Associate Director, Alumni and Volunteer Experience

University of Chicago; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 77,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago Advancement team seeks an Associate Director, Alumni and Volunteer Experience, to design innovative class-based undergraduate alumni engagement strategies and drive participation worldwide. You will spearhead initiatives that strengthen alumni affinity during reunion years, tailoring experiences to diverse undergraduate cohorts.

You will lead programs across reunion activities, collaborate with campus partners, and measure impact against Advancement goals, cultivating

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of work experience in nonprofit management, alumni relations, development, or related field.
• Additional experience in fundraising is a plus.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience with budgeting and financial oversight.
• Experience with data management and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements strategic engagement plans for College Reunion classes with clear goals.
• Identifies opportunities for meaningful class-based engagement during and between reunion years.
• Partners with Reunion volunteer staff to support program development.
• Plans College Alumni Weekend programming and Reunion dinners.
• Leverages existing alumni programs to increase touchpoints with Reunion alumni.

Skills

Alumni relations

Strategic planning

Data management

Communication

Relationship building

Event planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree

College degree in related field

Tools

Phoenix

Salesforce Donor Relationship Management

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Access

Job description

Department

ADV College Experience

About the Department

The University of Chicago Advancement team cultivates lifelong connections with more than 220,000 alumni, current students, parents, and friends worldwide, building community through intellectual, professional, and other meaningful experiences on campus, around the world and online. Advancement empowers every division, school, department, and institute to thrive, generating support for esteemed faculty, pioneering researchers, visionary practitioners, and ambitious students.

During the Chicago Minds campaign, Advancement seeks to raise over $1 billion annually. This unprecedented philanthropic effort is designed to stretch the boundaries of what is possible, fueling bold discovery and amplifying the University’s global impact.

Our work is rooted in the belief that meaningful connection and lasting experiences inspire ambassadorship and enduring commitment. We champion a culture of innovation and excellence, inviting every member of our community to participate in a future defined by creativity, intellectual rigor, and shared purpose. Through collaborative partnerships, strategic stewardship, and investment in talent, Advancement is reimagining alumni and donor engagement while ensuring UChicago remains a catalyst of impact for generations to come.

The Alumni and Volunteer Experience team oversees a diverse set of programs and initiatives designed to increase participation and engagement among alumni, parents, and friends of the University, with a focus on driving key University priorities.

Job Summary

The Associate Director, Alumni and Volunteer Experience, will serve in a role focused on developing innovative strategies for building and strengthening class-based undergraduate alumni engagement. They will be responsible for identifying and executing initiatives that strengthen alumni affinity during and between milestone reunion years. The University’s undergraduate College has seen significant growth and change in the past two decades, resulting in diversity of identity and campus experiences in the undergraduate alumni population. This role will be responsible for responding to this diversity by taking an entrepreneurial and proactive approach to tailoring class-based experiences.

This role uses best practices and knowledge within Alumni Relations and leads a program designed to engage the alumni community worldwide, increase participation, and advance the objectives of the College and the University. Researches, executes, and implements best practices in alumni relationship management.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements strategic engagement plans for College Reunion classes, with specific and measurable goals, aligned with the University’s alumni engagement and fundraising priorities and tailored to the unique needs of each class.
• Identifies, creates, and executes opportunities for meaningful class-based engagement during and between reunion years, with a focus on strengthening connections between alumni and the University and among alumni themselves; deepening alumni pride; and enhancing and expanding engagement opportunities for the global UChicago undergraduate alumni community.
• Partners closely with Reunion volunteer committee staff leads to support volunteers in the development of class-based programs and initiatives aligned with community and University priorities.
• Collaborates with key stakeholders in planning and executing strategic class-based experiences, including College Alumni Weekend programming and Reunion dinners.
• Develops and implements strategies for leveraging existing alumni programs to engage Reunion classes and for increasing touchpoints with the broad community of Reunion alumni.
• Partners with colleagues across the University and the College, including College reunion fundraising leads, to develop and implement strategies to increase cross-campus collaboration on class-based engagement strategies and goals.
• Builds a culture of philanthropy across alumni communities, supporting divisional qualification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies and ensuring that volunteer boards meet philanthropic goals.
• Continually evaluates, assess, and reports on class-based alumni engagement strategies for ongoing improvement and growth, with a particular focus on driving Advancement goals.
• Identifies and integrates strategies for increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across programs and experiences.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions and with an eye towards broadly diversifying the advancement profession.
• Assists in leading and coordinating the planning, organization, and management of events, programs, and services designed to cultivate and maintain ties between the University of Chicago and key constituent groups. May assist in or individually create a marketing plan to maximize participation and engagement of alumni, parents, and friends.
• Has a deep understanding of strategic planning, data management, the creation and tracking of metrics, and the creation and implementation of new constituent relations programs worldwide. Measures, tracks, and reports participation and success of initiatives.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

—

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum five years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales, or similar professional field.
• Minimum one year of experience developing and monitoring budgets.
• Background providing responsive, professional, and customer-focused service to internal and external stakeholders.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to Advancement, including Phoenix, the University’s Donor Relationship Management Salesforce System.
• Proficient in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.

Preferred Competencies

• A strong commitment to personal and professional development, and the ability to foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and engage effectively with alumni and volunteers.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.
• Self-motivated and take initiative.

Working Conditions

• This position has a hybrid work schedule which includes weekly in office presence.
• Standard office environment.
• Travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed.
• This position is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.
• This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, addressed to Hiring Committee (preferred)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Alumni Relations & Development

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$76,500.00 - $90,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in theBenefits Guidebook..

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case‑point‑case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.