Executive Director for Alumni Engagement

Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.

AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.

We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found

Position Purpose

Aurora University seeks a dynamic and strategic leader to serve as Executive Director of Alumni Engagement, a pivotal role dedicated to cultivating and strengthening lifelong relationships between the University and its alumni community. This position offers an exciting opportunity to shape and elevate alumni relations, annual giving, and stewardship. The ED will develop and lead a comprehensive engagement strategy that is aligned with the AUnity strategic plan to enhance institutional visibility, inspire philanthropic support, and deepening affinity within and beyond the campus community.

Core Competencies

• Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with prospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers and the community we serve. Interacts effectively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service, learns and uses operating practices of the department and Aurora University.
• Upholds the Mission Statement: At Aurora University, our singular goal is to empower students to achieve lasting personal and professional success. We do this by being an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and purposeful lives.
• Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of university business.
• Supports learning through performance of essential job functions and performing other duties and functions as necessary or as assigned.
  
  

Essential Job Functions

• Develops and executes a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy that deepens connections between alumni, parents, and the institution.
• Oversees engagement staff to design, implement, and evaluate programs, events, and volunteer opportunities.
• Supervises the Annual Giving program, including strategy and pipeline development to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward annual fund donors.
• Leads the creation, enhancement, and management of signature events such as Homecoming & Family Weekend, and related alumni programs in-person and virtually.
• Manages a portfolio of key alumni and donor relationships; provides strategic engagement and stewardship, and supports identification of major gift opportunities.
• Serves as a visible ambassador to the alumni community, fostering a culture of connection, philanthropy, and lifelong affinity with alumni across industries, class years, and geographic regions.
• Aligns alumni engagement initiatives with the school’s mission, AUnity Strategic Plan, and Office of Philanthropy & Engagement (OPE) goals.
• Partners with OPE staff to integrate annual giving systems into the broader alumni engagement and University communications strategy.
• Builds and sustain an alumni advisory network that actively supports the institution.
• Ensures the accuracy, integrity, and strategic use of alumni and donor data in partnership with advancement services.
• Maintains up-to-date alumni and donor records, tracks engagement outcomes, and prepares reports on program effectiveness.
• Implements measurable metrics for success and continuous improvement in alumni and engagement programs.
• Oversees departmental budget to ensure cost-effective operations.
• Assists the university in other capacities as needed that align with strategic initiatives.
• Additional duties as assigned by the VPPE.
  
  

Essential Job Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s Degree required; advanced degree preferred

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years experience in alumni relations, advancement, annual giving, or higher education engagement.
• Demonstrated success in leading engagement initiatives, fundraising programs.
• Strong ability to cultivate, solicit and steward donors; with experience in frontline-fundraising preferred.
  
  

Skills

• Excellent leadership, communication and relationship building skills.
• Ability to interact with a diverse group of volunteers, donors, faculty, staff, and students. Proven ability to collaborate across departments and work with diverse stakeholders.
• Data-drive approach to measuring and reporting on engagement and giving outcomes.
• Computer knowledge essential; Fundraising and/or event database experience required
• Expertise in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word required
• Flexibility with an evolving workstation
  
  

Special Requirements:

• Valid driver’s license and proof of insurance required.
• Some evening and Saturday hours required.
• Regular travel locally with limited regional travel
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Ability to move about at those locations.
• Ability to move about campus.
• Ability to interact via telephone, in person and via electronic media.
  
  

The anticipated pay rate for this position is $100,000-$115,000 per year. This compensation is subject to change at the sole discretion of the university, based on institutional needs.

The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.

Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.

Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Aurora University offers competitive, flexible benefits to eligible employees.

• Health Insurance Choice of HMO or PPO offered through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois.
• Dental and Vision Insurance Choice of two dental plans and vision insurance offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield.
• Life Insurance and AD&D 1.5 times annual salary, dependent on age. Additional life insurance also may be purchased for self, spouse, and children.
• Long Term Disability 60% of salary, taxable and nontaxable options.
• TIAA Retirement Account The University offers a 403b retirement plan, administered by TIAA. Matching contributions offered first day of employment to eligible employees, at the discretion of the University and Board of Directors.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) FSAs are available for medical costs and dependent care costs.
• Paid Time Off Vacation, personal, and sick leave are provided to eligible employees.
• Holidays The university observes nine major holidays where the university is closed.
• Tuition Assistance Tuition assistance for AU undergraduate courses is available to eligible employees and eligible family members beginning the term following one (1) year of regular, full-time employment. Tuition assistance for graduate programs paid at 60% for employee following Senior Leadership approval.
• Tuition Exchange Consortiums AU is a member of the Tuition Exchange (TE) and the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP) enabling full-time employees and eligible family members to be eligible for tuition assistance at more than 600 universities nationwide. Eligibility for the CIC-TEP and TE programs is one (1) year of regular, full-time employment as of 8/31.
  
  

To see more benefits details and breakdowns please see our benefits guide

01

Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?

• High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (GED)
• Associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Professional degree
• Doctorate degree
• Doctor of Philosophy
  
  

02

How many years of experience do you have in alumni relations, advancement, annual giving, or higher education engagement.?

• No experience
• Less than 3 years of experience
• 3 year but less than 5 years of experience
• 5 years but less than 7 years experience
• 7 or more years of experience
  
  

03

Are you able to work a flexible work schedule that might include some evening and Saturday shifts?

• Yes
• No
  
  

04

Have you successfully led at least one engagement initiative or fundraising program with measurable outcomes?

• Yes
• No
  
  

05

Do you have a valid driver's license and proof of vehicle insurance?

• Yes
• No
  
  

06

Please describe a specific engagement initiative or fundraising program you have led.

07

Do you understand that this position is not remote and will require you to be onsite or work in a hybrid capacity within the Chicagoland area?

• Yes
• No
  
  

Required Question