Assistant Director of Engagement Programs

The Office of Advancement (ADV) builds lifelong relationships with alumni, parents, and friends, and engages through meaningful experiences, communication, volunteer roles and philanthropic opportunities, all in support of Wesleyan’s educational mission and strategic goals.

This is the first year of an exciting restructuring that includes the bringing together of a comprehensive Engagement Team, reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Engaged Philanthropy. The annual giving, engagement programs, special events, and advancement communications teams are working together to redefine engaged philanthropy and find opportunities for strategic collaboration.

Wesleyan University is in the second public year of a $600 million comprehensive fundraising campaign, the largest in school history, and is more than a year ahead of schedule. While raising financial support for key University initiatives, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future. Working with an alumni body of more than 30,000, as well as current and past parents, the Advancement team inspires the Wesleyan community and cultivates support for university initiatives through outreach activities, including development/ fundraising, alumni & parent relations, and both on- and off-campus events. Consistent with a philanthropic trend seen across higher education, Wesleyan’s fundraising dollars have increased consistently over the last ten years as the number of donors has declined. In addition to meeting fundraising goals, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future.

Reporting to the Director of Engagement Programs, the Assistant Director will be responsible for managing key alumni and parent engagement initiatives, with a particular focus on identity- and affinity-based programming. The role includes volunteer management, event execution, data analysis, and collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders to develop and support programs that foster meaningful connections between constituents and the University.

Key responsibilities include:

• Serving as staff lead for affinity-based volunteer management and programming.

  • Analyzing current affinity programming and making recommendations and expanding the depth and scope of identity-based programming, events, and engagement opportunities.

  • Recommending programming that helps engage alumni based upon their shared identities, interests, and affiliations.

  • Serving as event implementer on assigned events.

  • Supporting and leading volunteer meetings and related programs as needed.

  • Meeting with individual alumni to deepen their relationship with Wesleyan and recruiting them into specific volunteer leadership roles.

  • Tracking effectiveness of engagement efforts and reporting results.

  • Work with volunteers to create meaningful regional engagement.

• Supporting the Director of Engagement Programs in all aspects of planning, coordination, and execution of parent engagement:

  • Providing frontline support to parent communications activities, including monitoring the parents email, website and social media activity.

  • Serving as event implementer on assigned parent events, including during key on-campus weekends (i.e., Arrival Day, Homecoming/Family Weekend, and Reunion and Commencement Weekend) and regional and virtual events throughout the year.

• Collaborating with annual giving staff to create a comprehensive reunion engagement plan for assigned classes that leverage Reunion & Commencement Weekend as a capstone to a full cycle of interactions and activities designed to build strong ties among classmates.

• Maintain a portfolio of assignments for various on-campus events including Homecoming/Family Weekend and Reunion & Commencement Weekend.

• Travel regionally, nationally, and internationally to lead events, meet individually with constituents as needed, and represent the university within the alumni and parent community.

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of one year of experience working with affinity groups, initiatives, or volunteer organizations to ensure equal access or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and trust to achieve a common goal and translate goals into action plans.

• Proven ability to set goals and to develop strategies and timelines to manage projects and reach goals.

• Demonst