Director, Alumni and Industry Engagement

ArtCenter College of Design is searching for an experienced Director, Alumni and Industry Engagement to join our team.

The salary range for this position: $80,000.00 - 90,000.00

Final salary is based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity.

About ArtCenter
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education and has had an international reputation for its rigorous, transdisciplinary curriculum, faculty of professionals, strong ties to industry, and commitment to socially responsible design. ArtCenter is a private nonprofit fully accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Every position at ArtCenter plays an important part in carrying out the cultural values, goals, strategic vision, and mission of the College. This includes upholding and cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Advancement, the Director, Alumni and Industry Engagement is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to engage alumni and industry partners in meaningful ways that support the mission and goals of ArtCenter College of Design. This role fosters lifelong relationships between the College, its alumni, and industry stakeholders through events, communications, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising initiatives. A well-defined understanding of data, engagement trends, and relationship management is necessary to ensure the growth of alumni and industry participation and philanthropic support. The incumbent serves as a key ambassador for the College, promoting pride, collaboration, and engagement across alumni and industry networks.

This position manages the Alumni and Industry Engagement team: the Associate Director, Alumni and Industry Engagement and the Coordinator, Alumni and Industry Engagement Together they will work in close partnership with the Vice President, Strategic Partnerships to advance industry engagement initiatives, and with the Executive Director, Annual Giving and Development Communications to strengthen alumni engagement and philanthropic outreach.

This is a full-time position. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position is eligible for flexible scheduling and can be performed hybrid with the expectation of at least 3 days in the office or required as a condition of employment. The demands of this work may include weekends or evenings as well as travel. The college reserves the right to modify schedules as needed to meet the business needs with appropriate notice.

Essential Functions

Strategic Planning and Leadership – 30%

• Develop and execute a comprehensive multi-year engagement strategy for alumni and industry aligned with institutional priorities
• Segment and analyze CRM data to identify alumni and industry attributes (e.g., location, graduation year, company affiliation, affinity) and use this data to craft targeted programming and communication strategies
• Collaborate with departments across the College (fundraising, admissions, marketing, creative careers, deans, and academic programs) to integrate alumni and industry engagement into broader institutional goals
• Oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, learning and professional development, and fair and equitable compensation recommendations for grid placement of staff; oversee performance evaluation process, ensure consistent use of all applicable policies and procedures, including CBA; counsel, discipline and make recommendations in terminations
• Enforce all College policies, including safety protocols
• Partner with the Vice President, Strategic Partnerships to align industry engagement efforts with College-wide initiatives
• Partner with the Executive Director, Annual Giving and Development Communications to ensure alumni engagement strategies support fundraising and communication goals
• Implement metrics to track engagement and report progress to Senior Vice President, Advancement

Alumni and Industry Engagement – 30%

• Plan and manage events including reunions, regional gatherings, networking receptions, industry panels, and virtual programs
• Cultivate relationships with alumni and industry professionals through outreach, social media, newsletters, and other channels
• Develop and oversee alumni affinity groups, regional chapters, and volunteer programs
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with industry leaders, companies, and organizations to support student success, career development, and philanthropic initiatives
• Collaborate with Vice President, Strategic Partnerships to identify and engage industry partners for events, mentorship, and sponsorship opportunities
• Collaborate with Executive Director, Annual Giving and Development Communications to identify and engage alumni donors and key volunteers for events, mentorship, and sponsorship opportunities

Communications and Marketing – 10%

• Lead the creation of content for newsletters, magazines, websites, and social media targeting alumni and industry audiences in partnership with the Executive Director, Annual Giving and Development Communications
• Maintain and enhance the advancement CRM database to ensure accurate and up-to-date contact records, including professional affiliations in partnership with the Director, Advancement Services

Fundraising and Stewardship – 10%

• Partner with Executive Director, Annual Giving and Development Communications and Director, Development to support annual giving campaigns and major gift cultivation through strengthened alumni and industry relationships
• Identify and engage alumni and industry prospects for philanthropic support and volunteer leadership
• Collaborate with Executive Director, Annual Giving and Development Communications to align messaging and outreach with fundraising goals

Data and Reporting – 15%

• Track engagement metrics for alumni and industry interactions
• Use data to inform strategy and improve outreach efforts
• Prepare reports to assess program effectiveness and trends
• Report results to Senior Vice President, Advancement and Advancement Leadership Team quarterly

Marginal Duties – 5%

• Other duties as assigned
• Serve on educational or college-wide committees, work groups, task forces and/or councils
• Stay abreast of trends in alumni and industry engagement

