Director of Alumni Relations

The Director of Alumni Relations is a senior member of the Advancement Team. The incumbent must be an experienced, dynamic and creative professional who will plan and implement a comprehensive program of activities that establishes and maintains relationships with approximately 8,000 MMA alumni worldwide through a coordinated mix of high-quality digital outreach, print communications, and personal engagement. The Director of Alumni Relations is charged with strategically engaging alumni and securing commitments from them to provide volunteer service.

The Director will ensure that every alumnus has meaningful, accessible options for staying connected to the Academy regardless of location, generation, or preferred communication channel. This position also requires working closely with colleagues across key administrative offices, including but not limited to Admissions, Development, College Relations, and Career Services. The Director will plan and implement a comprehensive program of activities that establishes and maintains relationships with alumni and the Academy.

The Director serves as the primary liaison to the Alumni Association Board of Directors, plans individual class and combined multi-class reunions, implements special events to recognize outstanding alumni, supports Homecoming Weekend, develops and implements plans for the Academy’s regional alumni clubs, and leads a coordinated alumni communications program across digital, print, and in-person channels. The Director oversees alumni web and social media content;

contributes ideas, story suggestions, writing, and input to Mariner Magazine, the alumni magazine of MMA; and is responsible for at least two editions of Shipmate per year, the Academy’s alumni e-newsletter. Digital communications will extend the reach and quality of alumni engagement and encourage participation in reunions, regional programs, volunteer service, mentoring, and to the and other opportunities for personal connection.

In addition, the Director will collaborate with the Annual Fund Manager and other Advancement staff to ensure that alumni participation in the Annual Fund and contributions to student scholarships meet or exceed annual goals. The Director manages the Alumni Relations budget, supervises employees along with numerous volunteers. This position requires high professional and ethical standards for handling confidential information, including personal alumni information, institutional budget and financial information.

The position also requires travel and attendance at evening and/or weekend activities, meetings, and events. This is a full-time, confidential position.

• Work closely with the Alumni Board of Directors, arranging meetings, staffing its committees, and ensuring their strategic plan initiatives are met.
• The Director will develop and submit for approval by the Chief of Staff annual strategic and operating plans.
• Plan and supervise all activities and events associated with a reunion weekend, ensuring that all of the Academy’s constituents are recognized and involved, including alumni, students, faculty and staff, and retired faculty.
• Maintain and expand a class agent program to build engagement and the return of alumni back to campus. Ensure that the Alumni Association Awards program reflects positively on the Academy and recognizes outstanding alumni by researching the records of perspective recipients, preparing background materials for consideration by the Alumni Association Board of Directors, president, or the selection committee.
• Educate graduating students about staying connected as a member of the Alumni Association and engage them in programs.
• Establish and build relationships with alumni locally, regionally, and nationally; maintain regular, high-quality communication through face-to-face contact, phone, email, text messaging where authorized, alumni web pages, social media, and print publications. Ensure that alumni can select and update how and how often they receive Academy information, and that digital outreach complements and strengthens physical mail, events, visits, and other personal engagement rather than replacing them.
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