Associate Director, Volunteer Engagement

Emerson College•Boston, MA

1d•$74,500 - $91,350•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, the Associate Director oversees the development, execution, and enhancement of Emerson’s flagship external volunteer programs. The Associate Director acts as a bridge between high-net-worth volunteers, academic and College leadership, and fundraising teams to align volunteer engagement with institutional priorities and major giving pipelines. The Associate Director, Volunteer Engagement is an important role focused primarily on high-level volunteer management, advisory committee support and coordination within the Institutional Advancement division.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Communications, or related field or equivalent professional experience required
4-6 Years of progressively responsible experience in higher education advancement, non-profit board governance, or high-touch relationship management required.
Demonstrated track record of success in designing, managing, and sustaining sophisticated volunteer leadership structures or advisory boards required.
Exceptional interpersonal skills with a proven ability to navigate highly complex social and professional settings involving high-net-worth individuals, trustees, and executive leaders.
Ability to synthesize institutional priorities with volunteer motivations to construct mutually beneficial engagement models.
Flawless written and oral communication skills, with a distinct talent for articulating an institution's mission to inspire philanthropic action and deep involvement.
Proven capability to build consensus, foster collaboration, and maintain relationships across a heavily matrixed organization involving faculty, deans, and senior administrators.
High level of comfort with modern advancement ecosystems, including sophisticated fundraising databases/CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser's Edge) and the application of cutting-edge AI tools for relationship management and predictive analytics.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or advanced certification (e.g., CFRE) preferred.
Professional experience operating or fundraising within communications, arts, media, or higher education environments is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Direct and manage operations for the School-based Advisory Committees, in partnership with Academic Deans and the Family Executive Council (in concert with the Major Gifts team), including designing strategic agendas, supervising meeting logistics, and managing post-meeting action items.
Direct and manage additional specialty Advisory Committees, in areas such as Industry Relations; Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship; Global Engagement; and other areas as assigned.
Plan and successfully execute a calendar of volunteer engagements, ensuring each advisory committee executes at least one virtual and one high-touch, in-person meeting per fiscal year.
Collaborate closely with the VP of IA, President’s Office, and Development Officers to strategically identify, cultivate, and onboard high-level volunteers, qualifying them for potential future Trusteeship or leadership roles.
Maintain comprehensive, real-time records and accurate rosters of all institutional volunteer committees within the constituent relationship management (CRM) database to facilitate pipeline tracking and leadership reporting.
Establish and maintain a regular debrief schedule with the VP and President concerning critical volunteer interactions, ensuring relevant intelligence is integrated into major gift strategies and fundraising goals.
Direct the creation, synthesis, and review of comprehensive presidential briefings, research profiles, and event profiles for the President's Office. Partner directly with the Director/Special Assistant to the President and Director of Executive Communication to ensure the President is seamlessly prepared for high-touch volunteer interactions, donor salons, and institutional flagship events.
Develop and deploy highly customized, bespoke communication plans for Advisory Committees and leadership groups, ensuring volunteers receive timely, sophisticated updates on institutional developments and industry trends.
Act as a key cross-functional liaison with Academic Deans and department chairs, translating institutional milestones and academic successes into compelling content for volunteer advisory committee networks.
Partner closely with the Associate Vice Presidents (AVPs) of Advancement to provide strategic direction and operational support for institutional flagship events, including Master Classes, Alumni Weekend, Parent and Family Weekend, and intimate donor salons.
Perform other special advancement initiatives and duties as assigned by the Vice President for Institutional Advancement to support broader divisional priorities.