Director of Engagement

Fort Lewis College•Durango, CO

1d•$77,500 - $86,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Engagement provides strategic leadership for Fort Lewis College’s external engagement efforts within the Office for Advancement. This position oversees alumni engagement, annual giving, donor relations and stewardship, advancement communications, and constituent experiences and events that strengthen relationships between Fort Lewis College, the Fort Lewis College Foundation, alumni, donors, volunteers, students, and community members. Working collaboratively with Advancement colleagues and campus partners, the Director of Engagement develops and leads integrated engagement strategies that advance the College’s philanthropic priorities, increase donor participation, deepen alumni connection and pride, foster a culture of appreciation for donors and volunteers, and elevate the impact of philanthropy and engagement at Fort Lewis College. Through the use of print, email, web, social media, digital engagement, volunteer initiatives, and events, this role ensures a coordinated, audience-centered approach to engagement and communication across the alumni and donor lifecycle. This position serves as a key leader in the Office for Advancement and directly supervises the Alumni Officer, and Experience Manager, providing strategic direction, management, and mentorship across alumni engagement, annual giving, advancement communications, donor stewardship, and constituent experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in advancement, alumni relations, fundraising, annual giving, donor relations, communications/public relations, marketing, event strategy, or a related field
Demonstrated experience leading complex projects, programs, or cross-functional initiatives
Minimum of two years of direct supervision of staff

Nice To Haves

Experience working in higher education, nonprofit advancement, or a related mission-driven environment
Working knowledge of annual giving, fundraising, stewardship, alumni engagement, volunteer management, and constituent relations strategies
Demonstrated success in developing and implementing annual giving, alumni engagement, donor stewardship, advancement communications, or engagement strategies
Demonstrated ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively with a wide range of internal and external constituents
Experience supervising and mentoring staff
Proven ability to use data, reporting, and performance metrics to inform decision-making and improve outcomes
Demonstrated experience in budget management, including vendor oversight and contract management
Experience developing and implementing standards, policies, and protocols for multifaceted programs and processes
Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and project management skills, including strong copyediting and message development skills

