Manager of Development and Alumni Relations

Dine College•Chinle Agency, AZ

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager of Development and Alumni Relations provides strategic leadership for Diné College’s development and alumni relations functions. The position directs the design, execution, and evaluation of a comprehensive fundraising and alumni engagement program that supports the College’s mission and Sá'ah Naagháí Bik'eh Hózhóón principles. Reporting to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement, the Manager sets annual giving, capital campaign, and alumni engagement strategies; supervises staff and interns; manages the department’s operating budget; and represents the College to donors, businesses, tribal enterprises, foundations, and Board of Regents members. The Manager also ensures donor, prospect, and alumni information is collected, shared, and used consistently across the College, and collaborates with Marketing and Communications on donor relations, fundraising initiatives, campaign communications, donor recognition, and promotion of philanthropic impact. The role directs multi-year fundraising plans, donor acquisition and stewardship strategies, alumni engagement, major-gift cultivation, and the development function’s contribution to capital campaigns. It oversees departmental financial reporting, staff supervision, budget management, donor-management systems, digital fundraising, and regular reporting to College leadership and the Board of Regents. The position is based at the Tsaile Campus and is performed primarily in an office setting. The schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with regular evening and weekend work and frequent travel across Diné College campuses and to donor, campaign, and conference locations. A valid state-issued driver’s license, successful background check, confidentiality, and use of a College vehicle are required. The position is funded 55% by general funds and 45% by grant funds for fiscal year 2026–2027.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Public Relations, Marketing, or a closely related field, plus five to seven years of progressively responsible higher-education or nonprofit development, alumni relations, or donor solicitation experience, including at least two years in a supervisory or team-lead capacity.
Equivalent experience may substitute for a degree at the stated standard rate: an additional three years for an Associate’s degree, five years for a Bachelor’s degree, or seven years for a Master’s degree.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including donor correspondence, proposals, and Board-level reporting.
Advanced knowledge of philanthropic trends, moves management, and gift-range and campaign methodology.
Knowledge of donor and alumni customer service principles, needs assessment, and satisfaction evaluation.
Working knowledge of nonprofit or higher-education budget development and management, including stewardship of restricted and unrestricted funds.
Familiarity with Bureau of Indian Affairs, federal, and Navajo Nation funding structures as they relate to private philanthropy.
Staff supervision, coaching, and performance management skills.
Strategic finance and budget-planning skills, including forecasting and reporting on fundraising and departmental financial performance.
Communications and media skills, including producing, disseminating, and evaluating donor- and alumni-facing content across written, oral, and digital channels.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and donor management software such as Jenzabar, with ability to learn additional software.
Ability to lead and develop a team, delegate effectively, and hold staff accountable to fundraising and stewardship goals.
Ability to exercise sound judgment, initiative, and strict confidentiality at a senior level.
Ability to build and sustain relationships with major donors, tribal enterprises, foundations, alumni, and other external stakeholders.
Ability to manage multiple priorities across development, alumni relations, and campaign work, and coordinate cross-departmental activities with attention to detail.
Ability to represent the College publicly and persuasively, including public speaking and donor solicitation.
Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with internal and external audiences.
Ability to travel frequently across Diné College campuses and to donor, campaign, and conference locations; ability to maintain confidentiality and use a College vehicle.
Valid state-issued driver’s license and successful completion of a background check.
Other licensing may be required depending on the area of assignment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related field.
Three years of higher-education or tribal-college development experience, including capital campaign experience.
Demonstrated success securing major and leadership gifts from individuals, tribal enterprises, or national foundations.
Prior supervisory experience in a development or alumni relations office.
Oral fluency in Navajo is highly desirable but not mandatory.

Responsibilities

Direct and refine a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising plan for annual giving, major gifts, and alumni giving, aligned with the capital campaign and institutional priorities.
Set donor acquisition, upgrade, renewal, and stewardship strategies and annual goals; assess Annual Fund performance and report results and recommendations to College leadership and the Board of Regents.
Direct alumni engagement, including alumni database integrity, lost-alumni recovery, volunteer and mentorship pipelines, giving programs, and alumni-facing digital and social media content.
Serve as a senior liaison to prospective and current donors, tribal enterprises, foundations, and other organizations; lead cultivation and solicitation strategies for leadership- and major-gift prospects in coordination with the Vice President of Institutional Advancement.
Represent Development and Alumni Relations in the capital campaign, including gift-range strategy, prospect identification, campaign materials, and donor stewardship.
Create and maintain a fiscal management system that tracks revenue, pledge payments, budget expenditures, and grant and gift compliance; produce regular financial reports.
Supervise, coach, and evaluate development and alumni staff and interns, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, and professional development.
Develop and manage the department’s annual operating budget; monitor expenditures and appropriate use of restricted and unrestricted funds, including P-Card and purchase requisition processes.
Collaborate with Marketing & Communications, the Diné Policy Institute, Dine Education, other College departments, and College partners on fundraising and engagement goals.
Oversee Jenzabar and other systems used to build and maintain segmented prospect and donor pools; direct digital fundraising campaigns such as #GivingTuesday, Giving Days, and digital challenges.
Research and evaluate fundraising technologies and recommend process improvements based on program performance.
Ensure donor, prospect, and pledge data are consistently tracked and stewardship activity is completed on schedule.
Present regular Board of Regents reports on development initiatives, campaign progress, fundraising performance, major-gift and prospect pipelines, and alumni engagement outcomes.
Perform other duties as assigned.