Manager, Alumni Program

BDO; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A professional services firm in Ottawa is seeking a Manager for their Alumni Program to enhance alumni relationships and drive engagement. This new role requires a proactive leader with over 6 years in program management or marketing, adept in project management and digital tools. The successful candidate will design impactful events, manage the alumni portal, and leverage CRM data for business development, ensuring a strong alignment with the firm's goals and values.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in program management, marketing or HR experience.
• Professional services background preferred (tax, accounting, consulting).
• Strong project management skills across initiatives and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills for diverse audiences.
• Comfortable using CRM and digital tools.

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the Alumni Program with measurable impact.
• Manage and enhance the alumni portal and vendor relationships.
• Lead cross-functional teams to drive program success.
• Design high-impact alumni events and offerings.
• Monitor engagement metrics and iterate for growth.

Skills

Program management

Project management

Communication skills

Digital platform proficiency

Creative thinking

Education

6+ years experience in program management, marketing or HR

Professional services experience preferred

Tools

CRM software

Email marketing tools

Analytics platforms

Job description

BDO is a firm built on a foundation of positive relationships with our people and our clients. Each day, our professionals provide exceptional service, helping clients with advice and insight they can trust. In turn, we offer an award-winning environment that fosters a with a high priority on your personal and professional growth.

The Manager, Alumni Program is accountable for driving, expanding, and elevating BDO’s Alumni Program. This is a new role & requires a proactive leader who takes initiative, removes roadblocks, and brings energy and momentum to an evolving strategic priority. You will ensure cohesion and long-term success through strategic integration, stakeholder governance, and consistently high-impact engagement. From designing reward programs and events to leading portal enhancements and CRM optimization, you will play a critical role in strengthening alumni relationships and delivering measurable business value.

Key Responsibilities

• Own, evolve, and actively champion the Alumni Program, ensuring alignment across all program components and delivering measurable business impact.
• Take initiative in managing and enhancing the alumni portal, including vendor relationships, feature enhancements, integrations with existing BDO software and user experience design to deliver a seamless valuable experience.
• Proactively lead cross-functional with HR, Marketing, IT/I&C, L&D, and external partners to drive program success.
• Design and deliver high-impact alumni - events, recognition, and value‑added offerings tailored to alumni personas.
• Advance BDO’s business development priorities by surfacing actionable alumni intelligence and potential market opportunities, leveraging high-quality CRM data and effective segmentation.
• Monitor engagement metrics and alumni insights, using data to recommend improvements, iterate quickly, and accelerate program growth.
• Implement continuous feedback mechanisms to refine offerings and improve alumni satisfaction.
• Partner with Corporate Communications to create compelling alumni content (stories, blogs, campaigns) that builds connection, pride, and community.
• Launch, operationalize, and continuously improve the Alumni Referral and Incentive Program while ensuring compliance with legal and risk requirements.
• Champion innovation and global best practices, introducing new tools, approaches, and engagement models to advance program maturity.
• Step into evolving priorities, contributing to additional initiatives that accelerate the program’s—and the firm’s—success.

How do we define success for your role?

• You demonstrate BDO's core values through all aspect of your work: Integrity, Respect and Collaboration
• You understand your client’s industry, challenges, and opportunities; clients describe you as positive, professional, and delivering high quality work
• You identify, recommend, and are focused on effective service delivery to your clients
• You share in an inclusive and engaging work environment that develops, retains & attracts talent
• You actively participate in the adoption of digital tools and strategies to drive an innovative workplace
• You grow your expertise through learning and professional development.

Your experience and education

• 6+ years in program management, marketing or HR.
• Professional services experience (tax, accounting, or consulting firm background preferred)
• Strong project management skills: able to juggle multiple initiatives, deadlines, and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills able to craft engaging content and converse with diverse audiences.
• Comfortable using digital platforms and tools (CRM/ alumni database, social media, email marketing, analytics).
• Creative thinker with a service-oriented mindset: you proactively identify needs, take initiative, and add value with minimal direction.