Assistant Director of Alumni Relations

Position Overview

The Assistant Director, Alumni Relations is responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining the long-term involvement of College alumni through programming, communications, and relationship building. Volunteer engagement is a significant component of this staff member's portfolio, particularly emphasizing new alumni and those experiencing milestone moments. The position manages and executes signature Alumni events including our Annual Christmas Celebration, Alumni Weekend at Homecoming, regional alumni events and milestone Reunion events. Lastly, this position will develop and execute a communications plan to strategically engage and inform alumni and friends.

This position reports to the Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. It supports annual giving initiatives through alumni participation in our annual Day of Giving and the Merrimack Fund strategy. Additionally, this position partners with the Career and Experiential Learning team to be a liaison with their alumni outreach efforts.

Primary Responsibilities:

Alumni Engagement:

• Manage and coordinate alumni volunteer opportunities, including, but not limited to, Reunion committees, affinity group development and regional networks.
• Contribute to the Alumni annual giving strategy by looking for opportunities for growth and engagement to increase the number of donors.
• Act as a liaison with the Career and Experiential Learning Office to ensure our Alumni program is coordinated with their outreach and that partnership opportunities are maximized.
• Provide exceptional customer service by immediately addressing alumni concerns, needs, and requests and responding to alumni questions.

Events:

• Lead all aspects of event coordination, logistics, print and digital communications, and post-event evaluations/debriefs.
• Develop and secure all event requisitions for event setup, catering, event décor/linens, and equipment/technology requirements.
• Work with campus partners to coordinate event logistics.
• Prepare event materials, including invitations, save the dates, programs, briefings, stewardship pieces, nametags, signs, gifts, registration table needs, and post-event follow-up materials.

Communications:

• Implement strategic communications to advance alumni program objectives through a multichannel approach of communications and special events, while assuring appropriate messaging, style, quality, content, and presentation.
• Coordinate with the Director of Stewardship to identify and coordinate stories about students, alumni, donors and faculty.
• Manage alumni online presence, including alumni social media and webpages.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• Three years of relevant experience: preferably experience in alumni relations
• Strong organizational and communication skills with excellent grammar
• Effective time management skills
• Successful execution of projects on time
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and campus partners in a team environment
• A working style characterized by high energy, absolute integrity, and a strong commitment to collegiality and transparency
• Comfortability CRM platforms, Microsoft Office, and Google Docs
• Ability to work nights and weekends

Application Materials Should Include:

• Resume
• Cover letter stating motivation and interest in the position, citing experience relevant to the qualifications and including experience with, and commitment to, our Catholic Augustinian mission, our values, and our desire to be a more diverse, equitable and inclusive institution of higher learning.

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Vaccinations and Work Location

This is an on-campus position as employees are essential in order to provide a fully on-campus, residential college experience for our students and the community.

The COVID-19 vaccine and booster for which an individual may be eligible are highly recommended for students, faculty and staff. Merrimack College does not require proof of COVID vaccination for enrollment, employment or to be a guest on our campus.

Statement on Our Mission

Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building a culturally and racially diverse community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.

Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to Merrimack's Catholic and Augustinian mission and values and advance our work in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups. All candidates should describe in their application previous experience related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as how they will engage in fostering a culture that supports our Catholic and Augustinian mission and our values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

About Merrimack College

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,000 undergraduate and 1,400 graduate students from 43 states and 42 countries. The College features more than 100 career-focused undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has five schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy and the Girard school of business. The College's suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master's Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up in the U.S. News & World Report's ranking of Best Colleges, ranking 33rd in the Regional Universities North category in 2024. Merrimack is a NCAA Division I athletic institution.

Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.