Director of Alumni and Volunteer Engagement

The New School•Tyrone, PA

8d•$108,000 - $112,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Alumni and Volunteer Engagement provides strategic and operational leadership for The New School’s university-wide alumni engagement program. The Director develops and advances a comprehensive strategy that strengthens alumni connection, supports institutional priorities, and creates meaningful opportunities for alumni to engage with students, faculty, fellow alumni, and the university. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Alumni & Community Engagement, the Director sets goals and priorities and supervises staff responsible for school-based and university-wide engagement initiatives. The Director directly leads alumni engagement for Parsons and Performing Arts while ensuring that alumni across all New School schools and programs receive coordinated, relevant, and inclusive opportunities for lifelong connection. The Director oversees regional and affinity engagement, reunions, events, communications, digital communities, volunteer leadership, and data-informed outreach. The role establishes shared standards, manages resources, assesses performance, and collaborates closely with Development and Alumni Engagement colleagues, academic leadership, faculty, and other university partners.

Requirements

Five to seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in higher education, advancement, alumni relations, or constituent engagement.
Strong presentation and public-speaking skills, with the ability to represent the university effectively in varied settings.
Demonstrated record of designing, growing, and evaluating programs, communications, and events, including large-scale initiatives.
Exceptional organizational, verbal, written, interpersonal, and relationship-management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with varied audiences.
Strong leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to build trust, establish credibility, and work effectively across departments, academic units, and leadership teams.
Sound judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and the ability to navigate complex organizational relationships.
Entrepreneurial and solutions-oriented approach, with the ability to anticipate needs, adapt to changing priorities, and creatively address challenges.
Experience using data and performance measures to evaluate engagement, improve programs, and guide strategic decisions.
Demonstrated proficiency with CRM systems, online community platforms, event registration tools, email marketing systems, or comparable technology.
Experience developing and managing segmented communications and digital engagement strategies.
Strong commitment to The New School’s mission and to accessible, inclusive, and audience-centered engagement.
Availability to work some evenings and weekends and travel occasionally, as required.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive university-wide alumni engagement strategy aligned with institutional and Development and Alumni Engagement priorities while recognizing the distinct identities of The New School’s schools and programs
Establish annual goals, priorities, work plans, timelines, and measures of success for the alumni engagement team.
Oversee the strategic development and execution of an annual slate of in-person and virtual alumni initiatives, including regional, industry, affinity, reunion, volunteer, and community-building opportunities.
Expand alumni participation across career and life stages, geographic regions, industries, affinities, interests, and levels of prior engagement.
Manage alumni engagement resources and align investments with strategic priorities.
Direct Reunion strategy, planning, communications, and execution in partnership with Development and Alumni Engagement and school-based colleagues.
Lead the development and management of the Executive Alumni Council of The New School and provide strategic direction for Alumni Council committees.
Manage relationships with alumni leaders and volunteers, supporting their involvement and deepening their connection to The New School.
Develop alumni leaders and volunteers who serve as informed ambassadors and advocates for The New School.
Partner with student-facing offices to strengthen alumni-to-student engagement and create pathways that support the transition from student to active alum.
Build relationships with industry leaders, employers, and external partners that expand engagement opportunities for alumni and students.
Represent Alumni Engagement on university-wide committees and special initiatives and build partnerships that strengthen alumni and student engagement.
Supervise alumni engagement staff, including setting team priorities, coordinating workflows, establishing expectations, and ensuring accountability for program execution and results.
Promote collaboration and information sharing across the Development and Alumni Engagement division.
Partner with deans, academic leaders, faculty, and school-based colleagues to identify priorities and advance alumni engagement plans.
Build and maintain productive relationships across the university to support coordinated alumni engagement.
Guide segmented outreach strategies based on alumni interests, industries, affiliations, geographic locations, career stages, and engagement preferences.
Direct the strategy, messaging, and development of alumni communications in partnership with the Associate Director of Alumni and Community Engagement Communications
Establish standards for the accurate and timely entry, review, and maintenance of alumni engagement information in Salesforce and lead efforts to improve data quality and completeness.
Establish performance measures for volunteer engagement, mentoring, programming, digital activity, communications, data quality, and program outcomes.
Use performance data and alumni feedback to assess effectiveness, identify engagement gaps, refine audience strategies, allocate resources, and guide future planning.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Retirement plan administered by TIAA
Qualified Transportation Expense Plan
Paid vacation and sick leave, with accruals starting on your first day
Paid holidays and floating holidays
Career advancement and professional development opportunities
Access to university programs, lectures, and events featuring world-renowned speakers and organizations
Tuition waiver benefit for eligible employees and dependents
Employee discounts with local vendors and service providers