Manager, Alumni Affairs
PROFILE
The University of St. Michael’s College, federated with the University of Toronto, is a Catholic institution of higher learning founded by the Congregation of St. Basil, whose motto, “Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge,” sets the tone for campus life. Committed to the pursuit of knowledge, meaning and truth, USMC is a dynamic center where Catholic intellectual thought thrives in a context of academic freedom and rigorous debate. The University of St. Michael’s College boasts a large and dynamic undergraduate division, an acclaimed Faculty of Theology and one of the busiest and most important libraries on the University of Toronto campus.
POSITION SUMMARY
The University of St. Michael’s College is one of the oldest and most distinctive post-secondary institutions in Ontario and one of three universities federated with the University of Toronto. Founded in 1852 by the Congregation of St. Basil from Annonay, France, St. Michael’s offers undergraduate students’ full access to the complete range of courses offered by the University of Toronto, as well as its own unique academic programs. St. Michael’s is home to over 5000 undergraduate and 250 graduate students, who live and learn in the heart of Canada’s greatest research university. St. Michael’s offers a close-knit and inviting community that maintains its Catholic identify while welcoming people of all backgrounds.
St. Michael’s is supported by a loyal and generous community of over 40,000 alumni and friends. Their commitment to our past, present and future is creating exciting opportunities to expand and strengthen alumni involvement, advocacy and financial support. As we look forward to our 180th anniversary in 2032, we are operating with a strategic plan titled St. Mike’s 180: Rooted in the future. The plan, which imbues all aspects of university life, is built on three pillars: academics, community and sustainability, all stemming from the University’s commitment to the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.
As part of Defy Gravity: The Campaign for the University of Toronto, we seek to harness the talent, generosity, and compassion of our global community to strengthen the University’s commitment to inclusive excellence and accelerate work on the most complex issues facing our world today.
Reporting to the Executive Director, Advancement and collaborating with colleagues on the Advancement team and across the University, the Manager, Alumni Affairs leads the development and delivery of USMC’s alumni engagement strategy. This position provides leadership on the Advancement team, with the goals of strengthening the affinity alumni feel towards the University, increasing the number of alumni engaging in our community, and harnessing the talent of members of our alumni community in service to the University.
The Manager, Alumni Affairs is encouraged to explore and propose new approaches to our work in service of the University of St. Michael’s College. This role is highly collaborative, interacting with faculty and staff throughout USMC and with colleagues in the University of Toronto’s Division of University Advancement (DUA).
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Alumni Affairs Management
- Serves as the primary staff liaison with the University of St. Michael’s College Alumni Association Board of Directors (USMCAAB) and its committees.
- Ensures that the USMCAAB and its committees are fully oriented to their scope and responsibilities, and that they are supported to achieve their objectives.
- Ensures that the annual USMCAA Annual General Meeting is managed thoroughly, following typical rules of order and membership protocols.
- Develops, executes and delivers a comprehensive and integrated strategic plan for alumni engagement, with a goal of increasing alumni awareness and fostering involvement and long-term engagement with the University.
- Manages the alumni relations budget; forecasts and monitors expenditures to support the Executive Director in managing the Advancement budget.
- Manages multiple projects and their progress concurrently, ensuring timelines are met and staff and resources are fulfilling objectives.
Alumni Relations Programming –Planning, Implementation and Evaluation
- Leads all aspects related to the University’s annual Alumni Reunion, leveraging volunteers in planning, promotion, and execution and coordinating with DUA’s Alumni Relations team as applicable.
- Leads the planning and delivery of the new Alumni BBQ, and events throughout the year including lectures and gatherings.
- Develops event and program budgets to optimize return on investment.
- Serves as an ambassador for the University of St. Michael’s College within and beyond the university community, consistently and convincingly demonstrating the role and importance of alumni engagement.
- Leads the evaluation and analysis of programs and activities to continually assess alumni needs and interests and optimize outcomes.
- Partners with advancement colleagues on mutually beneficial events and activities.
- Identifies potential new donors, provides support and assistance to colleagues in the cultivation and solicitation of alumni donors.
- Works with senior academic leadership and engages alumni to enrich the student experience and support student recruitment as applicable.
- Partners with advancement colleagues to deliver mentorship programs that involve alumni.
- Ensures that alumni engagement is captured in Arbor.
- Serves as a resource to colleagues on matters pertaining to alumni.
Special Events & Communications
- Provides leadership of all aspects of new and existing alumni events and outreach programs and of strategic event/program evaluation and follow up.
- Ensures high quality event and program development, delivery and evaluation, with strong budget management and reconciliation.
- Plans and oversees delivery – in consultation communication colleagues -of a multi-faceted alumni communications strategy (through social media, publications e-newsletter etc.) that incorporates institutional messaging, themes, and priorities in support of alumni engagement and fundraising goals.
Staff Supervision
- Manages of the Advancement Officer, Engagement on a full-time basis. May supervise work/study employees on a part-time basis.
- Allocates work based on business need, and endeavours to build on individuals’ strengths and skills within project requirements and resource availability.
- Ensures a high quality of work is produced, and that projects are completed on schedule and in adherence with policy and procedure.
- Discusses performance with employee to provide feedback and address performance related issues as part of the employee development process.
- Evaluates employee performance based on assessment of individual’s work and achievement of performance goals.
- Provides guidance and feedback to alumni volunteers.
SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Familiarity with the post- secondary education environment
- Minimum of three years’ experience in planning and executing alumni programs, events and communications
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain positive and productive relationships
- Experience in leading, collaborating, and supporting volunteers, and developing volunteer leadership
- Evidence of leadership, initiative and excellent follow-through
- Supervisory experience an asset
- Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work in a results-oriented environment
- A strong planner and project manager, the incumbent is detail-oriented and goal-driven
- Proficient with the MS Office Suite; high level of competence with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Adobe.
- Experience with Arbor (Blackbaud CRM) an asset
- Understanding of WordPress, iModules an asset
- Creativity, tact, diplomacy and problem-solving skills are essential; demonstrated ability to exercise judgment and respect confidentiality
We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those considered for an interview will be contacted.
The University of St. Michael’s College is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous/Aboriginal people of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, people who take a religiously informed view of human experience, and others who may contribute to further diversification of ideas.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
If you require accessibility accommodation, please contact Human Resources at hr.stmikes@utoronto.ca.
APPLY TO
Attention: Human Resources
(please include your full name and position title in subject line of email when submitting resume and cover letter)