Executive Director, Notre Dame Alumni Association

Universityofnotredame; Notre Dame (IN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Notre Dame seeks an Executive Director of the Alumni Association and Associate Vice President for University Relations to provide strategic leadership for lifelong engagement with alumni, parents, families, and friends around the world.

Reporting to the Vice President for University Relations, this senior leader will guide a high‑performing Alumni Association team and a broad volunteer network, serving as a visible ambassador and spokesperson for Notre Dame.

Qualifications

• Experience leading large teams and volunteer networks.
• Strong strategic thinking and engagement planning.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Vision: Establish a compelling vision and long-term strategy for alumni engagement aligned with the University's priorities and mission.
• Strategic Leadership and Vision: Anticipate changing needs of alumni across generations and geographies, evolving programs and engagement strategies.
• Strategic Leadership and Vision: Use data, technology, and alumni feedback to evaluate impact and identify opportunities for engagement.
• Strategic Leadership and Vision: Serve as a member of University Relations leadership and trusted advisor to the VP for University Relations.
• Team and Organizational Leadership: Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing Alumni Association team.
• Team and Organizational Leadership: Set clear expectations and empower leaders to maximize impact.
• Team and Organizational Leadership: Align structures, talent, resources, and programs with strategic priorities.
• Team and Organizational Leadership: Develop future leaders and provide growth opportunities.
• Alumni Board and Volunteer Leadership: Build a strong partnership with the Alumni Association Board of Directors.
• Alumni Board and Volunteer Leadership: Strengthen collaboration with board leadership and volunteers.
• Alumni Board and Volunteer Leadership: Inspire, equip, and steward the extensive network of volunteer leaders.
• Alumni Board and Volunteer Leadership: Ensure volunteers understand priorities and represent Notre Dame effectively.
• Alumni Engagement and Community: Strengthen lifelong relationships through faith, service, learning, career development, and community activities.
• Alumni Engagement and Community: Lead major alumni experiences and traditions.
• Alumni Engagement and Community: Deepen engagement across generations and worldwide.
• Alumni Engagement and Community: Partner across colleges, Athletics, Student Affairs, and other units to connect alumni with Notre Dame's life and mission.
• University Ambassador and Spokesperson: Represent Notre Dame to alumni, parents, friends, volunteers, and communities worldwide.
• University Ambassador and Spokesperson: Communicate the University’s mission and priorities with authenticity and clarity.
• University Ambassador and Spokesperson: Represent Notre Dame at alumni gatherings and events.
• University Ambassador and Spokesperson: Build trusted relationships across the Notre Dame family.
• Leadership in a Complex Environment: Navigate cultural, social, institutional, and public issues with wisdom and diplomacy.
• Leadership in a Complex Environment: Build bridges across perspectives while keeping Notre Dame’s mission at the center.
• Leadership in a Complex Environment: Anticipate issues affecting alumni relationships or the University’s reputation and collaborate with leadership.

Job description

The Executive Director of the Notre Dame Alumni Association and Associate Vice President for University Relations provides strategic leadership for Notre Dame's lifelong engagement with its alumni, parents, families, and friends around the world. Reporting to the Vice President for University Relations, the Executive Director serves as the University's senior leader for alumni engagement and as a highly visible ambassador and spokesperson for Notre Dame.

The Executive Director leads a high-performing Alumni Association team and an extensive network of volunteer leaders, building connections that strengthen the Notre Dame family and advance the University's Catholic mission. The successful candidate will bring exceptional energy, judgment, relationship-building ability, and a deep appreciation for Notre Dame's distinctive mission, traditions, and global community.

The position requires significant travel and frequent evening and weekend commitments and calls for a leader who draws energy from people and remains genuinely enthusiastic about engaging the Notre Dame family wherever they may be.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Vision

Establish a compelling vision and long-term strategy for alumni engagement aligned with the priorities and mission of the University and University Relations.

Anticipate the changing needs and expectations of alumni across generations, geographies, backgrounds, and stages of life, continually evolving the Alumni Association's programs and engagement strategies.

Use data, technology, research, and alumni feedback to evaluate impact, establish priorities, allocate resources, and identify new opportunities for engagement.

Serve as a member of the University Relations leadership team and a trusted advisor to the Vice President for University Relations and other University leaders.

Team and Organizational Leadership

Recruit, develop, inspire, and retain an exceptional Alumni Association team, creating a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, service, and care for one another.

Set clear expectations and empower leaders throughout the organization so that the collective impact of the team is greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Ensure organizational structures, talent, resources, and programs are aligned with the Association's highest strategic priorities.

Develop future leaders and create meaningful opportunities for professional growth and succession.

Alumni Board and Volunteer Leadership

Build an exceptional partnership with the Notre Dame Alumni Association Board of Directors, engaging its members as ambassadors and volunteer leaders.

Work closely with the Board president, president-elect, past president, executive committee, and other volunteer leaders to strengthen alumni engagement.

Inspire, equip, and steward Notre Dame's extensive network of club, class, affinity, professional, and other volunteer leaders.

Ensure volunteers understand University priorities and are prepared to represent Notre Dame thoughtfully and effectively in their communities.

Alumni Engagement and Community

Strengthen lifelong relationships between Notre Dame and its alumni through opportunities for faith, service, learning, career and professional development, student engagement, fellowship, travel, athletics, and connection with the University.

Provide leadership for major alumni experiences and traditions, including Reunion, football weekends, club and class engagement, alumni travel, and other signature programs.

Deepen engagement with alumni across generations and around the world, ensuring that alumni see opportunities both to receive value from and contribute value to the Notre Dame community.

Partner across colleges and schools, Athletics, Student Affairs, Mission Engagement and Church Affairs, and other University units to connect alumni with the broader life and mission of Notre Dame.

University Ambassador and Spokesperson

Serve as one of Notre Dame's most visible representatives to alumni, parents, friends, volunteers, and communities around the world.

Communicate the University's mission, priorities, opportunities, and challenges with authenticity, warmth, credibility, and clarity.

Represent Notre Dame at alumni gatherings, University events, athletic events, celebrations, memorials, and other occasions requiring senior University presence.

Build trusted relationships across a broad and diverse Notre Dame family, demonstrating exceptional interpersonal judgment and discretion.

Leadership in a Complex Environment

Navigate complex cultural, social, institutional, and public issues with wisdom, diplomacy, courage, and sound judgment.

Build relationships across differing perspectives while keeping Notre Dame's Catholic mission, institutional values, and commitment to community at the center.

Anticipate issues that could affect alumni relationships or the reputation of the University and partner appropriately with University leadership and communications colleagues.