Assistant Director, Alumni Engagement

Thunderbird School of Global Management inspired the game changers who will transform industries to respond to humanity and the planet’s greatest challenges, now and in the future.  Thunderbird graduates, or T-birds, are true global citizens, able to navigate different cultures and environments, and bring unique perspectives to complex situations.   Innovators, mavericks and genuine changemakers, T-birds are part of a powerful global network, driven by a higher purpose and desire to be the change they want to see in the world.

This role is a fantastic opportunity for an enthusiastic, creative, and self-motivated individual to work directly with this incredible global network. The Assistant Director, Alumni Engagement at Thunderbird School of Global Management works with the Executive Director, Alumni Engagement and the larger Engagement team to build and deliver a comprehensive program for Thunderbird’s over 45,000 graduates and 100+ global chapters. As a liaison with alumni around the world, the Assistant Director must possess excellent communications skills and be able to represent Thunderbird and the Arizona State University Foundation with these key stakeholders. The Assistant Director should be a creative and innovative thinker who enjoys the challenge of building and rebuilding relationships and working strategically through those alumni relationships to build multidimensional partnerships for Thunderbird and ASUF.

What you'll do

• Proactively identify and manage key alumni and chapters, building positive relationships and increasing alumni and chapter engagement with the School.  Actively reaching out to alumni and chapters in key locations with a focus of building stronger engagement with the school, on-boarding and off-boarding chapter leaders and providing training for chapter leaders on how to use the T-bird Connect Platform.
• Coordinate closely with departments across Thunderbird, ASU and ASU Foundation including the Career Management Center, Executive Education, Branding and Communications, among others.
• Serve as primary point of contact via email and phone for general alumni questions pertaining to transcripts, diplomas, alumni benefits and engagement opportunities.
• Work closely with key departments across Thunderbird to identify and recruit alumni for speaking opportunities, mentoring, applicant interviews, executive education programs, among others.
• Coordinate alumni communications in collaboration with the Branding & Communications team including creation and management of content for daily feeds within the T-bird Connect Platform, social media groups, newsletters, as well as other email and print communications for alumni.
• Assist in preparing data and reports for the Executive Director and team on alumni activities and work with the team to track and assemble annual engagement metrics, continually ensuring growth in overall alumni engagement and examination of the metrics to assure they are contemporary and comprehensive.
• Responsible for assisting in planning regular alumni events both on and off campus, including chapter events with Thunderbird and ASUF leadership, alumni speaker events, regional chapter gatherings and alumni reunions.
• Other duties as assigned.

What you'll need

• Demonstrate knowledge of the principles and practices pertaining to alumni engagement within a higher education setting.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to Thunderbird’s relationships, donor base, and finances and the Foundation and University’s business and confidential information.
• Collaborative style, combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment.
• Strong and collegial interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate effectively to a global audience in person, in writing, and by phone.
• Evidence of having highly developed emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish trust and effective communications with a wide array of stakeholders.
• Problem solver who can take initiative and set priorities while being flexible. 
• Professional experience in a higher education setting, including experience in alumni engagement, advancement, and volunteer management.
• An advocate’s belief in the vision of Thunderbird and ASU as the New American University.
• Ability to work hours necessary to complete tasks, including early mornings, nights and weekends. 
• Flexible, collaborative style, combined with the ability and desire to work in a results-oriented, dynamic environment with complex and evolving relationships and priorities.
• Highly organized and attentive to detail with ability to meet deadlines and complete projects.
• Able to travel as required to meet with alumni, participate in events, and maintain relationships.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and comfortable working in Salesforce or similar CRM System.  Experience working with on-line community platforms and on-line engagement activities is a plus.

Relevant qualifications

• ​​Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Three (3) years or more of successful professional work in a higher education or alumni engagement setting.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and experience in managing events and other complex activities in support of engagement objectives.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Advanced degree.
• Experience working in Salesforce, Canva and Workday.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience living and/or working outside the U.S.
• Experience in intercultural communications
• Fluency in a second language, a strong preference

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with matching employer contribution
• 22 days of vacation time
• 11 holidays, including your birthday
• Parental leave
• Significant tuition reductions
• Professional development is highly valued at ASU Foundation, where employees are encouraged to look across the organization and nurture new areas of interest
• $30 bi-weekly cell phone reimbursement
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About ASU Foundation

The ASU Foundation fosters partnerships between ASU and like-minded individuals, corporations and foundations who believe in ASU’s mission and provide resources for ASU to manifest its charter into meaningful impact. These partnerships empower ASU to advance student access, serve our community, protect the planet, create equity in higher education and conduct research for the public good.

At the ASU Foundation we value

Character
We prioritize character and integrity in every decision and action, establishing trust as the foundation of all that we do.
 

Service
We are dedicated to serving our students, donors, communities, and colleagues by fostering support and collaboration to ensure that our efforts are impactful.
 

Innovation
Innovation drives us to create meaningful opportunities and solutions, helping every member of our global community achieve meaningful outcomes.

Please apply directly to the Careers page.