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for Fort Lewis College’s alumni engagement, annual giving, donor relations and stewardship, advancement communications, and constituent-facing engagement efforts in support of the College’s mission, strategic priorities, and fundraising goals.
Develop and implement a comprehensive engagement strategy that strengthens alumni connection and pride, deepens donor and volunteer relationships, expands annual giving participation, and supports philanthropic growth and advocacy for Fort Lewis College.
Ensure engagement initiatives, annual giving efforts, and communications align with the Fort Lewis College 2030 Strategic Plan, the priorities of the Office for Advancement, and the goals of the Fort Lewis College Foundation.
Serve as a key thought partner to Advancement leadership in shaping engagement, annual giving, and communication strategies that advance the College’s external relations and philanthropic objectives.
Integrate alumni engagement, annual giving, donor stewardship, volunteer engagement, and recognition efforts to create a cohesive and meaningful constituent experience across the engagement continuum.
Provide strategic leadership for the College’s annual giving program, including the planning, execution, and evaluation of annual giving campaigns designed to increase donor participation, retention, and philanthropic support.
Oversee a coordinated, multi-channel annual giving strategy that engages alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, and other constituents through print, digital, social media, email, volunteer outreach, and event-based solicitations.
Lead the strategic direction of advancement communications in support of annual giving, donor stewardship, alumni engagement, and fundraising priorities.
Partner with Advancement colleagues and campus partners to identify, prioritize, and support annual giving opportunities that align with institutional priorities and fundraising goals.
Oversee planning and strategy for key annual giving initiatives, including Giving Day/Giving Tuesday and other participation-focused campaigns and appeals.
Collaborate with Advancement Services and development staff to evaluate annual giving performance, monitor donor trends and participation, and use data to inform segmentation, messaging, campaign timing, and future strategy.
Ensure high-quality, audience-centered communications are developed and executed for the Office for Advancement through print, email, web, social media, and other constituent-facing channels.
Meet regularly with staff and leadership across the College to assess, prioritize, and coordinate fundraising, annual giving, stewardship, and engagement communications on behalf of the Fort Lewis College Foundation and the Office for Advancement.
Advise and support Advancement staff and campus partners on strategic, on-brand, and coordinated communications for alumni, donors, volunteers, and friends of the College.
Partner with the Marketing & Communications Department and other campus partners to highlight the impact of philanthropy, annual giving, alumni engagement, and volunteerism through stories, campaigns, and recognition efforts.
Oversee ongoing review and maintenance of Advancement, Foundation, annual giving, and Alumni Engagement web content and messaging.
Provide strategic leadership for the College’s donor relations and stewardship program to ensure donors are meaningfully recognized, informed, and engaged in ways that strengthen long-term relationships with Fort Lewis College.
Oversee stewardship communications and recognition efforts, including donor acknowledgement letters, annual impact reports, donor fund reports, donor impact stories, and other donor-facing materials.
Guide stewardship strategy to ensure donor communications and recognition efforts are timely, personalized, and aligned with Advancement and Foundation priorities.
Identify and implement strategies that strengthen the donor pipeline by connecting engagement efforts, annual giving participation, stewardship, and major and planned giving opportunities.
Oversee and continuously assess donor relations and stewardship practices to improve effectiveness, consistency, and constituent experience.
Provide strategic leadership for the College’s alumni engagement efforts to strengthen lifelong relationships between Fort Lewis College and its alumni.
Oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive alumni engagement plan that promotes alumni involvement, volunteerism, advocacy, philanthropic participation, and pride in Fort Lewis College.
Direct the strategic planning of alumni communications, alumni-focused events, and alumni engagement opportunities in collaboration with Advancement staff and campus partners.
Guide the development of alumni volunteer engagement strategies that foster meaningful connections among alumni, students, and the College, including mentorship, networking, advocacy, and service opportunities.
Support the strategic development of affinity-based alumni engagement efforts, including chapters, advisory groups, and volunteer structures that deepen connection and belonging among alumni communities.
Collaborate with campus partners to identify opportunities for alumni engagement that support student success, career development, workforce connections, and institutional visibility.
Serve as a visible leader and ambassador for alumni engagement at key College and Advancement events, gatherings, and constituent meetings.
Oversee the strategic planning and coordination of advancement events, alumni and donor experiences, and other constituent-facing engagement opportunities that strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, volunteers, and community partners.
Ensure engagement events and constituent experiences are mission-aligned, audience-informed, and effectively integrated with annual giving, fundraising, stewardship, alumni relations, and communications goals.
Provide strategic direction for donor and alumni experiences, recognition events, and other engagement opportunities designed to deepen relationships and advance philanthropic and engagement priorities.
Provide leadership to the Experience Manager in the planning and execution of alumni, donor, and advancement events locally, regionally, and nationally, ensuring a high-quality constituent experience and effective use of institutional resources.
Evaluate event and constituent experience strategies for effectiveness, alignment, and return on investment, and adjust plans based on outcomes, constituent feedback, and institutional priorities.
Supervise and provide leadership, direction, and mentorship to the Alumni Officer, Annual Giving and Communications Coordinator, and Experience Manager.
Establish priorities, clarify roles and expectations, and support professional development to ensure successful execution of alumni engagement, annual giving, stewardship, communications, and constituent experience initiatives.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture that supports innovation, accountability, and excellent constituent service.
Collaborate closely with colleagues across Advancement, including development, advancement services, and foundation operations, to ensure engagement strategies are coordinated and aligned with fundraising and stewardship goals.
Develop annual strategic and operational plans for engagement, annual giving, donor relations, and communications programs, with measurable goals and outcomes aligned with the College’s and Advancement’s strategic priorities.
Provide budget oversight and accountability for engagement-related programs, annual giving initiatives, communications, events, and vendor-supported projects.
Identify, negotiate, and manage relationships with third-party vendors and partners that support annual giving, planned giving, communications, events, and engagement initiatives; ensure project scope, timelines, deliverables, and contract compliance are met.
Establish and refine policies, procedures, standards, and workflows that support effective alumni engagement, annual giving, donor relations, communications, volunteer management, and event operations.
In collaboration with Advancement Services and other Advancement leaders, develop and monitor performance metrics and reporting related to alumni engagement, annual giving, donor stewardship, communications, events, and volunteer participation.
Ensure effective use of the alumni and donor database system for tracking meaningful engagement, annual giving activity, events, communications, stewardship activities, and fundraising-related outcomes.
Conduct ongoing analysis of engagement, annual giving, stewardship, and communication programs to identify opportunities for improvement, increased efficiency, and stronger constituent impact.
Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success, as well as working with broadly diverse communities.
Maintains knowledge and awareness of digital accessibility, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 508.
Produces and remediates digitally accessible materials in accordance with FLC standards.
Performs other duties as assigned, dependent upon the position’s current portfolio of programs.
Ability to travel and drive with a valid driver’s license.
Perform other duties as assigned.