District Director - Alumni Engagement

Since 1911, City Colleges of Chicago has been connecting students from across Chicago’s neighborhoods to economic opportunity. By offering a quality education at an unprecedented value, City Colleges provides our students and alumni with a pathway to upward mobility. City Colleges of Chicago is the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity—empowering its students to take part in building a stronger and more just city. As Illinois’ largest community college system, City Colleges is comprised of seven colleges and five satellite sites across Chicago.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Reporting to the Executive Director Communications, the District Director-Alumni Engagement is responsible for creating, implementing and maintaining a comprehensive strategy to cultivate and grow a robust and actively engaged alumni network which will support the mission and vision of City Colleges of Chicago and the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This position is responsible for leading the development of a district-wide alumni engagement framework, encompassing communications, database development and management, social media strategy, event planning, and volunteer engagement. Performs other duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

·       Develops and implements a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy and continually refines the plan based on performance metrics, stakeholder input, and evolving institutional goals. The plan includes:

o   Coordinated communication, outreach, and brand alignment in partnership with the Marketing and Communications Department.

o   Collaboration with existing alumni-focused initiatives and staff within the individual City College campuses.

o   Strategic initiatives to increase alumni volunteerism and community participation.

o   Oversight and growth of alumni-specific social media channels and digital communities.

o   Planning, organizing, and executing alumni-focused events that foster connection

o   Gathering and incorporating alumni feedback to inform programming and outreach.

o   Development and dissemination of alumni-related marketing materials and website content.

·       Builds, manages, and maintains a centralized alumni database by integrating existing records, conducting outreach campaigns, and performing targeted research to identify and engage alumni.

·       Recruits and coordinates CCC alumni participation in volunteer and mentorship programs, with particular emphasis on partnerships such as the mentorship initiative offered through One Million Degrees.

·       Collaborates with leadership and staff at each of the seven City Colleges to develop and execute college-specific alumni engagement plans that align with and complement district-wide strategies.

·       Supports the Foundation’s fundraising goals by identifying, cultivating, and engaging alumni donors, and by assisting in the implementation of alumni-focused philanthropic initiatives.

·       Establishes and nurtures relationships with key alumni leaders and ambassadors to strengthen community ties and build a network of alumni advocates who serve as partners in outreach, recruitment, and philanthropy.

·       Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of alumni engagement efforts through data analysis, surveys, and key performance indicators (KPIs), providing regular reports and recommendations to inform strategic decision-making.

·       Travels regularly to the seven City Colleges, satellite locations, and nearby communities to attend events, meet with stakeholders, and oversee alumni engagement activities as needed.

·       Performs other duties as required.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports To                       Executive Director-Communications

Direct Supervision          None

QUALIFICATIONS

·       Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university required

·       A minimum of four years of professional experience, preferably in a non-profit, public sector, or higher education environment

·       An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered

·       Direct experience in student or alumni engagement is strongly desired

·       Excellent verbal and written communications skills, with the ability to tailor messaging for various audiences

·       Demonstrated experience building relationships with diverse external stakeholders, both in person and through virtual platforms

·       Familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM/database systems

·       Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions to challenges

·       Strong administrative, organizational, and time-management skills.

·       Ability to work in a matrixed, diverse organizational structure, working effectively with a wide range of internal stakeholders, including senior leadership

·       Proven ability to successfully plan, execute, and assess projects from inception to completion, including planning, execution, and evaluation

·       Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in teams while managing multiple priorities

·       Proficiency in the use of Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).

·       A commitment to furthering the mission and vision of City Colleges of Chicago.

·       Preference will be given to qualified candidates who are alumni/ae of City Colleges of Chicago.

Salary Range: $80,717 - $90,000

Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as other factors such as internal equity.

Benefits information is found at https://www.ccc.edu/departments/Benefits/  

WE OFFER: Excellent health and welfare benefit package and long-term savings and investment programs including 403(b) & 457(b) Investment Plans and a pension plan with the State University Retirement System (SURS) Plan. Generous vacation, holiday, personal and sick days, and tuition reimbursement. For a more detailed overview of benefits, please visit the benefits page of our website.

We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Chicago residency is required for all full-time employees within 6 months of hire. Thank you for your interest in CCC!