Director of Student-Athlete Alumni Strategy & Engagement

Stanford University; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 172,000 - 203,000; Full time

Job summary

Stanford University’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation is seeking a Director of Student-Athlete Alumni Strategy & Engagement to lead an integrated alumni and campus partnerships ecosystem.

This role centers on the student-athlete journey, forging mentorship, career development, and professional opportunities through relationships with alumni, employers, campus partners, and industry leaders.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Higher Education, Sports Management, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field preferred.
• 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in athletics administration and alumni engagement.
• Experience developing and executing strategic engagement initiatives, partnerships, or programs.

Responsibilities

• Strategize and lead engagement initiatives that strengthen the student-athlete journey.
• Build and sustain partnerships with alumni, employers, campus partners, and industry leaders.
• Develop mentorship, career development, networking, and professional opportunities for student-athletes.
• Lead a cross-functional team including staff and student employees; supervise Mentorship staff.
• Monitor and report on engagement outcomes and program effectiveness; manage budgets and goals.

Skills

Relationship building

Strategic leadership

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Advanced degree in Higher Education, Sports Management, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field

Job description

Position Type: This is a full-time, on-site role (5 days/week) that requires occasional participation in weekend and monthly events.
Budgeted salary range: $171,697 - $202,644

Director of Student-Athlete Alumni Strategy & Engagement

Stanford’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (“DAPER”) is the premier intercollegiate athletics and recreation program in the country. With an unparalleled record of 139 NCAA team championships, we are the proud Home of Champions. Our success isn’t just measured in trophies; it’s reflected in the passion of our nearly 900 student-athletes competing across 36 intercollegiate varsity teams. It resonates in our unwavering support for the university’s physical education, recreation, and wellness initiatives. At Stanford, we don’t just embrace excellence; we define it. We don’t just nurture champions; we create them. Our actions are guided by the core tenets of DAPER culture, “The DAPER Way,” which are: Embrace Scholar Athleticism, Pursue and Revere Excellence, Lead with Courage, and Work Cohesively.

Position Summary

The Director of Student-Athlete Alumni Strategy & Engagement is a high-impact leadership role responsible for building and activating an integrated ecosystem of alumni, campus, industry, and philanthropic partnerships that enriches the Stanford student-athlete experience and advances Stanford Athletics' strategic engagement priorities. Centered on the student‑athlete journey—from recruit to engaged alum—the Director of Student‑Athlete Alumni Strategy & Engagement strengthens Stanford Athletics' value proposition by cultivating meaningful engagement among alumni, employers, campus partners, and industry leaders, leveraging those relationships to create and sustain mentorship, career development, networking, and professional opportunities for student-athletes.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Athletics, Olympic Sports and Student‑Athlete Success, the Director partners closely with Head Coaches, the DAPER Development team, DASH, and the Stanford Alumni Association to align strategic priorities, strengthen cross-campus collaboration, and activate Stanford's alumni and professional networks in support of student-athlete success. As a connector, relationship builder, and strategic partner, the Director convenes and mobilizes external stakeholders to expand opportunities for student-athletes while strengthening lifelong alumni engagement.

Success in this role will be measured by the strength of the relationships built, the engagement of alumni and strategic partners, and the meaningful opportunities created for student-athletes throughout their journey—from recruit to engaged alum.

Primary Areas of Focus

Strategic Program Leadership

• Translate Stanford Athletics' strategic priorities into scalable engagement initiatives that strengthen the student‑athlete journey and advance departmental goals.
• Develop strategies and implement outreach programs that enhance Stanford’s student‑athlete journey—from recruit to engaged alum.
• Provide leadership for the development and implementation of innovative programs and partnerships that prepare student-athletes for life after competition while strengthening their connection to Stanford's global alumni network.
• Oversee, expand, and monitor the effectiveness of the Cardinal Conversations program, a flagship initiative within Stanford Athletics’ and Alumni Mentorship program.
• Supervise Mentorship staff and student employees.
• Design, implement, and continuously evolve an integrated engagement ecosystem that connects student-athletes with alumni, employers, campus partners, and industry leaders.
• Evaluate and monitor student-athlete engagement initiatives for effectiveness and provide annual performance reports to Stanford Athletics leadership.
• Set and manage program budget, goals, and objectives in alignment with departmental goals.
• Develop and sustain strategic partnerships across Stanford Athletics, the Stanford Alumni Association, DASH, the Career Development Center, schools, Development, and other university partners to align resources and expand opportunities for student-athletes.
• Monitor emerging trends and best practices in collegiate athletics to recommend innovative approaches that strengthen Stanford Athletics' competitive position—and ensure it remains the “gold standard” in our conference and the NCAA.

Alumni and External Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as Stanford Athletics' primary relationship manager for a diverse network of alumni, executive leaders, venture capital and private equity professionals, employers, industry partners, philanthropic supporters, and volunteer leaders.
• Develop and activate engagement strategies that strengthen alumni participation, volunteer leadership, and long-term engagement with Stanford Athletics.
• Build trusted relationships with executive-level stakeholders, understanding their interests and connecting them with meaningful opportunities to engage with student-athletes and the department.
• Coordinate alumni leadership engagement, advisory participation, executive forums, networking events, and other strategic engagement activities.
• Develop communication strategies that strengthen engagement with alumni leadership groups, executive volunteers, and external stakeholders.
• Represent Stanford Athletics in external engagement activities that advance departmental priorities.

Student-Athlete Value-Proposition & Opportunity Development

• Partner with Head Coaches during the recruiting process to showcase the distinctive value of the Stanford student‑athlete experience by highlighting Stanford's integrated mentorship, career development, and professional engagement ecosystem.
• Leverage Stanford's alumni community and external relationships to create meaningful professional pathways for student-athletes; develop and expand access to career-focused experiences such as internships, mentorship, executive networking, experiential learning, and employment opportunities by cultivating strategic partnerships across industry, alumni, and employer networks.
• Identify innovative opportunities that strengthen the transition from collegiate athletics to professional success.

What You Will Bring

• Advanced degree in Higher Education, Sports Management, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field preferred.
• 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in athletics administration, alumni engagement, career services, sports management, higher education, external relations, corporate partnerships, or a combination of education and experience.
• Experience developing and executing strategic engagement initiatives, partnerships, or programs that strengthen organizational outcomes.
• Demonstrated success building relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Excellent strategic, organizational and project management skills and the ability to simultaneously plan and execute multiple projects.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with decision makers across many levels of an organization.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives requiring influence, collaboration, and consensus-building.