The Director of Alumni Engagement is responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy for Chicago State University (CSU), an institution with a tight-knit alumni community and a strong mission-driven culture. This position serves as the University’s lead alumni engagement strategist and primary point of contact for alumni relations—building programs that deepen alumni pride, improve participation, increase alumni giving and strengthen long-term philanthropic support.
Job Description
Alumni Engagement Strategy & Program Execution
- Develop and implement an annual alumni engagement plan aligned with CSU and Foundation priorities
- Establish measurable goals for alumni participation, event engagement, volunteerism, and giving
- Serve as lead staff liaison to the Alumni Association (board/leadership as applicable), supporting planning, communications, and operations
- Build a scalable annual programming calendar with a balanced mix of signature events, regional/virtual offerings, and affinity-based engagement
Programming, Events & Volunteerism
- Plan and execute CSU alumni programs and events such as:
- Homecoming alumni experiences and class-year reunions
- Regional alumni gatherings and virtual networking sessions
- Alumni mentoring and career engagement (especially aligned with student success and workforce outcomes)
- Affinity engagement (Greek organizations, athletics alumni, academic colleges, young alumni, etc.)
- Recruit and manage alumni volunteers and ambassadors to expand reach and capacity
- Develop run-of-show, content, vendor coordination, and logistics for events with limited internal staffing
Advancement Collaboration & Philanthropic Pipeline
- Partner closely with Fundraising Staff to:
- Grow alumni giving participation through Giving Day, the annual Gala, annual giving, and targeted campaigns
- Cultivate and engage alumni leaders who can serve as fund champions, matching gift prospects, and peer fundraisers
- Partner with Individual Giving on alumni-to-donor pipeline strategy and coordinated recognition efforts
- Identify and refer engaged alumni with philanthropic capacity to Individual Engagement
- Maintain regular pipeline review meetings with Individual Engagement using agreed criteria to define “ready for cultivation”.
Communications & Digital Engagement
- Serve as content lead for alumni engagement messaging (working with the Foundation Marketing Associate and CSU Marketing & Communications as needed)
- Produce alumni newsletters, event promotions, engagement campaigns, and digital updates
- Ensure consistent messaging and brand alignment across alumni touchpoints (email, web, social platforms, video, etc.)
- Elevate alumni storytelling—highlighting career outcomes, community impact, and CSU pride
Data Management & Systems Improvement
- Maintain and improve alumni data systems and engagement tracking (CRM, email lists, segmentation)
- Develop dashboards and reporting to evaluate program performance and alumni participation trends
- Strengthen data capture at events and online interactions to improve engagement and giving outreach
Cross-Campus Leadership & Relationship Building
- Collaborate across campus to co-produce alumni programming and communications with:
- Deans and Colleges
- Athletics and student success initiatives
- Career Services / Workforce Equity initiatives
- University Marketing & Communications and Student Affairs as applicable
- Represent CSU and the Foundation professionally in alumni-facing spaces
Alumni Participation Metrics (Performance Outcomes)
The Director is expected to establish baseline metrics and drive annual improvements, including:
- Increase unique alumni engagement 15% year-over-year
- Deliver 6 alumni programs/events annually (minimum 3 in-person and 3 virtual/hybrid)
- Achieve 400 total alumni participants annually, including 100+ alumni engagement during Homecoming programming
- Recruit and activate 25 alumni volunteers annually, including 10 Giving Day ambassadors
- Increase alumni Giving Day participation 15% year-over-year (in partnership with Individual Engagement)
- Improve deliverable alumni emails/data quality 10% annually through data capture and outreach
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred
- 6–8 years of relevant experience in alumni relations, advancement, donor engagement, nonprofit engagement, or related field
- Demonstrated success developing engagement strategies and delivering programs with limited staffing/resources
- Strong project management capabilities with high attention to detail and deadlines
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable hosting events and engaging senior stakeholders
- Demonstrated success working as a single contributor
- Experience using CRM, donor databases, email marketing tools, or engagement platforms
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in higher education advancement or alumni engagement at a public institution
- Familiarity with CRM platforms and peer fundraising
- Experience engaging alumni boards, volunteer leadership, or affinity networks
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Self-directed leadership and independent execution
- Strategic planning and accountability
- Volunteer management and influence without authority
- Event production and operational excellence
- Relationship-building and diplomacy
- Equity-centered engagement and inclusive programming
- Data-driven decision-making
- Demonstrated commitment to working with integrity and strong values
Additional Applicant Information Physical Requirement/ Demands Work Environment
