Alumni Engagement Officer, College of Arts and Science

Alumni Engagement Officer, College of Arts and Science

PRIMARY PURPOSE

The Alumni Engagement Officer is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating alumni engagement strategy and programs within the College of Arts & Science. This position is integral to building alumni affinity, deepening relationships and engagement, and advancing philanthropic support of the college and the university.

The College of Arts & Science is proud to be situated on Treaty 6 territory and the homeland of the Métis.

NATURE OF WORK

Reporting to the Director of Advancement, College of Arts and Science, the Alumni Engagement Officer continually improves and executes a college-wide alumni engagement program. Programs are designed to support the priorities of the college, ensuring alignment with the four pillars of alumni relations: community, reputation, student engagement, and philanthropy. The incumbent will meet outcomes that deepen alumni engagement and support the college’s advancement goals while reflecting the mission, vision, and values of the university.

The Alumni Engagement Officer is a member of the College of Arts and Science advancement team. This position is also a member of the University Relations (UR) alumni engagement team. The Alumni Engagement Officer will work collaboratively with leadership, department heads, faculty, staff, and students of the College of Arts & Science, as well as advancement professionals across UR.

The Alumni Engagement Officer will work in a dynamic, innovative, and highly collaborative environment with numerous concurrent projects and competing deadlines. The incumbent is required to be motivated, innovative, client focused, detailed and results-oriented, and a highly effective relationship builder and team player. Consequence of error is significant for the university and its reputation and relationships with stakeholders. Occasional evenings and weekends, as well as some travel, is required.

In University Relations, the nature of our work centers on our guiding principles of being:

• Inspiring: We are confident in ourselves and our goals. We instill confidence and excitement in others to bring them along with us.
• Committed to each other’s success: We look for opportunities to make all our teams and the University successful.
• Collaborative and integrated: We work together toward shared goals.
• Solutions- and action-oriented: We continuously seek a path forward and we get things done.
• Brave and courageous: We expect to encounter obstacles. We face these challenges head-on.
• Respectful: We demonstrate our regard for others through listening, understanding, and acknowledging the contributions of all.

The University of Saskatchewan values diversity and Indigenous engagement is a strategic priority. In support of this priority, the position will contribute to a team environment which recognizes and supports the importance and value of diversity in achieving the mission of the university, and actively seek out those with diverse cultural backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to support the mission.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Develop a strong understanding of the university plan, the college’s strategic plan and key fundraising priorities, in order to be an effective ambassador for the college.
• Proactively develop new initiatives that support the strategic direction of the college by keeping abreast of new developments and trends in the field of alumni relations.
• Create appropriate operating procedures based on best practices as needed.

Alumni Engagement Programs

• Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive suite of alumni engagement programs and activities designed to deepen affinity and build measurable philanthropic support for the College of Arts & Science.
• Develop alumni engagement streams that will connect alumni to alumni, alumni to the college and university, and alumni to students.
• Ensure volunteer opportunities are incorporated in alumni engagement programs and activities and uphold an exemplary level of volunteer stewardship at all times.
• Establish annual goals and objectives and ensure ongoing evaluation to assess the effectiveness of engagement programs and activities with a focus on ongoing adaptation and improvement.
• Manage program budgets and ensure financial information is accurately recorded and maintained.
• Work with communications professionals in the development of comprehensive marketing and communications plans to support the goals and objectives of engagement programs and activities, ensuring that appropriate college and university messaging is conveyed.
• Work in partnership with the college’s communications team to develop compelling content to be shared with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors.

Partnerships and Relationship Building

• Build and maintain collaborative professional relationships with faculty, staff, and students as a member of the college advancement team and the UR alumni engagement team, providing expertise and guidance on alumni engagement principles and practices, to advance philanthropic support of the college and university.
• Develop and steward campus and college partnerships to strengthen culture of engagement and philanthropy, with a focus on deepening engagement, in the service of the university.

Data Integrity and Confidentiality

• Ensure alumni and donor information is recorded accurately and timely in the database in accordance with UR operating procedures for reporting and relationship management purposes.
• Commit to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information by demonstrating the highest level of ethical principles when working with confidential information in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the university’s Access and Privacy Office and in adherence to appropriate legislation.
• Ensure alignment with university fundraising policies and procedures, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) guidelines, as well as Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) ethical principles and standards.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: An undergraduate degree and/or appropriate training and experience in a related field. Experience in an academic setting and recognized professional accreditation such as CFRE would be considered assets.

Experience: A minimum of three years of relevant experience is required with demonstrated experience in developing relationships with a variety of stakeholder groups in a non-profit environment.

Skills:

• Effective planning and organizational skills including the management of multiple projects from conception to completion within prescribed timelines.
• Ability to develop and initiate new strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze results and create collaborative business and work plans to achieve desired objectives and goals.
• Sound judgement, attention to detail, and tactful and sophisticated communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions based on established policies and procedures, and ability to recognize when others need to be involved in activities or decisions.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, building consensus and leading through influence.
• Highly effective interpersonal skills with the ability to quickly establish credibility and gain the respect of both internal and external partners.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to think and act strategically, maintain confidentiality, and exercise diplomacy, tact, and creativity in problem solving.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with keen attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, to prioritize multiple responsibilities, meet deadlines, and actively deal with change and ambiguity.
• Strong work ethic and integrity.