Associate Director of Alumni and Operations

Democracy Prep Public Schools; New York (NY); On-site; USD 115,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, dental insurance

403B matching

Parental leave

Job summary

Democracy Prep Public Schools in New York is seeking an Associate Director of Alumni and Operations who will cultivate a vibrant alumni community of 3,000+ and lead programs that support postsecondary persistence and success. You will design initiatives, connect graduates with college pathways, and coordinate events with diverse stakeholders.

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, you will manage alumni engagement, drive data-driven initiatives, and oversee operations to ensure strong college

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required and commitment to college success.
• Experience supporting low-income, first-generation students.
• Proven track record in student persistence and graduation rates.
• Excellent written communication and feedback on student work.
• Strong network with higher education admissions personnel, esp. in NY.
• Data-driven approach to alumni support and college processes.
• Organized professional capable of managing multiple events.
• Collaborative with diverse stakeholders across schools and central office.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute a college persistence strategy for ~1800 alumni annually.
• Manage Alumni Microgrant and Alumni Captain programs.
• Plan and run Alumni Reunion events and engagement activities.
• Build a corps of class captains from each graduating class.
• Develop DP Alumni Association partnerships and mentoring programs.
• Engage the Advisory Board to strengthen alumni engagement initiatives.
• Coordinate event workplans, timelines, and logistics with cross-team partners.
• Maintain trackers, flag risks, and drive actions to completion.

Skills

Mission-driven educator

Counselor experience

Retention strategies

Strong writing

Alumni/admissions networks

Data-driven recommendations

Project management

Bachelor's degree

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

About Democracy Prep Public Schools

Democracy Prep Public Schools (DPPS) is a network of college preparatory schools committed to ensuring all students have the option to go to college. We also acknowledge and celebrate multiple post-secondary pathways. We prioritize civic engagement, experiential learning, and global citizenship alongside excellent academics. Our Motto is: Work Hard. Go to College. Change the World. Central to achieving this vision is helping our scholars succeed beyond high school.

About This Opportunity

The Associate Director of Alumni and Operations will cultivate a vibrant and connected community of more than 3,000 Democracy Prep Public Schools alumni while leading programs that strengthen postsecondary persistence and success. The role provides meaningful support to graduates pursuing college, vocational training, and other career pathways; designs initiatives that keep alumni engaged, informed, and connected; and coordinates alumni and select organization-wide events and operational priorities. This position reports to the Chief Program Officer and works closely with the Deputy Chief of Staff, Marketing and Communications, Central Office, and school-based partners.

Who You Are

• An educator with an unwavering commitment to the Democracy Prep mission of college success and authentic civic engagement for our scholars.
• A dedicated high school counselor, college dean of student life or college success professional with experience supporting low-income, first-generation students
• A committed professional who possesses extensive knowledge of college student retention and success strategies with a track record of strong student persistence and graduation rates.
• A clear communicator and skilled writer with the ability to provide strong feedback on student work and craft exceptional student recommendations and other written communications.
• An enthusiastic networker with established, long-term associations with a variety of key admissions personnel at various higher ed organizations across the country, especially in New York, and the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and connect students to unique programs on college campuses.
• An organized professional who can build data-driven recommendations around the college process, and alumni support, with the goal of college persistence for all scholars.
• An organized, proactive project manager who can oversee multiple events and operational priorities, anticipate needs, coordinate across teams, and drive commitments through completion.
• A graduate of a Bachelor's degree program (required).

What You will Do

Program Management

• Design, execute, and refine a college persistence strategy that will impact approximately 1800 DPPS alumni annually
• Manage the Alumni Microgrant Program, which provides cash assistance to students who encounter unexpected financial burdens associated with college enrollment
• Manage the Alumni Captain Program, a peer-to-peer support initiative where class captain conduct routine outreach to fellow alumni throughout their college journey
• Plan and execute annual Alumni Reunion events and other alumni engagement activities
• Cultivate a corps of class captains from each graduating class
• Lead the continued development of the DP Alumni Association, connecting alumni to career programming, mentorship partnerships, internship opportunities, key stakeholders, and opportunities to build meaningful connections with one another through the Alumni Association platform.
• Engage the DPPS Advisory Board, primarily comprised of DP alumni, to develop and advance initiatives that strengthen alumni engagement, connection, and opportunities.

Events and Organizational Operations

• Coordinate event workplans, timelines, invitations, registration, materials, vendors, volunteers, and day-of execution
• Partner with Marketing and Communications, school teams, and Central Office departments to align event communications, materials, logistics, and responsibilities
• Maintain clear trackers; monitor deadlines, deliverables, and progress; flag risks or outstanding decisions; and drive action items through completion
• Lead end-to-end planning and execution of alumni events and support select Board, community, Central Office, and organization-wide events
• Manage CMO volunteer logistics and support Central Office and Board operations, including mail, ordering, deliveries, inventory, workplace upkeep, and special projects as directed.
• Identify opportunities to improve coordination, organization, and efficiency across assigned processes, and proactively communicate progress and challenges

Data-driven Outreach & Outcomes Management

• Use alumni data to identify and provide targeted support to alumni at risk of stopping out
• Monitor, manage, and report accurate postsecondary outcomes
• Create execution plans for alumni engagement based on regular outreach notes and recurring check-ins with the Chief Programs Officer.

Data & Analysis

• Collect, analyze, and interpret alumni data (surveys, coaching notes, Dashboard)
• Produce regular reports for stakeholders highlighting outreach efforts, graduate trends, and program insights
• Maintain accurate records of interactions, academic data, and barriers in the alumni database and report postsecondary outcomes
• Track progress toward re-enrollment goals and refine interventions based on evidence and outcomes

Compensation

Salary range is $115,000 - $135,000 commensurate with your experience. Democracy Prep employees are provided with a benefits package that includes medical, vision, and dental insurance, 403B matching, and parental leave.

Democracy Prep is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Our mission is to educate responsible citizen-scholars who will change the world. We strongly believe that by building a DREAM team that represents numerous perspectives, backgrounds, and areas of expertise, we can achieve this goal together. This is a value we highly support and strongly encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.