Director of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy

Job Summary

The Director of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy provides strategic leadership for cultivating lifelong relationships between Methodist University and its alumni, parents, and graduating students. This position is responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy to strengthen institutional affinity, increase alumni participation, and support philanthropic growth.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, this role integrates alumni engagement directly into the University’s fundraising continuum, ensuring that engagement efforts advance student recruitment, financial support, volunteer leadership, and institutional pride.

The Director supports and promotes Methodist University’s mission to engage, enrich, and empower communities while honoring the University’s Methodist heritage and commitment to whole-person development.

Overall Objectives

The Director of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy is responsible for planning and implementing activities of the Alumni Association as advised by the Senior Director of Development for the purpose of broadening the base of alumni support to the University in the areas of student recruitment, financial gifts, and attendance at special events both on and off campus.

Direct Reports: None

Specific Accountabilities:

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Engagement Strategy

• Develop and implement a comprehensive, multi-year alumni engagement plan aligned with Development priorities and the University’s strategic plan.
• Establish measurable engagement metrics tied to alumni participation, volunteerism, and donor pipeline development.
• Build strategies that move alumni along the continuum: Connect → Engage → Invest → Lead.

Fundraising Integration & Pipeline Development

• Collaborate closely with fundraising officers to:
  • Increase alumni participation rates.
  • Identify and qualify alumni prospects for major and planned gifts.
  • Strengthen reunion and milestone-based giving strategies.
• Support alumni-focused fundraising initiatives, including unrestricted giving, scholarships, athletics, and campaign priorities.
• Ensure all alumni programming supports broader advancement goals.

Alumni & Parent Programming

• Provide leadership and execution of signature engagement initiatives, including:
  • Homecoming
  • Alumni Awards
  • Regional and Alumni events
  • Senior transition programming (traditional and non-traditional students)
  • Graduate program alumni engagement
• Provide oversight and strategic direction for a Parents’ Program, including development of a Parents Advisory Council.
• Ensure programs are relationship-driven, mission-centered, and fundraising-aligned.

Volunteer & Alumni Leadership Development

• Provide leadership and support to the Alumni Association Board.
• Recruit, train, and steward alumni volunteers, class agents, ambassadors, and regional leaders.
• Strengthen regional alumni chapters and affinity networks.
• Cultivate alumni leaders who serve as advocates, mentors, and philanthropic champions.

Communications & Brand Stewardship

• Partner with the Development Team in addition to Marketing & Communications to ensure consistent alumni messaging across digital, print, and social platforms.
• Promote alumni engagement through newsletters, website content, email campaigns, and storytelling initiatives.
• Elevate alumni success stories to reinforce Methodist University’s brand and impact.

Data Management & Assessment

• Maintain and expand alumni records in coordination with Advancement Operations.
• Utilize CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge) to segment and analyze alumni engagement trends.
• Establish and monitor KPIs such as:
  • Alumni participation rate
  • Event attendance
  • Volunteer engagement
  • Alumni donor conversion
• Provide performance reporting to the Senior Director of Development.

Carry out other duties as assigned by the Senior Director for Development

Experience and Education

• Bachelor’s degree. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience in alumni relations, advancement, nonprofit management, or related field.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working with volunteers and diverse constituencies.
• Competency in Microsoft Office Suite.

• Experience in higher education advancement.
• Familiarity with CRM systems such as Raiser’s Edge.
• Methodist University alumnus/a strongly preferred.
• Experience integrating alumni engagement with fundraising strategy.

Key Competencies

• Strategic relationship building
• Volunteer leadership
• Event and program management
• Philanthropic mindset
• Data-informed decision-making
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Organizational leadership

Characteristics

• Possess excellent written and oral communication skills to communicate effectively with a variety of constituents. 
• Must be able to work with a wide variety of constituents, including alumni of all ages and parents.
• Must support, embrace, and instill the habit of excellence to foster the vision of Methodist University.