and assists faculty, staff, students, and visitors in support of the mission of the department. The incumbent also recommends strategies for strengthening alumni participation and support, oversees the implementation and management of assigned programs which includes the recruitment and coordination of a volunteer alumnus base, and maintains and updates the alumni database to track engagement, attendance, and donations. The incumbent will work closely with fundraising, marketing, and other college departments and the UW Foundation to align alumni relations strategies with organizational goals. This position requires excellent administrative, organizational, oral and written communication, computer, and interpersonal skills in order to carry out the duties set forth. The incumbent is expected to utilize a considerable amount of independent initiative and judgment, exercising a high level of administrative problem solving, analytic ability, and confidentiality. It is critical that the incumbent establishes and maintains effective working relationships with individuals and groups at all levels of the organization and always uses discretion in carrying out their duties. While the role requires independent initiative in managing activities and procedures, the Alumni Relations & Event Manager operates within a team‑based environment and collaborates closely with the Advancement Manager to ensure alignment with strategic goals. Key Job Responsibilities: Management of the College of Engineering Premium Suite at UW Athletic Events. Oversee operations, guest experience, and event‑day logistics for the College’s premium suite during UW Athletic games. Manages timely, accurate, and mission‑aligned stewardship touchpoints for College donors within the annual donor stewardship program. Monitors, organizes, and updates donor records, and implements operating policies and procedures Plans and directs staff implementation of the annual giving campaign and identifies opportunities for new programs and events to increase donor contributions, and serves as a subject matter expert on annual giving strategies Identifies data trends, errors, and insufficient data; and reports variances according to established policies and procedures Plans and leads the implementation of major alumni events, volunteer committees, and activities in alignment with strategic initiatives and objectives Serves as a unit liaison for internal and external stakeholders, answers questions, and provides information about established programs based on set material or standards Leads the development, production, and dissemination of communication and branding strategies and materials for the unit Department: College of Engineering, Advancement Compensation: The starting salary for the position is $58,000, but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Requirements

A minimum of 2 years of experience in a professional relationship building role such as event planning, student engagement, alumni and/or donor relations among others.
Professional event planning experience.
Ability to work collaboratively and courteously with faculty, staff, students, alumni, other constituents, and the general public.
Demonstrated ability to strategize, implement, and build alumni affinity and communications activities, along with a talent for motivating and coordinating volunteers.
Strong oral and written skills with high degree of office management/administrative skills.
Flexibility and initiative, as well as the ability to work independently, combined with the skills for thriving in a team environment to achieve institutional goals.
High professional and ethical standards for handling confidential information.
Ability to organize and complete multiple tasks simultaneously with close attention to detail and prioritization to meet deadlines.

Nice To Haves

Experience with email marketing tools
Experience with utilizing a CRM database
Higher education or nonprofit experience
Experience with Excel or Google sheets
Strong preference for candidates with direct experience leading and managing events as the primary point of contact — including planning, coordinating logistics, overseeing vendors, and ensuring successful execution.

Responsibilities

Management of the College of Engineering Premium Suite at UW Athletic Events.
Oversee operations, guest experience, and event‑day logistics for the College’s premium suite during UW Athletic games.
Manages timely, accurate, and mission‑aligned stewardship touchpoints for College donors within the annual donor stewardship program.
Monitors, organizes, and updates donor records, and implements operating policies and procedures
Plans and directs staff implementation of the annual giving campaign and identifies opportunities for new programs and events to increase donor contributions, and serves as a subject matter expert on annual giving strategies
Identifies data trends, errors, and insufficient data; and reports variances according to established policies and procedures
Plans and leads the implementation of major alumni events, volunteer committees, and activities in alignment with strategic initiatives and objectives
Serves as a unit liaison for internal and external stakeholders, answers questions, and provides information about established programs based on set material or standards
Leads the development, production, and dissemination of communication and branding strategies and materials for the unit