Overview:
The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for UW–Madison, seeks a dynamic Program Manager for Alumni Communities. This position manages WFAA’s international alumni chapter network, providing oversight, volunteer engagement and facilitating administrative support. The Program Manager leads processes, resources, training, and communications that enable a strong, sustainable volunteer-led program; builds and maintains positive relationships with international alumni leaders; establishes best practices for engagement; and ensures alignment with WFAA and university priorities.
Under the leadership of the Senior Managing director, the Program Manager collaborates with campus partners in advancing UW–Madison’s international engagement and advancement goals may include serving as project manager for divisionally sponsored events and activities. This position requires international travel and the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as business needs dictate. This position is a hybrid role and will require you to work in the office at least two days weekly.
Who is WFAA?
The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is a private, nonprofit corporation that encourages individuals and organizations to make gifts to the university and to connect with the UW. In 2014, the UW Foundation merged with the Wisconsin Alumni Association® to better serve a growing population of UW alumni and donors. We believe that private support grows out of good relationships between campus leaders, faculty and program staff who need support, and the alumni and friends who want to invest in UW–Madison. We provide important engagement opportunities to link UW–Madison alumni to each other and to their alma mater, building a strong community of Badgers.
Diversity and Inclusion:
Just as the university community benefits from differing viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences, inclusion and diversity are imperative for the success of our mission. WFAA values people and the differences that they bring to the organization, and creates an environment in which all staff members and constituents feel respected and have opportunities to thrive.
Essential Functions:
Program Management
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Lead and manage processes, resources, and infrastructure that support a sustainable, volunteer‑led international alumni chapter network.
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Lead the planning, development, and implementation of volunteer training programs and communications.
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Collaborate with colleagues across functional areas to develop and execute annual plans that engage alumni and donors through high‑quality, mission‑aligned activities.
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Develop and manage relationships with faculty, staff speakers, and other program content providers.
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Communicate regularly with internal and external stakeholders regarding program goals, progress, and outcomes.
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Apply engagement metrics and data insights to strategic planning and continuous improvement.
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Implement organizational efforts to plan and execute divisionally sponsored and high‑level international events, meetings, and activities.
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Participate in on-site support during programs and events, including coordination with local partners on travel logistics, transportation, and day‑of execution.
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Conduct secondary research on constituents, companies, and industry sectors to develop briefing materials and strategic planning.
Constituent Relations
- Manage a portfolio of international alumni chapters and volunteers by cultivating relationships and deepening engagement.
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Develop customized communication and volunteer engagement strategies tailored to the needs and goals of individual alumni communities.
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Ensure exceptional customer experience for internal and external constituents.
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Communicate proactively and consistently with alumni, volunteers, and internal stakeholders.
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Intentionally solicit feedback from alumni to inform the design and improvement of programs, resources, training, and communications.
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Strengthen relationships with alumni and donors by participating in organization- and chapter-sponsored activities.
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Proactively inform leadership of emerging issues and opportunities, along with recommended solutions.
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Guide the work of a project coordinator supporting alumni communities.
Administration
- Manage and oversee program evaluation, assessment, and data collection.
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Demonstrate understanding of and effectively utilize organizational administrative policies, processes, and technology tools.
- Manage programs, program budgets and project plans to ensure deadlines are met and resources are used effectively.
- Maintain documentation related to program concept, design, and development.
- Initiate, manage, and report on alumni engagement outcomes and metrics.
- Actively identify opportunities for process improvement and implement enhancements when appropriate.
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Support a service‑oriented culture in alignment with WFAA’s mission, values, and philosophy.
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience
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3+ years’ full-time professional experience with program planning, event implementation, customer service and/or relationship/volunteer management.
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Experience in international relations, cultural awareness or global engagement.
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Ability to collect, analyze, and present data to inform programmatic and strategic decisions.
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Excellent oral and written skills; at ease when speaking and presenting ideas in a group setting. Willingness to share knowledge and initiate knowledge transfer.
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Ability to work independently, take initiative, demonstrated engagement in projects and meet deadlines.
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Deliver and receive feedback objectively for the good of the team and the project.
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Ability to manage multiple priorities.
Other Qualifications:
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Experience in higher education advancement and working with volunteers and donors is preferred.
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Experience using constituent databases and presentation software.
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High degree of proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Outlook).
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Acumen to learn and utilize software, databases and other technology resources and tools.
At WFAA, we are dedicated to creating an inspiring, creative, and respectful work environment for our employees. We offer competitive pay and an outstanding benefits program, including a generous 10% 401k contribution after just one year of service! Join us and be part of a team that values your growth and well-being. Click here to learn more about our employee benefits!
The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer *The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (advanceuw.org) is the “doing business as” name of the merged organization comprising the University of Wisconsin Foundation (supportuw.org) and the Wisconsin Alumni Association (uwalumni.com). Its legal corporate name is registered as the University of Wisconsin Foundation.
