Associate Vice President, Alumni and Community Experience

Department​
 

ARD Alumni Relations and Development

About the Department

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Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) engages UChicago’s global community of nearly 200,000 alumni, current students, parents, and friends through intellectual, professional, and social activities on campus, around the world, and virtually. ARD generates over $600 million annually to advance UChicago’s mission and values and to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. As a comprehensive and integrated advancement enterprise, our work supports the goals and priorities of every division, school, department, and institute.

Job Information​
 

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Vice President of Alumni Relations and Development, the Associate Vice President for Alumni and Community Experience serves as a member of ARD’s executive management team as well as the cross-campus ARD senior leadership team, and oversees key external-facing departments including alumni relations, stewardship and donor relations, annual giving, communications, and events. The AVP provides the vision and strategic direction for increasing and deepening the engagement of alumni and friends in the mission and life of the University and for raising annual gifts that support University priorities. Collaborating with leaders and partners across the University, the AVP leads the development of messaging, programs, and initiatives that advance key priorities, inspire philanthropy, build community, expand volunteerism, and meaningfully communicate the impact of community engagement. The AVP will play a critical role in the planning and execution of the University’s next Campaign.

Responsibilities:

• Works closely with the Vice President for ARD to set overall alumni and community engagement goals and guides planning and strategy to achieve those goals. Serves as a critical thought partner to the VP in the conception and implementation of annual organizational and longer-term engagement and messaging strategies.
• Manages a team of three direct reports, providing senior leadership for alumni relations, stewardship and donor relations, direct marketing and communications, and events.
• Partners with volunteer leaders, deans, and ARD leadership across the university to develop and coordinate programming, communications, and outreach to increase engagement and participation across UChicago’s global community of alumni, parents, and friends.
• Serves as an adviser to partners in the schools, divisions, and units on alumni and community communication and engagement strategies and planning, helping to construct a unified and innovative approach to this work across the University.
• Provides senior leadership for the planning, organization, and management of a cohesive direct marketing program that employs a unified approach to annual giving and emphasizes increased engagement, unrestricted dollars raised, and giving participation. 
• Envisions and implements a best-in-class donor relations and stewardship program, s