Manager, Alumni Relations

Centennial College; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 89,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

Centennial College is seeking a strategic Manager of Alumni Relations at Progress Campus, hybrid work. You will lead alumni programs, campaigns, events, and partnerships while managing staff and budgets. The role requires strong relationship-building, governance, and data-driven impact assessment.

The position reports to Development and Alumni Engagement and advances equity, inclusion, and diverse representation across alumni initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Community Development, Political Science, Not-for-Profit Management, Public Administration, Adult Education, Leadership/Management, Public Relations, or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in alumni relations, community engagement, stakeholder relations, or a related field, preferably in a post-secondary or public-sector environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing alumni or community engagement strategies and programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading and supporting staff, volunteers, committees, and diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with alumni, students, faculty, staff, donors, community partners, industry, and external organizations.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, negotiation, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Experience developing work plans, budgets, KPIs, and performance reports.
• Experience managing external vendors, partners, contracts, and service relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively in a complex, collaborative environment.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices in alumni engagement, post-secondary education, fundraising, communications, and community/industry partnerships.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, accessibility, and building meaningful engagement opportunities for diverse alumni communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of Centennial College’s alumni engagement strategy and annual plan, aligned with institutional priorities.
• Lead alumni engagement programs, including campaigns, events, mentorship, networking, reunions, volunteer opportunities, and alumni recognition initiatives.
• Lead the development and implementation of an alumni volunteer and governance structure, including recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing support of the Alumni Advisory Committee.
• Lead alumni communications and storytelling across newsletters, digital platforms, social media, and other communications channels.
• Lead the management and expansion of alumni affinity programs and partnerships that provide value to alumni and generate revenue for college priorities.
• Lead and support staff and volunteers through goal-setting, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Develop strategic opportunities for alumni to support students and the College through mentorship, philanthropy, advocacy, volunteerism, guest speaking, and industry connections.
• Collaborate with Development, Marketing, Academic Schools, Career Services, Co-op Education, Lifelong Learning, and other College areas to integrate alumni engagement into institutional initiatives.
• Manage alumni engagement budgets, vendors, service providers, contracts, and operational processes.
• Monitor and evaluate alumni engagement activities through KPIs, CRM data, analytics, and industry trends to improve participation and impact.
• Ensure alumni data, communications, partnerships, and programs comply with FIPPA, CASL, privacy requirements, and College policies.
• Advise senior leaders, Deans, Chairs, and internal stakeholders on alumni engagement strategies and opportunities with financial, operational, and reputational implications.
• Champion equity, inclusion, belonging, and diverse representation across alumni engagement programs

Skills

Communication

Relationship-building

Negotiation

Facilitation

Interpersonal skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Decision-making

Education

Bachelor’s degree (Community Development / Political Science / Not-for-Profit Management / Public Administration / Adult Education / Leadership/Management / Public Relations)

Job description

Classification: Full-time Administration

Pay Band: 10

Pay Range: $88,985 - $116,682 per year

Campus/Location: Progress Campus / Hybrid

Hours/Week: 35

Shift Schedule: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Posting Date: August 25, 2026

Closing Date: September 1, 2026

Centennial College recognizes and affirms Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Indigenous ways of knowing as central to the vibrancy and uniqueness of its learning and working academic mission. We strongly encourage applications from members of Indigenous communities and all equity-deserving groups including Women, Racialized, Persons with Disabilities, and LGBTQ+ communities.

We also recognize that Centennial is situated on the Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and pay tribute to their legacy as well as that of all First Peoples that have been and remain present here in Toronto. We recognize that First Peoples come from sovereign Nations and that part of understanding our responsibilities of residing on this territory are understanding the true history, circumstances and legacy of the Treaties signed here (such as the Toronto Purchase, Robinson-Huron Treaty and Williams Treaties) and including pre-contact Treaties and Agreements between sovereign Nations and that all peoples in this area are therefore Treaty people with obligations and responsibilities to all our relations.

Position Summary

The Manager, Alumni Relations provides strategic and operational leadership for Centennial College’s alumni engagement program. Reporting to the Director, Development and Alumni Engagement, the Manager develops and implements strategies that build lifelong relationships between alumni, students, the College, and external partners. The role leads alumni programs, campaigns, events, communications, volunteer engagement, affinity partnerships, and alumni services, while identifying opportunities to increase alumni participation, philanthropy, advocacy, and revenue generation.

The Manager provides leadership to staff and volunteers, manages budgets and external partners, develops performance measures, and collaborates across the College to integrate alumni engagement into student, academic, career, fundraising, and institutional initiatives. The role also serves as an advisor to senior leadership on alumni engagement opportunities and issues with financial, strategic, and reputational implications.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of Centennial College’s alumni engagement strategy and annual plan, aligned with institutional priorities.
• Lead alumni engagement programs, including campaigns, events, mentorship, networking, reunions, volunteer opportunities, and alumni recognition initiatives.
• Lead the development and implementation of an alumni volunteer and governance structure, including recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing support of the Alumni Advisory Committee.
• Lead alumni communications and storytelling across newsletters, digital platforms, social media, and other communications channels.
• Lead the management and expansion of alumni affinity programs and partnerships that provide value to alumni and generate revenue for college priorities.
• Lead and support staff and volunteers through goal-setting, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Develop strategic opportunities for alumni to support students and the College through mentorship, philanthropy, advocacy, volunteerism, guest speaking, and industry connections.
• Collaborate with Development, Marketing, Academic Schools, Career Services, Co-op Education, Lifelong Learning, and other College areas to integrate alumni engagement into institutional initiatives.
• Manage alumni engagement budgets, vendors, service providers, contracts, and operational processes.
• Monitor and evaluate alumni engagement activities through KPIs, CRM data, analytics, and industry trends to improve participation and impact.
• Ensure alumni data, communications, partnerships, and programs comply with FIPPA, CASL, privacy requirements, and College policies.
• Advise senior leaders, Deans, Chairs, and internal stakeholders on alumni engagement strategies and opportunities with financial, operational, and reputational implications.
• Champion equity, inclusion, belonging, and diverse representation across alumni engagement programs

Qualifications/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Community Development, Political Science, Not-for-Profit Management, Public Administration, Adult Education, Leadership/Management, Public Relations, or a related field; equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in alumni relations, community engagement, stakeholder relations, or a related field, preferably within a post-secondary or public-sector environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing alumni or community engagement strategies and programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading and supporting staff, volunteers, committees, and diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with alumni, students, faculty, staff, donors, community partners, industry, and external organizations.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, negotiation, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Experience developing work plans, budgets, KPIs, and performance reports.
• Experience managing external vendors, partners, contracts, and service relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively in a complex, collaborative environment.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices in alumni engagement, post-secondary education, fundraising, communications, and community/industry partnerships.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, accessibility, and building meaningful engagement opportunities for diverse alumni communities.

Proof of credentials or equivalencies from accredited regional or federal post secondary institutions and/or their foreign equivalents will be required at the time of job offer.

We are committed to providing persons with disabilities equal opportunities regarding all employment activities, including access to jobs and accommodations during employment as required, in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).