This is the University of Waterloo’s time and we’re building the advancement team to match it.
If you’re collaborative, curious, skilled at connecting with people, and built to make things happen, this is where you want to be. We’re in the quiet phase of an ambitious fundraising campaign with bold opportunities for donors, alumni, and the community to engage and make a difference. Our five Global Futures, societal, health, sustainable, technological, and economic, frame how we approach the groundbreaking work our researchers and university are pursuing to address the most pressing challenges facing humanity and the planet.
Why Waterloo? We sit at the intersection of world-class research, Canada’s most interconnected entrepreneurial ecosystem, and a co-op program unmatched in scale and employer commitment.
Guided by the university’s values of thinking differently, acting with purpose, and working together, we are a team that operates as one. We support each other and collaborate to bring the best opportunities to our donors and to the university. At Waterloo, you’ll have a clear strategy behind you, colleagues beside you, and the opportunity to do work that truly matters.
Job Description:
Primary Purpose
The Alumni Officer supports the Office of Advancement’s goals to increase alumni engagement opportunities to further the Advancement pipeline. This position practices strategic outreach, involves alumni volunteers in opportunities that are mutually beneficial, and engages alumni in all life stages.
The Alumni Officer works collaboratively within the Office of Advancement, working with Alumni and Development professionals across campus, as well as across campus with partners such as University Relations, Co-operative and Experiential Education, and Registrar’s Office. The Alumni Officer also works with alumni volunteers world-wide to foster and strengthen relationships with other alumni as well as with the institution.
Alumni Relations programs, activities and events include; Reunion, Homecoming, geographic alumni events, chapter and global ambassador run events, volunteer engagement programs, virtual events, outreach programs, athletics events, and all other engagement activities created to deepen and broaden engagement between alumni and the University of Waterloo. Each alumni officer position focuses on one portfolio; Volunteer Engagement, Outreach or Digital Services and Special Projects.
Key Accountabilities
Program Planning and Coordination
· Research, develop, implement, execute and evaluate programs, events, and activities
· Leverage and enhance existing activities, to engage local and international alumni communities and bridge the gap between all stakeholders
· Work collaboratively to enhance relationships within the University of Waterloo community
· Manage all aspects of day-to-day logistics for alumni programs, activities and events
· Execute the University’s high-profile alumni events, programs and activities, creating a best-in-class experience for alumni; this includes the oversight of co-op students and engaging student and alumni volunteers to deliver a meaningful experience for all visitors
· Source and manage services with internal service departments and external vendors required to support events, programs, and activities
· Engage alumni as volunteers and participants in on-campus and regional activities and events
· Ensure consistency, accuracy and excellence in quality and content of messaging in all materials
· Oversee systems and processes, updating, refining and streamlining as necessary
· Provide support and execute the critical path goals
· Contribute to strategic planning exercises
· Support the preparation of and provide input into reports on events, programs and activities, including environmental scans, statistical reports, proposals and post-event reports
Collaboration and Integration
· Collaborate with alumni and development professionals within Advancement to facilitate programs, activities and events that include key alumni, donors and friends and enhance current activities
· Maintain a network with a variety of departments on campus to facilitate the effective and efficient coordination of events, programs and activities
· Support the campus-wide development and delivery of alumni activities through the use of event management tools
· Provide functional direction to colleagues/staff supporting alumni programs and/or events
· Develop and build strong relationships with university faculty and staff in support of successful programs, events and activities
· Act as ambassadors for the University with the public, alumni, volunteers, donors and invited guests at University of Waterloo initiatives
Budgeting
· Provide regular program budget updates to the Senior Alumni Officer and/or Senior Director
· Provide administrative support, oversight and reconciliation for programs, events and activities, including, adhering to budget projections, payment of invoices, tracking of monthly results and reconciliation of actuals against plan under the guidance of the Senior Alumni Officer or Senior Director
Communications
· Collaborate with colleagues in Advancement Communications to ensure that event and program promotion, registration and outcomes are communicated effectively to internal and external audiences
· Collaborate with Advancement Communications colleagues to create and produce appropriate marketing and communications to all alumni on all platforms (social, web, print, video and email)
· Inform the Senior Alumni Officer and/or Senior Director of any emerging issues that may impact the University
· Stay informed on communication trends and platforms available to alumni locally and globally
· Respond to inquiries from internal and external stakeholders, including complaints, working with Advancement Communications as needed
· Stay informed of the services, benefits, and perks exclusively afforded to Waterloo alumni
· Prepare and update alumni file notes as a result of contacts with alumni in order to maintain record accuracy
· Participate in alumni team meetings and committees as appropriate
Measurement and evaluation
· Measure engagement for all events, programs and/or activities
· Engage in regular program evaluation
· Conduct quarterly measurements and evaluations as well as summary reports on the specific outcomes of alumni engagement activities, programs and events
· Update and manage data on alumni/donor database
· Ongoing review of previous years’ data and trends to forecast the coming year
Required Qualifications
Education
· University Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
Experience
· 2+ years’ experience in one or more of: event planning, volunteer management, program creation, partnership building and community/alumni engagement
· 2+ years’ administrative experience with ability to manage multiple priorities
· Writing and/or editing experience an asset
· Experience working within a campus environment and ideally with university alumni an asset
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
· Knowledge of alumni relations programs and relationship management
· Ability to work collaboratively and communicate with internal departments and external stakeholders and suppliers
· Ability to collaborate, influence, build consensus and motivate others, often with different perspectives and backgrounds
· Ability to maintain and work within allocated budget
· Ability to adhere to privacy guidelines
· Superior organizational skills and attention to detail
· Confidence in public speaking with ability to address large audiences
· Ability to network and confidently represent the University at alumni events
· Familiarity with university student life and student services an asset
· Understanding and use of social media
· Strong relationship qualification, cultivation and stewardship skills an asset
· Demonstrated ability to manage concurrent projects with tight deadlines
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, showing confidence communicating with individuals from different cultures
· Effective problem solving and conflict management skills
· Knowledge and use of alumni/donor database, internal content management systems an asset
· Ability to learn, run and troubleshoot new software (including virtual event platforms) quickly and access software while off-site
· Expertise in MS Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and SharePoint)
· Ability to take initiative where minimal direction is provided
