Careers at Drexel

Job Summary

The Executive Director for Alumni Communities and Strategic Initiatives executes the strategy for alumni in four areas in order to strengthen the relationship between the university and its growing global community of alumni, parents and friends and support revenue generating activities: reunion years, student recruitment and retention, the alumni travel program, and strategic constituent and principal-level donor events.

This role will identify and cultivate alumni volunteers to lead reunion efforts for three classes per year during Drexel’s Alumni Weekend. They will also work closely with admissions and enrollment management to support prospective student and yield efforts, including event planning and outreach. Additionally, the Executive Director will develop and implement the strategy for a comprehensive constituent travel program and will partner with IA fundraising colleagues to produce value added programming that directly engages alumni donors and prospects to sustain and advance their relationship with the university.

This is a hybrid position, working in person 2-3 days a week.

Essential Functions

• Manage Drexel’s Alumni Reunion Program by hosting three reunion classes during Drexel’s annual Alumni Weekend, including the 50th Reunion and two additional classes in reunion year determined by volunteer interest.
• Recruit volunteers from the reunion classes to host the event for their class and manage volunteers and reunion event planning.
• Support Reunion Giving program by building it into the volunteer experience and using reunion program to grow annual giving by class year.
• Support EMSS in efforts to recruit and retain students including the identification of regional alumni support and assistance with recruiting/yield events.
• Serve on the international engagement working group comprised of the Office of Global Engagement, President and Provost Offices, Steinbright Career Development Center and EMSS and contribute to the development of the university’s global engagement strategy
• Support the Vice Provost in the Office of Global Engagement and Steinbright in cultivating relationships with new and existing overseas educational institutions and corporations, respectively
• Assist faculty/administrators with outreach to alumni abroad, upon request; this includes securing contact lists and/facilitating introductions to alumni and other constituents
• Assist students studying or working abroad by connecting with local alumni
• Serve as primary liaison to international networks/alumni volunteers to promote their ongoing engagement with Drexel and awareness of news from campus; interface with these constituents via local social networks, as needed. 
• Serve as the primary manager of the Drexel Travel Program, positioning the program as a relevant lifelong learning opportunity for a variety of constituents and an income generating program for Institutional Advancement.
• Manage relationships with external travel companies to evaluate and select an annual portfolio of educational travel opportunities that generates revenue for the university
• Collaborate with colleges/schools and administrative units to develop educational opportunities for alumni and constituent travel
• Develop opportunities for faculty to participate in travel, including third-party offerings and curated/customized trips
• Collaborate with partners across campus in the Office of General Counsel, Procurement, etc. to ensure compliance with university policies and procedures regarding travel and to negotiate favorable agreements on behalf of the university
• Leverage the Office of International Programs’ Global Classrooms programs to invite alumni participation from local areas/regions
• Serve as the point of contact for constituents interested in learning more about lifelong learning and educational travel opportunities. 
• Support programming strategies for the Principal Gifts Team and the donors they cultivate, such as salon-style events and curated programs/experiences in conjunction with regional and industry events.
• Support prospect engagement and cultivation efforts by working with directors of development to incorporate engagement into donor strategy.
• Facilitate initiatives that target affinity-based alumni populations and interest groups, to provide avenues for cultivation and engagements of new donor populations.
• Supervise a staff member to support reunion and yield events and associated administrative operations.
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. (Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information.)
• Minimum of 7 years of significant professional experience in relationship management, program development, international outreach and engagement, and volunteer management
• Experience supervising staff
• Proven success in events management, budget oversight, and resource allocation
• Excellent presentation skills and superior written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external colleagues, alumni, volunteers, parents, prospects, and donors
• Strong sense of initiative to effectively navigate a diverse and complex environment
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage several projects simultaneously
• Ability to exercise diplomacy, judgment and discretion
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally on a frequent basis (monthly)
• Valid US passport.
• Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree
• Demonstrated volunteer training experience 

Location

• Hybrid/Flexible Work Arrangement

Additional Information

This position is classified as Exempt, grade N. Compensation for this grade ranges from $99,720 - $149,580 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position will vary based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel’s compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Benefits Brochure.

Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.

#LI-Hybrid