Director, Alumni Engagement
Position Overview
Organization: Humber College
Title: Director, Alumni Engagement
Reports to: Chief Advancement Officer
Team: Manager, Alumni Engagement, Alumni Associate, Alumni Assistant
Location: Hybrid work model, when in office: 205 Humber College Blvd
Is this you?
Are you inspired and passionate about education and playing a central role in creating an alumni program that will engage Humber alumni in the life of the College through programming, communications and giving? Are you a highly motivated strategic thinker, strong communicator and team-oriented leader who loves coming up with ideas, content and events that informs, inspires, encourages, and persuades alumni to become involved with their alma mater in meaningful and relevant ways? Would your peers and past managers describe you as a self-starter, an excellent project manager who is creative and enjoys a challenge?
Do you have a proven track record in the creation and management of a robust alumni engagement program? Are you known to be a strong staff leader because of your inclusive and encouraging style? Do you find joy in connecting with students, graduates and other audiences and creating well-defined and consistent programming that develops and advances those relationships?
If the above sounds like you, please read on as you will be interested in pursuing this exciting opportunity to become a key member of a strong and successful advancement and alumni team for Canada’s largest college, focused on strengthening and growing its alumni program and offerings.
The Organization
Established in 1967, Humber College is one of Canada’s leading postsecondary institutions. Committed to student success through excellence in teaching and learning, Humber serves over 86,000 learners and 6,500 international students. It also attracts over 110,000 full-time program applications annually and with over 12,000 graduates each year. As Canada’s largest polytechnic and with an internationally recognized reputation for quality learning, Humber has six academic faculties offering a wide-range of career-focused opportunities for students to personalize their educational path, including more than 200 full-time programs in more than 17 areas of interest, 200 part-time and 400 online programs or courses. More than four out of five Humber graduates are employed within six months of completing their studies.
Advancement and Alumni is a dedicated team of professionals raising financial resources and engaging alumni to help advance Humber College’s mission, vision, and priorities. With over 290,000 graduates contributing to a vibrant and meaningful alumni community, as well as individuals, corporations and foundations investing in the College, the department works to inspire and cultivate meaningful engagement and philanthropic support to ensure that Humber students will be well-positioned for success having the resources they need to achieve their academic, career and personal goals.
The Advancement and Alumni team offers a comprehensive and integrated advancement program to its donors and alumni fostering a seamless connection between these two significant areas of focus. Together, the team works collaboratively with Humber stakeholders to centrally support fundraising and the engagement of alumni, while also adhering to the administrative practices and processes set out by the broader college.
Today, Humber is working toward the completion of Unlimited, Humber’s first fundraising Campaign with priorities focused on developing career-ready citizens; providing accessible education; and fostering a healthy an inclusive campus and community. To date over $54 million has been raised towards the campaign goal of $50 million.
The Position
Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Director, Alumni Engagement is responsible for the implementation, and management of a comprehensive alumni program. With over 290,000 alumni, the Director will expand engagement opportunities and increase the alumni base through strategies that will be supportive and lead to greater involvement and giving for Humber. In this key management role, the candidate will work at a senior level and will oversee the development and growth of the alumni program by offering value add activities and services; nourishing pride and recognition; empowering personal growth and supporting professional development; and enabling meaningful opportunities for involvement and contribution, which will advance the institution’s goals.
The candidate will help achieve the alumni program’s goals to build relationships with current and future alumni; connect alumni by sharing milestones and stories; engage alumni with unique benefits and services and inspire alumni to give back and get involved by creating and implementing programs and plans that engage alumni; administration and fiscal management (management and leadership of staff, alumni budget oversight); development and implementation of alumni events, communications, recognition, lifelong learning, other programs, services and activities; and affinity partnerships – all of which will ultimately create longstanding connections and relationships between the College and alumni. The Director will also develop and maintain cooperative and collaborative relationships with the entire Advancement and Alumni team, and the broader Humber College community.
Key Responsibilities
Planning
- Works alongside the Chief Advancement Officer to set goals, create strategic and tactical alumni program plans and develop and execute activities designed to support the delivery of programming and services that promote stronger links between alumni, the College and the Advancement and Alumni team
- Directing, supporting, and monitoring programs to ensure that they serve alumni, students and volunteers, successfully driving strategy and providing an outstanding stakeholder experience
- Plays a lead role in the successful development and implementation in Humber’s alumni strategic plan designed to deepen alumni engagement and focused on achieving key performance indicators in areas of responsibility
- Ensures that the alumni portfolio is continuously evolving and strengthening, utilizing best practices common to the college and/or the post-secondary market
- Benchmarks and monitors trends to build a best-in-class program and foundation for future financial support through alumni philanthropy, and involvement.
- Increases the number of alumni who interact with and feel connected with the College and determines specific goals and objectives to measure and assess the success of alumni programs, events and revenue generating affinity programs
- Evaluates and reports on current alumni engagement initiatives and identifies opportunities for growth and innovation using surveys and other tools
Relationship Building and Communication
- Establishes and builds relationships with a wide range of alumni, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally; connects alumni to the campus community based on their interests, background passions and/or existing connections to the College
- Establishes communications plans to ensure alumni are kept informed about the College, programs, services, activities, and events
- Oversees efforts to increase communication and visibility to alumni through various means such as social media, digital, video, print, website, emails, signage, and personal interactions
- Oversees the production and distribution of the magazine for Humber alumni and friends, and eNews
- Collaborates with key campus partners such as faculties, student and career services, athletics, continuous professional learning, IGNITE, Humber’s student union, student clubs and other areas as appropriate to increase current and future alumni engagement
- Represents Humber alumni to peer institutions, community organizations, alumni volunteers, and colleagues across campus. This may involve public speaking, travel, and interaction with faculty, staff, alumni volunteers, administrators, and student leaders
Program Building, Events and Fundraising
- Develops and oversees, programs, services, events, and activities that increase alumni engagement, involvement, and support of Humber. Some examples include experiential, educational and entertainment opportunities of interest to alumni (Raptors, Blue Jays, Wonderland Day, theatre, family events, lectures, seminars, workshops, etc.)
