The Office of Advancement (ADV) builds lifelong relationships with alumni, parents, and friends, and engages through meaningful experiences, communication, volunteer roles and philanthropic opportunities, all in support of Wesleyan’s educational mission and strategic goals.

This is the first year of an exciting restructuring that includes the bringing together of a comprehensive Engagement Team, reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Engaged Philanthropy. The annual giving, engagement programs, special events, and advancement communications teams are working together to redefine engaged philanthropy and find opportunities for strategic collaboration.

Wesleyan University is in the second public year of a $600 million comprehensive fundraising campaign, the largest in school history, and are more than a year ahead of schedule. While raising financial support for key University initiatives, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future. Working with an alumni body of more than 30,000, as well as current and past parents, the Advancement team inspires the Wesleyan community and cultivates support for university initiatives through outreach activities, including development/ fundraising, alumni and parent relations, and both on and off-campus events. Wesleyan’s fundraising dollars have increased consistently over the last ten years. In addition to meeting fundraising goals, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future.

Reporting to the Director of Engagement, the Associate Director will manage key initiatives, programs, and events intended to engage alumni and parents in the life of the University, as well as measure the success of those efforts. The Associate Director will support the goals and mission of Alumni & Parent Relations and the Office of Advancement enhancing alumni & parent engagement, volunteer leadership, and strengthening support for institutional priorities.Key responsibilities include:

• Manage the Alumni Association Executive Committee, including management of meetings, volunteer database administration, volunteer recruitment initiatives, and Alumni Association communications and event-related logistics. Planning activities, training and participation in monthly meetings with Alumni Association Executive Committee (AAEC).

• Lead and organize the Alumni Association Awards; the Alumni Elected Trustee election and corresponding Nominating Committee; the Binswanger Awards and corresponding committee. Develop and maintain pipeline lists of potential candidates.

• Develop and maintain positive hands-on interaction with nominees, committee members, and campus offices, while adding structure and accountability to the meetings and election processes in strict accordance with Alumni Association Bylaws.

• Represent the division as the reunion volunteer coordinator, preparing comprehensive recruitment and engagement resources for staff liaisons; managing the intricacies of the alumni volunteer calendar; actively participating in reunion launch meetings; conducting staff training sessions; and directly overseeing assigned classes in close collaboration with Wesleyan Fund staff.

• Design and execute a comprehensive reunion engagement plan that strategically leverages Reunion and Commencement Weekend as a capstone to a full cycle of interactions and activities to foster enduring connections among classmates.

• Cultivate and nurture relationships with volunteers through proactive engagement via phone calls, emails, conference calls, and personalized visits, ensuring sustained volunteer enthusiasm and commitment.

• Implement tracking mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of engagement efforts and report results to inform future strategies and initiatives.

• Maintain a diverse portfolio of assignments for various on-campus events including but not limited to Homecoming and Family Weekend and Reunion and Commencement Weekend,

• Other duties as assigned,

At least the first 90 days will be on campus, after that the on-campus and remote work schedule will be at the discretion of the supervisor.Hybrid work is only considered for residents of MA, VT, NH, ME, CT, RI, or NY. (Relocation assistance to CT is available for those who qualify).

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of experience working in fundraising, volunteer management, program management, customer service, not-for-profit or similar/related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

• Proven ability to work effectively, collaborate with volunteers, colleagues, and constituencies nationally, fostering productive relationships, and achieving shared objectives.

• Proven ability to set clear goals, devise strategic plans, and establish timelines to effectively manage projects and attain organizational goals and objectives.

• Track record of designing and implementing successful programs and events, showcasing innovative thinking and creativity in program development, ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously,

• Excellent writing skills, with the ability to distill complex information from various sources into clear, concise messaging

• Effective communication skills, including the ability to deliver engaging group presentations and facilitate discussions

• Intermediate expertise with Office 365, MS Word and Excel, Outlook, and database programs,

• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends, and overnight travel as necessary.

• Demonstrated commitment to work within a diverse environment and interact collegially with individuals of different backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with virtual program development and technology platforms.

  Position is open untill filled. For full consideration please apply by October 18, 2024 when first review of applications will begin.

  As a part of your application please upload a cover letter and resume

Compensation: $61,300 - $72,300

Work Location: Hybrid

All offers to external applicants are contingent on the candidate’s completion of a pre-employment background check screening (https://www.wesleyan.edu/hr/pdfs/Wesleyan%20University%20Background%20Check%20Policy_.pdf) to the satisfaction of Wesleyan University.

Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, Connecticut, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, political belief, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or non-position-related criminal record. We welcome applications from women and historically underrepresented minority groups. Inquiries regarding Title IX, Section 504 or any other non-discrimination policies should be directed to Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, Title IX and ADA/504 Coordinator.

Wesleyan University complies with the Clery Act and maintains records of campus crime statistics and security policies. Copies of Wesleyan University’s Clery Act Report are available on request and online at https://www.wesleyan.edu/publicsafety/clery.html .

Experience is taken into consideration in the determination of salary offers. For more information visit https://www.wesleyan.edu/hr/handbook/compensation-practices/index.html

Wesleyan offers a broad range of employee benefits and development opportunities, including comprehensive group insurance plans, wellness programs and incentives, generous paid time off and retirement plans, flexible work schedules, employee and dependent tuition programs for those who qualify.

Detailed information on the benefits of working at Wesleyan is located at: https://wesleyan.edu/hr/careers/prospective-resources.html .

We welcome your interest in Wesleyan’s diverse, energetic community of employees who, by their creativity, innovative thinking, and generosity of spirit, help make Wesleyan a great place to work.

In this open-minded and inclusive environment, our faculty and staff foster a liberal arts experience characterized by boldness, rigor, and practical idealism.

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• Internal applicants

  If you are currently employed at WES, you must apply for positions through Job Hubs in your Workday (http://workday.wesleyan.edu/) portal. There you will find an abbreviated application form making this process much easier for you!