Events and Communications Manager

North Park University•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Events and Communications Manager is a strategic member of the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, dedicated to providing alumni, donors, and friends with a welcoming and cohesive experience. Through high-impact communications, signature events, and creative community-building, this role cultivates a vibrant network with a primary focus on current students and young alumni (0–15 years post-graduation). This role provides oversight to diverse alumni groups, identifying innovative opportunities to expand outreach and deepen affinity with the University. By driving pipeline development, career connections, and campus partner alignment, this role is instrumental in increasing the percentage of engaged alumni and achieving key institutional metrics. Working in close collaboration with the Stewardship and Impact Manager, this position ensures a seamless transition for alumni into lifelong strategic partners and donors.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Business, or a related field.
1–3 years of professional or internship experience in a related discipline.
Proficiency in social media management across multiple platforms and professional experience with Canva and Microsoft Office Suite.
A clear understanding of and personal commitment to North Park University’s mission of Christian higher education.
Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and a "growth mindset" regarding new challenges.
A customer-friendly, hospitable approach with an eagerness to connect with new people.
Ability to work evenings and weekends during peak event seasons and travel approximately 2–3 times per year.

Nice To Haves

Experience with (or a readiness to learn) Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge and WordPress.
A high level of comfort adopting new technologies and graphic design systems.

Responsibilities

Oversee and execute all alumni and donor specific social media channels under the guidance of the Office of Advancement and in alignment with University Marketing and Communications (UMC).
Manage print and digital communications, including email campaigns, the Viking Voice, event invitations, and North Parker alumni notes.
Direct the creative development of promotional materials such as scholarship folders, student calendars, holiday cards, and stewardship video productions.
Collaborate with the Senior Director as well as the Stewardship and Impact Manager to map out a comprehensive communication strategy; develop and track key metrics to demonstrate progress toward engagement goals.
Manage University and Seminary web pages and print communications in coordination with UMC to ensure brand consistency.
Plan and execute alumni and stewardship events, ranging from intimate gatherings to large-scale reunions. Work together with the Stewardship and Impact Manager to ensure strategic alignment across all events.
Lead all event components, including invitations, speaker programming, guest communication, vendor relations, and on-site management.
Project manage high-profile events such as Homecoming and the Golden Circle; support the Annual Giving Manager in the development of Blue and Gold Day. Work closely with the Stewardship and Impact Manager to support specialized events such as the Festival of Lessons and Carols reception and giving society events.
Maintain the organization and inventory of alumni engagement supplies, archival materials, and event signage.
Serve as a bridge between university departments and student organizations to foster partnerships that support student and post-graduate success.
Cultivate relationships with external stakeholders (alumni leaders, donors, and volunteers) and internal partners (faculty, staff, and administrators) to meet annual fundraising and engagement targets.
Actively contribute to department-wide projects and collaborative initiatives as needed. Work in tandem with all advancement team members to ensure event execution is aligned to overarching advancement and alumni goals.
Curate unique, organic, and informal community experiences tailored to diverse alumni stakeholder groups.
Utilize Design Thinking principles to iterate on new engagement ideas and rapidly implement learnings.
Collaborate with the engagement team to support student leader/worker programs, facilitating meaningful interaction between current students and alumni.