Associate Director Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience in project management, including building and managing timelines, workback schedules, and multi-stakeholder workflows.
• Experience in event management, volunteer coordination, or program administration in a complex organizational environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively across a variety of audiences and styles.
• Proven ability to prioritize and manage multiple competing projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience creating and maintaining organizational systems, process documentation, and operational workflows.
• Ability to anticipate gaps, solve problems proactively, and exercise sound judgment with limited supervision.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and experience working with individuals from a variety of backgrounds, identities, and perspectives.

Nice To Haves

• 5 or more years of progressively responsible experience leading programs or functions with significant independence (strongly preferred for Associate Director consideration).
• Experience designing and improving operational systems, not just executing within them.
• Demonstrated ability to manage across stakeholder groups, including volunteers, colleagues, and senior leaders.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, or managing junior staff or student employees.
• Familiarity with alumni engagement, advancement, or nonprofit relationship management.
• Experience in higher education

Responsibilities

• Lead the operational planning and execution of Macalester's annual Reunion program, serving as the central point of coordination for logistics, communications, volunteer activities, and event execution.
• Develop and manage project plans, timelines, workback schedules, and implementation processes across Advancement, Special Events, Communications, and campus partners.
• Track project milestones, identify potential obstacles, and proactively communicate next steps and deadlines to all stakeholders.
• Manage committee requests, meeting schedules, documentation, and information flow to keep all parties organized and aligned.
• Design and document workflows that make Reunion processes repeatable and scalable year over year.
• Support efforts to leverage Reunion participation as a springboard for ongoing alumni engagement with the college.
• Develop, track, and evaluate key performance metrics, survey results, and participant feedback to assess program effectiveness and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Monitor Reunion expenses and track budget activity throughout the year, providing regular updates and recommendations to help ensure programs and events remain within budget parameters.
• Develop and direct Reunion volunteer strategy in close collaboration with Advancement partners, including identifying and engaging key stakeholders and outreach to new volunteers.
• Coordinate recruitment, onboarding, training, and communications for Reunion volunteers, providing clear and consistent expectations, resources, and support.
• Serve as primary staff liaison for 1–3 Reunion Committees.
• Partner with Macalester Fund staff to coordinate Reunion class gift volunteer training and activities.
• Recruit, coordinate, and mentor campus volunteers and Reunion Student Coordinators.
• Assist with the recruitment, training, supervision, and support of Reunion student staff and Reunion Coordinators to ensure successful program execution and a positive volunteer experience.
• Provide operational support for Alumni Board activities, enabling the Director of Alumni Engagement to focus on strategy and relationship-building.
• Coordinate meeting logistics, agendas, materials, timelines, and follow-up communications.
• Prepare and brief speakers; track action items and deliverables across board initiatives.
• Anticipate upcoming needs and ensure board projects remain organized and on schedule.
• Advise and engage Alumni Board Student Directors and oversee their annual project ensuring they have at least one group project each year.
• Serve as staff liaison for an Alumni Board committee, coordinating meetings, communications, project timelines, and follow-up actions to support the committee's goals and initiatives.
• Contribute to additional programming, events, and initiatives throughout the year in collaboration with Advancement and campus partners, applying the same operational rigor and collaborative approach as formally assigned work.
• Engage in and promote Macalester's culture of diversity and inclusion, encompassing individuals of any heritage, identity, status, or orientation.

Benefits

• 10% employer contributions to the retirement plan.
• Outstanding vacation and sick time packages, plus an additional 10 holidays.
• Competitive health, dental, vision, and life & disability insurance
• Generous employer contribution to Health Savings Account.
• Tuition assistance which pays between 75% - 90% of eligible tuition for employee dependents at select institutions.
• Free primary care for most services through Nice Healthcare when enrolled in a Macalester health plan.
• Access to the athletics fitness facility, wellness coaching, and activities.