The Division of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement is seeking a goal-oriented individual looking to join our Alumni Engagement team to foster lifelong relationships with WKU constituents through activities designed to honor the WKU spirit, engage all members of the WKU family in the life of the University, and secure private support to advance WKU's mission. The Division's core values drive our success through a positive and supportive culture, being accountable for our work and to our peers, demonstrating we are a resilient team that adapts to change, seeing feedback as an opportunity for growth, and above all, always exhibiting professionalism.

The ideal candidate is a leader, collaborator, self-motivated, metrics-driven, and possesses an innate ability to get things done. As a philanthropy and alumni engagement professional, you will interact with WKU alumni and friends by engaging them with WKU and asking for their investment. This position is responsible for working with all alumni engagement team members and partners in the Division of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement and University to create comprehensive marketing strategies to engage alumni in ways that lead to meaningful investment in their relationship with WKU.

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, in conjunction with the Executive Director, leads the development and execution of marketing efforts to increase awareness, establish and strengthen connections, encourage engagement, and inspire philanthropic investments of alumni and friends in the WKU Alumni Association. Central to our success is partnering with team members from Alumni Engagement and Donor Engagement and Communications to build strategies that produce results as measured by increased alumni engagement and philanthropic investments of alumni and members. Alumni Engagement team members manage assigned portfolios that include assigned alumni market segments, programs, volunteers, partners, and assigned alumni. Team members are responsible for working across the Division and forming partnerships across campus to lead achievement engagement and investment goals for their assigned portfolio.

This position is responsible for leading the development of annual plans to achieve engagement goals that help advance the strategic priorities, overall goals, and mission of the WKU Alumni Association.

As a member of the Alumni Engagement team, this position manages an assigned portfolio that includes assigned alumni market segments (Graduates from 1980-2000), programs (Marketing of WKU Alumni Association, memberships, and affinity programs), volunteers (Regional alumni chapters and Alumni Board committees), partners (University Marketing, Division, and others), and alumni. Team members are responsible for working cross-functionally across the Division and forming partnerships across campus to meet and exceed engagement and philanthropy goals for their assigned portfolio.

Success will be measured through goal alignment with Alumni Association, Division, and University goals by using key performance indicators, including direct engagement of alumni and outcomes of engagement including philanthropy, membership, and volunteerism. Additionally, performance will be defined by using program evaluation results, volunteer management best practices, cross-functional collaboration efforts, and commitment to the Division's core values.

Essential Job Functions:

The following duties are customary for this position but are not considered all-inclusive. Depending on management discretion and institutional needs, duties may be added, deleted, and assigned.

Membership & Business Partner Marketing (30%)

• Establish and execute annual marketing campaigns to drive membership acquisition, renewals, upgrades, and sustaining gifts from members of the WKU Alumni Association. Efforts must have clear goals and objectives and demonstrate a return on investment that makes the most out of available resources.
• Work with the Executive Director, Philanthropy team members, and others to identify and market opportunities for businesses and individuals to partner with the WKU Alumni Association through advertising, sponsorships, affinity programs, and other non-dues revenue opportunities.
• Represent the WKU Alumni Association at assigned events to promote the Association, membership, and engagement.

Comprehensive Marketing Strategy and Execution (30%)

• Collaborate with Donor Engagement and Communications in the Division of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement to define and execute a marketing strategy for alumni with measured results to increase organizational awareness, establish and strengthen the connection of alumni, encourage active engagement, and inspire investments of alumni and friends in the WKU Alumni Association.
• Work with Alumni Engagement team members to develop marketing strategies for specific alumni market segments aligned with generational marketing trends to drive digital engagement efforts through the web, social, email, texting, and other emerging technology.
• Serve as the staff lead for the market segment of alumni from 1980-2000/Gen X and identify ways to increase alumni connection, engagement, and philanthropic investment.
• Works with members of the WKU Alumni Association Board of Directors and serves as the staff lead for the Marketing & Communications Committee.
• Serves as the partnership lead to the entire Donor Engagement and Communications team to ensure that communication and marketing strategies are collaboratively formed, follow required operating procedures, and are consistent among all programs and market segments.

Regional Alumni Engagement (25%)

• Lead all regional engagement and philanthropy programs and communications to engage alumni in ways that lead to investment through philanthropic support as volunteers, members, and donors.
• Design and execute a marketing plan to increase awareness and understanding of the Alumni Association and the value of engagement and investment of alumni by key regions, including Bowling Green/Warren County, Nashville, Louisville, and WKU's service region.
• Work with volunteers to execute engagement opportunities that increase awareness and understanding, which leads to philanthropic investment.
• Support fundraising activities of regional alumni chapters in support of student scholarships.

Portfolio Management (15%)

• Manages engagement and investment strategies for assigned portfolio of alumni ranging in size from 150-250 on average and includes specified alumni engagement strategies and investment outcomes, including timelines for solicitation of membership support, charitable gifts, volunteerism for the WKU Alumni Association, and WKU Philanthropy.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Essential for Success

• Demonstrated understanding of marketing principles and practices
• Knowledge of generational marketing trends and digital engagement strategies
• Strong marketing and communication skills
• Proficiency in developing and executing marketing campaigns
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Analytical skills to measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts
• Use multiple cloud-based platforms simultaneously to gain information
• Create strong professional relationships across mediums, especially via video conferencing
• Provide excellent customer service
• Comfortably solicit donors
• Articulate a strong and compelling case for support
• Apply creative and entrepreneurial thinking, while applying sound judgment and conducting oneself with integrity
• Handle interpersonal relationships maturely, thoughtfully, and empathetically, including the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Handle confidential material responsibly and interact professionally with a wide spectrum of individuals
• Prioritize effectively

Physical Work Requirements

• Continuous work at a computer with multiple monitors
• Constant contact with others (face-to-face, by video conference/telephone, or otherwise)
• Exposure to moderate noise, i.e. work colleagues, business office with computers, phones, and printers
• Regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard
• Regular, predictable attendance is required; may require occasional weekend and evening work
• Regular requirement to work under strict deadlines
• Occasional night and weekend work will be required
• Some Travel will be required

• Bachelor's degree

Kentucky state law requires all public institutions of postsecondary education to conduct pre-employment criminal background checks to determine suitability for employment.

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is committed to a policy and practice of providing equal employment and educational opportunities to all individuals. In accordance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, no form of discrimination or harassment will be tolerated at WKU on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, age, uniformed services, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, or physical or mental disability in admission to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices.

Persons with disabilities, who need reasonable accommodations to participate in the application and/or selection process, should notify the office of Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action/University ADA Services (EEO). To request an accommodation, report/express a complaint, or ask questions regarding WKU''s Discrimination and Harassment Policy (#0.2040), please contact Mr. Joshua Hayes, EEO Director/Title IX Investigator/University ADA Coordinator, via email at joshua.hayes@wku.edu or by phone at (270) 745-5121.

The University is also required to investigate complaints of sex and gender-based harassment, also a form of discrimination, and has designated the Title IX Coordinator as the individual responsible for coordinating the investigation and response to such complaints. The Title IX Coordinator for the University is Ms. Ena Demir, who can be contacted via email at ena.demir@wku.edu or by phone at (270) 745-6867. Additional information regarding Title IX is accessible via WKU's https://www.wku.edu/titleix/ website.

Information concerning educational programs offered by WKU are provided at: http://www.wku.edu/atwku/academics.php

For information related to job postings, please email employment@wku.edu.