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent combination of education and experience
• At least 5 years of experience in alumni relations, industry partnerships, advancement, or related fields
• At least 3 years in leading and managing a department, including budgeting, project management, performance management
• Strategic thinker with creative problem-solving skills
• Ability to create and execute SMART goals using qualitative and quantitative data
• Collaborative team player with leadership experience
• Familiarity with trends in alumni relations, industry engagement, and advancement
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with various internal and external stakeholders related to the ongoing operations of the department, including professional associates, donors, administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Experience with event planning, volunteer management, and digital communications
• Proficiency in CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce) and Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to travel and work occasional evenings/weekends
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment
• Ability to enforce and implement policies and procedures

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education administration, marketing, public relations, or business administration
• Prior experience in higher education or industry partnership development

Physical Demands and Working Environment

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

This is a full-time position. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position is eligible for flexible scheduling and can be performed hybrid with the expectation of at least 3 days in the office or required as a condition of employment. The demands of this work may include weekends or evenings as well as travel. The college reserves the right to modify schedules as needed to meet the business needs with appropriate notice.

Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting with frequent interruptions and distractions; extended periods of time viewing computer monitor; interactions with other individuals. Due to the nature of the work environment, there is regular exposure to fumes, chemicals, dust and noise.

Physical: The position is performed in an office setting. Employees sit most of the time but may move around the office environment for brief periods of time. Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight (up to 10 pounds); to operate modern office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information. Regular and consistent attendance are required for most positions; must be able to travel between campuses and to off-site locations.

Vision: Must be able to have the visual capacity to perform activities such as preparing and reading reports, viewing a computer terminal and other normal office work with or without correction.

Hearing: Must be able to communicate effectively in the course of normal office communication or exchange ideas with or without correction.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the employee assigned to this job; they do not purport to describe all functions. Employees may be assigned other duties, and the essential functions may be changed from time to time as necessary.

Diversity Statement
ArtCenter is fully committed to fostering a culture that values diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging not only in vision but in practice. Our path forward is predicated on our belief that multiple points of view, life experiences, ethnicities, cultures and belief systems are essential to academic and creative excellence. We strive to learn more about difference while respecting the rich diversity in our world, attending to important questions about racial injustice and decolonizing our curriculum. Our campus environment must be vigilant in supporting the full participation of students, faculty, and staff of every race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, socioeconomic status and political viewpoint.

Equal Opportunity Employer
ArtCenter is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants on the basis of race (including hair texture and protective hairstyle), color, religion (includes religious dress and grooming practices), sex/gender (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and/or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition (genetic characteristics, cancer, or a record or history of cancer), military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability (mental and physical, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, and genetic characteristics), genetic information, request for family care or medical leave, age (over 40), criminal background (Fair Chance Act), reproductive health decision-making, off-duty and off-premises cannabis use, or any other actual or perceived characteristic protected by applicable state or federal law. Equal employment opportunity is extended to all persons in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including without limitation, recruitment, hiring, upgrading, learning and professional development, promotion, compensation, benefits, leave of absence, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall and termination. This commitment applies to all persons involved in the operations of ArtCenter and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of ArtCenter. Applicants who wish to request an accommodation for a disability may contact the Office of Employee Experience and Engagement at (626) 396-2470.

Applicant Rights (Prior Cannabis Use)
ArtCenter will not request information from an applicant relating to the applicant’s prior use of cannabis. ArtCenter will not use information obtained from a criminal history about an applicant or employee’s prior cannabis use, unless ArtCenter is permitted to consider that information under applicable law.

Employment At-Will
All employment with ArtCenter is for an unspecified term and is “at-will.” Employees are free to resign at any time, with or without reason, and with or without prior notice. Similarly, ArtCenter has the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, and with or without prior notice. This “at-will” employment, which includes the College’s right to transfer, discipline, demote, or change the conditions of employment with or without cause and with or without prior notice, cannot be modified, amended or waived by any oral or implied agreement, and may be modified or altered only by an express individualized written employment agreement signed by both the employee and the College president

ArtCenter Employees have a Mandatory Duty to Report
All employees who know or have reason to know of allegations or acts that violate ArtCenter’s Title IX Policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment, retaliation, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual violence, dating violence, and stalking shall promptly inform the Director, Title IX Compliance and Programs or designee, or the Associate Dean of Students or designee. Faculty, who have a mandatory duty to report, are required to disclose all information including the names of the parties, even where the person has requested their name remain confidential.

Pursuant to the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), all employees who know of or have reason to suspect child abuse or neglect involving alleged victims under age 18 shall promptly inform local law enforcement or the county welfare department.