Northwestern University · 7 hours ago
Senior Director, Alumni Engagement
Evanston, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$140K/yr - $150K/yr
8+ years expNorthwestern University is seeking a Senior Director of Alumni Engagement to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Northwestern Alumni Association. This role involves designing and implementing strategies to strengthen alumni engagement, supervising teams, and leveraging data-driven insights to inform strategic decisions.
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Responsibilities
Primary responsibility for developing and implementing strategic plans focused on engagement and participation
Oversees teams to create, implement, and manage plans incorporating cutting-edge practices to increase engagement and participation
Initiates and implements innovative organizational change, taking calculated risks to develop new strategies that expand engagement and participation across the globe
Collaborates with ARD senior leaders to set goals and develop overarching relationship management strategies, including alumni leader identification and engagement
Oversees programmatic performance evaluation, resource allocation, process improvement and research
Develops and refines metrics and analytics, incorporating journey mapping and predictive analytics to assess impact and effectiveness
Reviews and proposes strategic alliances, joint ventures, and key collaborations with departments and University partners to integrate strategic goals
Oversees and coaches team members on effective collaborations
Partners with ARD Marketing and Communications to craft compelling marketing strategies and manage issues related to alumni engagement
Convenes the alumni engagement community across Northwestern, facilitating collaboration with professional schools
Establishes and nurtures strategic relationships with university partners to align engagement insights with institutional priorities
Plays a primary role in developing and managing relationship strategies, including global programs and services for alumni to increase philanthropic contributions
Maintains current knowledge of key alumni and high-level donors
Tracks and manages emerging prospect pools, developing reports and monitoring program results
Leads efforts to create and foster a vibrant culture of philanthropy, service, and volunteerism
Refines and expands strategies to deepen and broaden alumni engagement, creating more opportunities for involvement
Requires travel to support volunteer engagement
Oversees development and execution of alumni programs and events that foster meaningful engagement
Leads efforts to broaden alumni participation through innovative programming and engagement strategies
Requires travel to support events and programs
Manages multiple teams, provides leadership, sets and evaluates goals, develops and implements training and mentoring, and assigns coverage of primary focus areas ensuring goals are attained
Conducts ongoing data analysis to identify trends, measure results, and inform future planning
Encourages and optimizes the use of technology, social networking, and virtual engagement tools to expand Northwestern’s global alumni reach
Selects and manages vendor and consultant relationships, including defining goals and coordinating activities with university staff
Strategically manages budget, minimizing expenses while maximizing return on investment and supporting organizational priorities
Supervises 2 or more staff, ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities
Provides training for staff within and outside the department or division related to functional areas
Leads, coaches, and evaluates the performance of direct reports, fostering professional growth and accountability
Performs other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience
8 years development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required
Strong leadership and strategic planning skills with a proven ability to manage complex initiatives
Exceptional communication skills and executive presence for engaging diverse stakeholders
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while maintaining strategic focus and operational excellence
Comfortable with change and associated ambiguity
Preferred
Masters degree
Experience in data-driven decision-making, CRM systems, and analytics
Demonstrates an entrepreneurial spirit by taking initiative, identifying opportunities, and driving innovative solutions
Benefits
Meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans
Retirement benefits
Tuition discounts
Comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities
Flexible work arrangements
Programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care
Employee career development
Company
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research and teaching university that offers academic programs across various fields of study. It is a sub-organization of Northwestern Athletics.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Northwestern University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (325)
2024 (308)
2023 (280)
2022 (282)
2021 (184)
2020 (155)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$98.02MKey Investors
National Peanut BoardAdvanced Research Projects Agency for HealthGRAMMY Museum
2024-10-30Grant
2024-10-04Grant· $34M
2023-11-28Grant· $0.02M
Leadership Team
Diego Klabjan
Professor
Henry Bienen
Interim President
Recent News
2026-01-11
Digital Journal
2026-01-11
2026-01-09
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