Executive Director, Alumni Outreach and Engagement

Executive Director, Alumni Outreach and Engagement
Компания: William & Mary
Город: Williamsburg
**Job Requisition:**
JR102188 Executive Director, Alumni Outreach and Engagement (Open)
**Job Posting Title:**
Executive Director, Alumni Outreach and Engagement
**Department:**
CC00308 WM001 | WMUA | Alumni Success
**Job Family:**
Staff - Alumni Affairs
**Worker Sub-Type:**
Regular (benefited)
**Job Requisition Primary Location:**
Alumni House
**Primary Job Posting Location:**
Posting Location - William & Mary
**Job Description Summary:**
Mission Statement
University Advancement creates the conditions for opportunity – human, financial, and experiential – by stewarding the resources that advance William & Mary (W&M).
Alumni Engagement ensures that all W&M alumni are engaged, connected, represented, welcomed, and encouraged to be active with, informed about, and supportive of William & Mary.
**Job Description:**
**Special Instructions**
Lindauer, a global search and talent firm, has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of William & Mary. Interested candidates should submit their materials directly to Lindauer at this link: [https://www.lindauerglobal.com/searches/open-searches/exe…)
**For full consideration, please submit a cover letter as well as a resume with your application.**
**Position Summary**
The Executive Director for Alumni Outreach & Engagement is the senior leader responsible for developing and executing W&M’s comprehensive alumni engagement strategy. The Executive Director is accountable for the design, integration, and performance of the comprehensive alumni engagement portfolio, including decisions related to program prioritization, resource allocation, and long-term sustainability. This role reflects a maximized scope of responsibility and complexity, including oversight of multiple functional areas and increased accountability for enterprise alignment and fiscal management.
Serving as the institution’s chief alumni program architect, the Executive Director will integrate the Alumni Success and Alumni Inclusive Excellence programs to lead all regional, affinity, identity, and generational engagement efforts and create a seamless, relationship-centered experience for alumni. The Executive Director will also be responsible for innovating and implementing new engagement strategies. This role ensures the staff structure provides one high-quality engagement experience that acknowledges each constituent’s university experience, identity, location, and interests. The Executive Director will play a critical role in William & Mary’s next campaign, acting as a strategic thought partner for university and Advancement leadership, driving progress toward campaign goals, and articulating program impacts.
The Executive Director brings a strong orientation toward financial stewardship, operational discipline, and change leadership. This role aligns programs and resources to institutional priorities, using data and insights to continuously refine strategy and guide decision-making. The Executive Director must demonstrate a track record of innovating and restructuring programs based on available resources, new data, and evolving enterprise-wide goals.
The Executive Director must bring demonstrated success building trust-based relationships with diverse and identity-based alumni communities, translating those relationships into inclusive, meaningful, and high-impact engagement strategies. This position regularly interacts with the William & Mary Alumni Association Board of Directors, working with Directors to develop strategies and providing ongoing visibility into programs and initiatives.
This position reports to the Associate Vice President for Alumni Engagement/ WMAA Chief Executive Officer and collaborates extensively with Strategic Events, University Development, Marketing & Alumni Communications, Student Affairs, Career Development & Professional Engagement, schools and units, and other campus partners. The role manages a multi-functional staff team and oversees the strategic deployment of university and Alumni Association resources.
The Executive Director will help foster a culture of belonging that embraces all people and perspectives. This position is based in Williamsburg, VA with a flexible work arrangement.
Learn more about University Advancement and view the full position description for this job on the University Advancement recruitment website: [Open Positions | University Advancement - William & Mary](https://advancement.wm.edu/come-work-with-us/open-positions/)
**Required Qualifications:**
* Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
* Significant experience (7+ years) in alumni engagement, non-profit leadership, volunteer management, higher education advancement, community-building, or related fields.
* Proven ability to lead – in close collaboration with staff and Board leadership – and implement change within complex organizations, including experience guiding teams through evolving priorities or structural shifts.
* Significant experience using data and insights to redesign or refine programs, improve outcomes, and align work with organizational goals.
* Experience building authentic relationships with diverse, identity-based communities, with a strong commitment to the principles of inclusion and belonging.
* Demonstrated experience managing budgets and financial resources, with a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and strategic stewardship.
* Demonstrate experience managing staff, with a strong commitment to professional development and exceptional constituent experiences.
* Exceptional relationship-building and executive skills, including active listening, communication, trust-centered leadership, and emotional intelligence.
* Strong project management and organizational abilities; ability to balance multiple priorities.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated customer service orientation.
**Preferred Qualifications:**
* Master’s degree in a related field.
* Experience leading program or organizational transformation efforts, including restructuring initiatives or portfolio optimization.
* Experience in a highly networked or volunteer-centric environment (alumni relations, associations, non-profits, higher ed).
* Familiarity with emerging alumni engagement trends such as lifelong learning ecosystems, digital community-building, and ambassador programs.
* Strong knowledge of W&M’s mission, culture, traditions, and alumni demographics.
* Experience using CRM systems, online event tools, and digital engagement platforms.
* Experience resolving on-site program, event, or staffing challenges.
**Conditions of Employment:**
* This position requires working outside of normal business hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
**Job Duties:**
**35% - Strategic Alumni Engagement Leadership:**
* Build and execute a unified, relationship-centric alumni engagement strategy that integrates regional, identity, affinity, class, generational, and digital engagement pathways via live, virtual, and innovative strategies.
* Create a modern, scalable framework for “deep and wide” alumni connection, expanding the number of engaged alumni while deepening relationships with those who are most connected to W&M.
* Lead the strategic evolution of identity-based and affinity communities, ensuring programs foster belonging and reflect diverse alumni perspectives.
* Make leadership level decisions regarding program prioritization, investment, and resource trade-offs to ensure alignment with institutional goals and long-term sustainability.
* Strengthen the Full Engagement strategy by designing and embedding intentional, documented pathways to advance alumni engagement, measuring ROI, implementing