Director of Alumni, Parent, and Donor Engagement

Calvin University•Grand Rapids, MI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Alumni, Parent, and Donor Engagement provides strategic leadership and oversight for alumni and parent relations initiatives at Calvin University. This role is responsible for fostering lifelong relationships between the university and its alumni community of 67,000, strengthening alumni affinity, increasing engagement, and supporting the institution’s mission through meaningful connections, programs, and partnerships.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of 5–7 years of related leadership and community relations experience.
Demonstrated ability to lead strategic initiatives and manage complex programs.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Christian Reformed church.
A commitment to Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.
Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time and occasionally work evenings and weekends.
Active participation in university life and community.
Strategic thinking and execution
Relationship building and networking
Leadership and team development
Authentic engagement and high-impact speaker presence
Data-informed decision-making
Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts University affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.
A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.
Demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy aligned with Calvin University’s mission and advancement goals.
Establish measurable objectives and metrics to increase alumni participation, volunteerism, and philanthropic support.
Collaborate with Advancement leadership to integrate alumni engagement into broader fundraising and institutional priorities.
Provide consultative guidance and overall program direction for the Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL) program.
Provide consultative guidance and overall direction to the Calvin Alumni Association board.
Design and oversee execution of a diverse portfolio of alumni programs, including reunions, regional events, affinity groups, and virtual engagement opportunities.
Lead signature alumni events such as Homecoming and milestone celebrations.
Ensure programs reflect Calvin’s Reformed Christian identity and commitment to community.
Build alumni relationships with Calvin alumni locally, nationally, and globally.
Foster and maintain a productive and involved relationship between the Calvin Alumni Association board members and Calvin University.
Ensures alignment between board initiatives and university strategy.
Provide leadership to Parent Relations that works to improve student retention and persistence, improve enrollment yield, and increase parent philanthropy.
Partner with marketing and communications teams to develop compelling alumni messaging across digital, print, and social platforms.
Oversee alumni publications, newsletters, and targeted campaigns to maintain consistent engagement.
Serve as Editor-in-Chief of SPARK alumni magazine, responsible for mission, objectives, and budget of this magazine.
Utilize CRM systems to segment audiences and personalize outreach.
Work closely with campus partners including Admissions, Career Development, Academic Departments, and Student Life to integrate alumni into university initiatives.
Establish initial connections between the university and alumni through student-to- alumni transition programming to foster lifelong connection that begins at graduation.