Description

Job Type: Full-time

Position Classification Title: Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: Vice President of Philanthropy and Alumni Relations

Salary: $115,000-$135,000 annually

About Us:

The New Mexico State University Foundation invites you to apply to join our diverse, dynamic, and welcoming team in Las Cruces, NM. The NMSU Foundation seeks to provide the pinnacle career experience for each member of our team. The Foundation is seeking talented individuals who are passionate about the mission of NMSU and committed to a continual pursuit of excellence. We build strong relationships with alumni, supporters, NMSU partners, and each other, while personifying our core values of integrity, teamwork, stewardship, innovation, and fun.

We offer a highly competitive salary including incentive compensation, an industry-leading benefits package, and a fun and fulfilling work environment. Qualified individuals with a high level of energy who are looking for a work environment that nurtures vision, performance, productivity, superior quality, and unsurpassed integrity are encouraged to apply for this career opportunity.

Job Summary:

The Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving will provide leadership, strategic vision, and management of the day-to-day operations for alumni relations and annual giving to support the Foundation’s advancement goals. This position will involve extensive travel and will be responsible for enhancing and expanding existing relationships with alumni and community leaders through local, regional, national, and international networks via the Foundation’s existing infrastructure while innovatively engaging untapped areas and networks of alumni and community leaders.

Essential Functions:

• Under the direction of the VP, Philanthropy and Alumni Relations, oversees and is responsible for the strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of alumni and community engagement initiatives that support the Foundation’s advancement goals and that are in alignment with the university's strategic plan. 
• Liaises and consults with the Alumni Board and advisory councils within NMSU departments and college and University leaders, such as Deans, Department Heads, Student Success, Career Services, and Marketing and Communication in order to increase engagement with alumni and community leaders. 
• Utilizes market research, community, alumni relations best practices, and trends to develop and pilot new programs and establish and implement engagement metrics to measure and evaluate effectiveness. 
• Develops and manages external affinity groups based on alumni, student, and university priorities. 
• Establishes functional reporting system for university partners that is focused on alumni and community engagement and cultivation. 
• Creates and sustains a program of alumni recognition. 
• Collaborates with campus affiliates to create and communicate recognition events for alumni and maintains awareness of external recognition opportunities to elevate the state, national, and global recognition for alumni. 
• Plans and coordinates special events, including alumni and volunteer recognition events, receptions, homecoming, and reunions. 
• Travels to serve as a representative of the Foundation at local, regional, and national events, internal and external to campus. 
• Responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and motivating a strong and strategically focused team. This includes goal setting, performance evaluations, and assisting with employee relations issues.
• Manages and coordinates the processes that support data collection, data transfer, direct mailings, broadcast emails, social media, and promotional events.
• Participates in the strategic and long-range planning for new initiatives and programs designed to enhance community and donor relations activities.
• Develops and presents educational programs for alumni and community leaders, including civic club speeches, lectures, seminars, and workshops. 
• Oversees annual giving functions, including giving days, unit-based appeals, parent appeals, faculty/staff/retiree appeals, crowdsourcing, student callers, and related activities.
• Manages budgets.

Requirements

Minimum Required Education, Knowledge, Experience & Certification/License:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Public Relations, Communications, Education, Higher Education, or a related field.
• 3 years’ experience in external relations, higher education alumni or engagement, non-profit fundraising, community organization, or a related field and 1 year of experience supervising employees.
• 2 years’ experience in higher education preferred.
• An energetic, well-grounded, innovative, service-oriented personality and calculated risk taker with a bias for action, a record of setting and surpassing objectives, and a proven “can do” attitude and drive to execute strategies and produce results beyond expectations. 
• Willingness to try new approaches, learn new skills, and be a team player in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. 
• Organized, versatile, self-starter with excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability and desire to be involved in the local community and beyond as deemed appropriate. 
• Knowledge of principles and practices of communications and public relations and its role in advancing an organizational agenda. 
• Ability to collaborate and influence with integrity and represent the Foundation in a professional manner.
• Knowledge of data management techniques and skilled in database management.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community. 
• Ability to plan, organize, and facilitate a range of special events. 
• Ability to develop, prepare, and deliver effective education programs, seminars and workshops relating to alumni and community relations.