Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement

Job Summary:

The Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement is an entrepreneurial, impact-driven professional who will help design, execute, and integrate a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy rooted in social impact and meaningful connection. Reporting to the Senior Director of Engagement and Insights, this role is ideal for a creative strategist and relationship-builder who is energized by activating alumni around purpose, community, and positive change.

This position plays a critical role in strengthening lifelong relationships between alumni and the institution by creating inclusive, values-driven engagement opportunities that highlight alumni impact, elevate alumni voices, and connect graduates to one another, to students, and to the school’s mission. The Assistant Director will bring a growth mindset, a bias toward action, and a passion for innovation, while collaborating across departments to ensure alumni engagement is integrated, data-informed, and mission-aligned.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Programs, Events & Lifelong Learning (30%)

• Lead the planning and execution of Alumni Day and other signature engagement moments, working closely with internal partners and alumni leaders to deliver high-impact, mission-aligned experiences.
• Develop, plan, and execute a portfolio of in-person, virtual, and hybrid programs that connect alumni to each other, to students, faculty, and to ongoing learning.
• Collaborate with internal partners (career services, academic programs, admissions, student affairs, advancement, and communications) to deliver integrated alumni experiences.
• Support signature moments such as reunions, regional events, student–alumni initiatives, mentoring programs, and impact-focused convenings as well as help coordinate alumni meetups and connection opportunities at national/regional conferences and convenings (e.g., SXSW EDU and other education conferences), in partnership with internal stakeholders. 

Alumni & Volunteer Leadership (25%)

• Oversee and serve as primary staff partner to the Alumni Council, including member recruitment, onboarding, governance, working groups, meeting planning, and ongoing engagement.
• Guide the Alumni Council’s work to ensure alignment with institutional priorities, inclusive representation, and meaningful impact.
• Cultivate strong relationships with alumni across career stages, geographies, and identities, with particular attention to inclusive and impact-oriented engagement.
• Recruit, support, and steward alumni volunteers, councils, and affinity or interest-based groups, ensuring clear purpose, strong partnership, and measurable outcomes.
• Serve as a trusted liaison to alumni leaders, supporting governance, working groups, and volunteer-driven initiatives.

Strategy & Impactful Engagement (20%)

• Partner with the Senior Director of Engagement & Insights to design and implement an integrated alumni engagement strategy with a clear social impact lens.
• Translate institutional priorities and alumni interests into scalable, meaningful engagement opportunities that foster belonging, service, and lifelong connection.
• Identify, pilot, and evaluate new engagement models (programs, convenings, digital platforms, and partnerships) that can grow over time and deepen alumni impact.
• Partner with the Communications team on social media and execution strategy, including managing LinkedIn networks.

Storytelling, Communications & Data (15%)

• Partner with Communications, Engagement, and Development colleagues to elevate alumni stories of impact and purpose through digital content, events, and campaigns.
• Use data, feedback, and engagement metrics to assess effectiveness, inform strategy, and continuously improve alumni outreach.
• Maintain accurate alumni engagement records and contribute to reporting, analysis, and long-term planning.
• Develop and manage a regular cadence/mechanism for alumni to update their information (e.g., roles, organizations, geography, interests) and opt into specific engagement ‘benches’ that support HGSE’s strategic priorities. 

Collaboration & Institutional Partnership (10%)

• Act as a connector across School and University, aligning alumni engagement efforts with broader institutional goals.
• Represent the office in internal and university-wide committees, working groups, and alumni relations forums as needed.
• Contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and forward-thinking team culture within the Communications and Engagement office.