- Oversees and manages existing, and secures new relationships with, affinity partners and perk partners to offer more benefits to alumni and to increase revenues.
- Ensures the delivery, promotion and growth of alumni loyalty programs providing benefits and services to alumni, including the management of the Connect App platform
- Develops new and maintains existing alumni mentoring and networking programs, including 10,000 Coffees/Humber Cafe platform
- Develops opportunities to profile, celebrate and provide alumni recognition through Premier’s Awards, Honorary Degree recipients, Humber’s Distinguished Alumni awards, and other communications, events, and activities
- Identifies and leverages new opportunities for alumni engagement and consistently improves and enhances the transition of student to graduate through programs such as Convocation, Alumni Weekend (homecoming), and other events and activities. Achieves the same with other alumni audience segments such as young professionals, mid-career, families, retirees etc.
- Collaborates closely with advancement colleagues to increase support from alumni and the coordination of those activities; identifies potential alumni with capacity to provide a gift and supports the philanthropy pipeline, particularly interacting with Annual and Leadership Gifts, Events, and Major and Planned Gifts team areas
Leadership and Administration
- Together with the CAO, provides vision, leadership and oversight for all centralized and faculty/program level alumni engagement programming and initiatives
- Works with the CAO on development and review of alumni budget, fund accounts; plans and strategic initiatives and institutes weekly/monthly benchmarks and quarterly reports to track goals to determine program effectiveness
- Reviews team effectiveness to identify need for resources in the context of the larger alumni engagement needs, and monitoring progress toward goals
- Plans, prioritizes, and manages the work of direct reports, providing strategic and tactical advice, guidance, coaching and mentorship to ensure effective program delivery and to create a positive working environment
- Develops policies and procedures related to the Alumni activities and processes to ensure the highest professional standards are in place for the College’s alumni operations
- Ensures the collection of alumni information and data through multiple communication channels and that the information is complete, and maintained accurately, following data and information management practices of the department’s Advancement Services team
- Encourages staff to identify innovative approaches to enhance program performance
- Provides leadership and ensuring systems (technology, financial, management, etc.) are in place to ensure success
- Remains current with best practices in post-secondary education advancement
- Takes on special management projects, and performs other duties as needed in support of the alumni program and the broader needs of the Advancement and Alumni team
Role Requirements
- A four-year university or college degree
- Minimum five to seven years experience
- Proven track record in a not-for-profit environment
- Experience in alumni relations, fundraising or related role, ideally from the higher education or independent school sector
- Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation considered an asset
- Proven track record as a skilled leader and manager with the ability to lead and motivate staff
- Ability to work within a senior management team
- Ability to think strategically and work proactively, managing competing priorities
- Collaborative mindset, strives to work effectively with cross-functional teams
- Strong interpersonal skills, a superior ability to build and foster solid relationships, effectively manage complex protocols and expectations
- Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills
- Strong planning, organizational and project management skills with the ability to multi-task and effectively balance priorities and meet deadlines
- Ability to exercise judgement, diplomacy, discretion, and confidentiality
- Demonstrated ability to compile and interpret data from a variety of sources, select appropriate methods of analysis and monitor and communicate impact, emerging trends, and issues.
- Ability to rise to new challenges and find creative solutions – resourceful and tenacious
- Overall proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience with donor databases; and demonstrated ability to multi-task while maintaining accuracy and independently establishing priorities.
- Flexibility is necessary, as this position will be required to work some weekends and evenings
Work Environment
- Normal office environment (in person and/or virtual)
- Regular travel for meetings, conferences, and events. Occasional travel outs ide of the GTA may be required.
- Flexibility is necessary, as this position will be required to work some weekends and evenings
What’s In it for you?
- An opportunity to have an impact with a post-secondary institution, poised to do great things.
- Diverse, hard-working, committed team of people who care about each other.
- Tools and technology that will allow you to succeed at your job.
- Amazing perks
- Highly supportive work culture
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Humber College is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of our students and our city. We actively seek Indigenous Peoples and individuals from equity-deserving groups with demonstrated skills and knowledge to deal with all aspects of equity, diversity, and inclusion in a post-secondary environment.
Accommodation
Humber College is committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Our HR Generalists will work with applicants requesting accommodations at any stage of the hiring process. This document is available in alternate formats upon request.
Anti-Discrimination Statement
At Humber College, all forms of discrimination and harassment are prohibited. Students and employees have the right to study, live and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. If you need assistance on concerns related to discrimination and harassment, please contact the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion http://hrs.humber.ca/human-rights-equity-diversity.html or the Office of Student Conduct at studentconduct@humber.ca
Compensation and Benefits
Hiring range is $100,000 – $130,000 and a pension plan, health and other benefits are part of the package.
Application Instructions
If you are looking for an outstanding challenge, then what are you waiting for? Apply now! Please include a cover letter and CV addressed to Lindsay Preston at lindsay@phcap.ca. The posting closes on November 30, 2022, at 5pm ET. At Humber College we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it! Experience comes in many forms, skills are transferable, and a progressive mindset goes a long way at Humber. If your experience is close to what we’re looking for, consider applying and tell us why you are a great candidate for this job. Find your Spot at Humber!
We thank you for your interest in working with Humber College. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Consideration for Support Staff and Academic positions will be given to internal employees in accordance with the respective Collective Agreements.
Please note only qualified respondents will be contacted. Thank you for your interest.