About the position
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs' Sr. Director of Alumni Engagement and Career Services will lead and provide strategic direction for school-wide initiatives related to alumni engagement and career services, through a portfolio of programs and partnerships. Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Advancement, this position will play a pivotal role in crafting and executing a strategy designed to: 1) advance student career placement and post-graduation success by harnessing the extensive Maxwell and Syracuse University networks; 2) cultivate meaningful connections among alumni and amplify their impact through new engagement initiatives as well as strengthening existing ones; and 3) enhance the global visibility and prestige of the Maxwell School by developing new and existing partnerships and programs. The Sr. Director will lead cross-functional school-wide initiatives, actively engaging with senior leaders and external stakeholders to advocate strategic priorities for the Maxwell School. This position will supervise a team, cultivate external partnerships, and guide the design and implementation of programs. Key responsibilities encompass establishing strategic priorities while ensuring the efficient and effective use of organizational resources to support the mission of both Maxwell and Syracuse University. The Sr. Director will develop and lead engagement opportunities that include programmatic and one-time volunteer opportunities, affinity-based initiatives, and events and activities in strategic regional locations, virtually, and on campus - all with the long-term goal to transform alumni affinity into meaningful expressions of support for the overall advancement of the Maxwell School mission.
Responsibilities
- Integrate, lead and provide a strategic direction for the Maxwell School's alumni engagement and career services team.
- Strategically design and implement structured engagement initiatives that connect global partners, alumni, and employers to facilitate student employment, align funding opportunities with strategic priorities, and enhance overall stakeholder connection to the school's mission.
- Collaborate with colleagues at Maxwell and the University to achieve cross-functional objectives, including student recruitment, retention and career placement, fundraising, and alumni engagement and connectedness.
- Cultivate and steward relationships with alumni and various external stakeholders to drive collaboration, engagement, and impact.
- Identify new opportunities, manage strategic relationships, and collaborate with the development team to help secure opportunities across the global alumni and partner network.
- Develop and oversee the execution of Maxwell's alumni and external stakeholder events, awards, and programs.
- Lead strategy for industry outreach and employer recruitment efforts; designing and executing recruitment events and programs to expand career opportunities for students.
- Create processes for awarding and reporting expenditures for select donor-supported gift funds.
- Initiate, implement and innovate efforts to connect alumni and career services, with a long-term goal to strengthen alumni affinity and encourage meaningful expressions of support.
- Ensure regular communication and alignment with the College of Arts and Sciences' career services team to fully support both undergraduate and graduate students.
- Provide leadership and direction for connecting and integrating Maxwell's alumni engagement efforts across departments, centers and institutes.
- Foster collaborative relationships with key university units to ensure the coordinated development of engagement objectives.
- Work with domestic and international partners to develop partnerships and opportunities that support the school's engagement mission.
- Encourage and optimize the use of technology, social networking, and other virtual engagement tools.
- Lead engagement tracking activities across the school ensuring all efforts are documented in Citrus.
- Supervises, empowers and develops the team by identifying priorities, evaluating performance, and supporting professional development activities.
- Oversee the portfolio budget, allocate resources appropriately, and supervise the preparation of necessary internal and external reports.
- Elevate and coordinate our presence and engagement at relevant meetings, events, and conferences to drive engagement and connection with a diverse set of external stakeholders.
Requirements
- Significant work experience in higher education and in facilitating strategic partnerships in multiple areas such as alumni relations and career services.
- Minimum education requirement is a master's degree.
- Successful navigation of complex, matrixed organizations.
- Proven ability to optimize operational effectiveness.
- Proven track record of successful leadership, especially in engaging with diverse constituent groups in a consultative and collaborative manner.
- Experience managing unit budgets.
- Knowledge of various higher education technology systems.
