Director of Alumni Engagement

Director of Alumni Engagement
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About North Park
Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of over 3,200 students from around the country and the world. Located for over 125 years on the land of the Miami and Potawatomi tribes in what is today Chicago’s northside, NPU has recently been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and is committed to serving diverse populations. Elevating North Park University’s core distinctives of Christian, city-centered, and intercultural, NPU values diversity among its Faculty and is committed to building a racially and culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages the nomination and candidacies of persons who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color regardless of gender.

North Park University is located in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. It is nine miles from downtown Chicago. The North Park campus has often been referred to as an oasis in the heart of the city – a place where students from urban, rural, and suburban backgrounds alike can call home. And all of this within the major metropolitan backdrop of Chicago: one of the world’s largest and most diversified economies, renowned for its museums and music, and voted best large city in the U.S. for four years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler.

Mission

The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

Vision

Building on our core institutional identity—Christian, city-centered, intercultural—our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Director of Alumni Engagement is responsible for leading and managing the Office of Alumni Engagement at North Park University.    This person will develop and implement strategies that will most effectively engage our local and regional alumni and friends through meaningful communications, events and volunteer leadership opportunities.  All strategies will be aligned with the initiatives of the President’s Office and the Office of Advancement. 

• Develop and execute an annual strategic plan for Alumni Engagement.
• Supervise and manage the Alumni Engagement Manager and assign duties to the Alumni and Donor Relations Coordinator.
• Develop strategy for and oversee implementation of annual constituent calendar of events such as Homecoming, Golden Circle 50th Reunion, and Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) activities.
• Oversee and manage Office of Alumni Engagement budget effectively and efficiently.
• Build and cultivate key relationships with alumni.  Provide correspondence around alumni needs and requests in a timely and professional manner. Create and develop leadership volunteer opportunities.
• Oversee all alumni communications—print and online. This includes invitations, brochures, newsletters, web content, etc.  Provide alumni information and content to University Marketing Communications (UMC) for the alumni magazine, North Parker.
• Develop and implement social media strategies across all channels.  Supervise editorial calendars, content, metrics, and analysis.
• Collect and analyze key alumni metrics—including creation of alumni engagement measurements.
• Coordinate with the President’s Office on Presidential events and travel.
• Engage when appropriate with campus partners such as faculty/staff to assist with alumni engagement and the Office of Enrollment to provide alumni volunteers to assist with recruiting efforts.
• Collaborate with the Career Development and Internships Office to support robust internship connections and opportunities as well as identifying alumni outcomes.

Requirements

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree required, master’s preferred
• Professional experience in Alumni Engagement or Advancement (or transferable professional experience) is highly desired.
• Excellent presentation, organizational, and oral/written communications skills.
• Managerial skills and experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective relationships with the North Park community.
• Advanced knowledge of Windows and Microsoft Office as well as an ability to use electronic databases and conduct sophisticated internet-based research. Raiser’s Edge experience strongly preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel as needed.
• Work closely with the Senior Director of Human Resources as it relates to hiring, employee relations, personnel policies and protocols and accountability within those protocols.
• Committed to and an articulate supporter of the university’s mission, identity, and Christian faith commitment.
• As approved by the Board of Trustees, possess a willingness and ability to support the messaging as articulated by the President as it relates to the mission and distinctives of North Park University.
• Understanding of and personal commitment to North Park’s mission of Christian higher education.
• Have good attention to detail and excellent organizational and planning skills.
• Be customer friendly and hospitable.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.

Desired:

• Ability to work independently and with others, and to be proactive.
• Have experience with Enterprise Systems.
• Comfortable with using new technology.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Prescription Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Commuter Benefit
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Tuition Remission
• Helwig Recreation Center