Associate Director, Alumni Programs (Alumni Career Engagement)

Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

Rice University is seeking a strategic, forward-thinking, and creative individual to join the Alumni Relations team in the Development and Alumni Relations division as Associate Director, Alumni Programs (Alumni Career Engagement). This role is essential in designing, implementing, and managing a comprehensive career and professional development program that supports alumni at every stage of their career journey. The Associate Director, Alumni Programs (Alumni Career Engagement) will lead efforts to build lifelong connections between alumni, students, and the university through professional resources, mentorship initiatives, career workshops, and networking opportunities. This position reports to the Senior Director, Alumni Programs.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, self-motivated professional with a positive attitude and strong relationship-building skills. They should have the ability to manage multiple priorities, demonstrate innovation in programming, and work collaboratively across campus and with external partners to create impactful career development experiences for Rice alumni.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. 

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

Minimum Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 2+ years of professional experience in alumni relations, development, or a related field

Skills:

• Proven track record of creative program implementation
• Proven track record building relationships and developing strategic partnerships
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedule
• Adept at problem-solving, creating contingency plans, and handling issues when necessary
• Ability to develop and initiate new strategies
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills, with a focus on strategy and relationship building
• Strong attention to detail
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent relationship skills and client service orientation
• Ability to quickly understand and remember details about alumni/donors and projects to which they are assigned

Preferences:

• Advanced degree preferred
• 3+ years of professional experience in alumni relations, development, or a related field
• Experience working in nonprofit/higher education settings
• Experience using Blackbaud CRM or similar alumni/donor database system

Essential Functions:

• Create, develop, and implement strategic initiatives that strengthen and establish alumni connections to Rice through career and professional development programming.
• Lead the planning, expansion, execution, and evaluation of in-person and virtual alumni and student career initiatives and resources, including but not limited to ind