Senior Director of Alumni and Student Engagement, University of Illinois Alumni Association; UIAA

Senior Director of Alumni and Student Engagement – University of Illinois Alumni Association (UIAA)

About UIAA:
The mission of the University of Illinois Alumni Association (hereinafter, “UIAA”) is to enhance and advance the relationship between the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign (hereinafter, the “University”) and all its alumni; to inspire lifelong loyalty and pride among alumni and friends by strengthening their relationship with the University; and to educate the public about the value of the University and its alumni.

The objectives of this Association are educational and charitable. The Association functions as an advocate for the alumni and the University by informing interested parties of current issues, events, and accomplishments of alumni and the University. In fulfilling its mission, the Association may provide a variety of services to the University and its alumni.

The UIAA is a 501c3 corporation. The UIAA President reports directly to the UIAA Board of Directors (“Board”) and maintains an ongoing dialogue with the University’s Chancellor. All other staff report directly or indirectly to the President.

The Senior Director of Alumni and Student Engagement is a new role and will report to the Vice President of Engagement. The role will provide management and oversight of various alumni engagement‑focused efforts, including the alumni clubs program, the alumni travel program, and in‑person and online alumni events. It will also be directly responsible for young alumni and student‑focused engagement efforts, designing and implementing events and programs for young alumni and/or current students, advising Student Alumni Ambassadors (“SAA”), and ensuring the UIAA’s student and young alumni engagement strategy aligns with other UIAA engagement efforts.

This position will act as a mid‑level leader within the UIAA, supervising other team members, coordinating closely with the Vice President of Engagement and other leadership team members, and ensuring synergy among the UIAA’s engagement efforts. The Senior Director’s work and oversight will directly facilitate the achievement of the UIAA’s mission, goals, and metrics.

This will be a hybrid role, reporting to Alice Campbell Alumni Center in Urbana, IL, two days per week and working remotely three days per week. The role will require occasional travel and work outside of regular business hours.

• Develops and executes a young alumni engagement strategy. Oversees the planning, promotion, and execution of all young alumni‑focused engagement initiatives.
  • Designs new young alumni engagement initiatives as needed.
  • Tailors general alumni engagement opportunities to young alumni when appropriate. Works closely with marketing and other team members to identify strategies to increase young alumni participation in existing events and programs.
• Oversees the planning, promotion, and execution of all general student engagement initiatives.
  • Designs new student engagement initiatives as needed.
  • Identifies opportunities to incorporate students into existing alumni‑focused events and programs and ensures that students are integrated successfully.
• Serves as the advisor for SAA.
  • In consultation with relevant UIAA and SAA leadership team members, sets priorities and goals for SAA programs and initiatives. Advises and assesses SAA efforts according to agreed‑upon metrics.
  • In consultation with SAA leadership team members, administers and ensures adherence to the annual SAA budget.
  • Attends SAA meetings and events as needed. Oversees and guides the planning of SAA events.
  • Ensures SAA is familiar with all relevant UIAA programs, events, and initiatives and that SAA is integrated into such efforts when appropriate.
• Serves as a team lead for UIAA’s Homecoming efforts.
  • Coordinates closely with the President and Vice President of Engagement to ensure synergy between UIAA and University‑wide Homecoming plans.
  • In coordination with other UIAA team members, provides oversight of key Homecoming events including the SAA 5K and pancake breakfast kickoff event, the alumni…