Position Overview: 

The Assistant Director will join the university alumni engagement team serving as the alumni engagement officer for the School of Architecture Planning and the Graduate School of Education, partnering in creating and implementing, programs, events, and activities for alumni and friends to encourage engagement and long-term relationships. The Assistant Director will report to the Sr. Director of Alumni and Constituent Engagement.

This position will work closely with the advancement officers from each unit, who are focused on ensuring sustainable philanthropic growth commensurate with the needs of each school by engaging alumni and developing long-term relationships. The Assistant Director will be expected to leverage events and other central engagement activities to expand their reach and to discover new prospects for Advancement.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Develop and execute strategies, programs and events to meaningfully engage alumni and constituents of SAP and GSE.
• Support strategic and operating plans of SAP and GSE; establish coordinated goals and implement programs to meet goals in concert with the university, the schools, and advancement policies and priorities.
• Execute local, regional and virtual engagement programs while also identifying and cultivating prospects for Advancement documenting all contacts and strategies within the in-house database system.
• Work collaboratively with advancement officer(s) and school leadership to identify annual giving segments for solicitation in collaboration with the Office of Annual Giving.
• Identify and share specific targeted prospect connection opportunities for advancement officers to connect with at university-wide alumni events and programs.
• Support university-wide signature and high-level alumni engagement programming through personal invitation outreach to key alumni and prospects.
• Work with the GSE Alumni Association in planning and executing programs in support of Advancement priorities.
• Participate as a full member of the university advancement staff, attending alumni engagement and unit-based advancement team meetings, professional development activities, and other staff meetings as appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: 

The Assistant Director reports to the Sr. Director of Alumni Engagement and Constituent Engagement and works collaboratively with the Advancement officers for SAP and GSE as well as the dean from each unit, respectively.

Functional: 

The Assistant Director will partner with and complement the activities of the alumni engagement team and will actively participate in supporting the vision and strategy for the university alumni engagement program. Within University Advancement, the Assistant Director works closely with colleagues in Alumni Engagement, SAP and GSE advancement colleagues, partners in Corporate and Foundation Relations, Gift Planning, Annual Giving, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Advancement Communications and Prospect Research. The Assistant Director collaborates with other alumni officers across the university as well as with alumni volunteers and board members

Key Qualities for Successful Development and Alumni Relations Professionals:

The incumbent must be results-oriented with personal characteristics that include commitment to confidentiality, diplomacy, flexibility, sense of humor, team-orientation, attention to detail, organization, and sensitivity to the stewardship of long-term relationships. The incumbent also must be able to articulate the mission and goals of a public institution of higher education.

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least 3 years of experience in one, or a combination, of the following areas (1) alumni relations, (2) event management, or (3) volunteer management.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to listen and interact with a wide range of individuals and organizations.
• Strong demonstrated verbal and written skills.
• Familiar with electronic and social media.
• The ability to work well both independently and collaboratively with other team members.
• The ability to manage multiple projects and priorities with focus on details and timeline.
• A demonstrated ability to work in complex organizations is required.
• Ability to work nights and weekends, and travel, as needed and requested.

The University at Buffalo is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and, in keeping with our commitment, welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The University is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic University community committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. UB offers highly competitive salary and benefit packages for its advancement staff.