Alumni Relations Manager

at  University of Stirling

The Post
The Alumni Relations Manager will successfully engage alumni to build a thriving community that provides meaningful benefit to our graduates and inspires them to give back to support the University’s strategic priorities through volunteering and philanthropy. As the team enters a new growth phase, this is an exciting time to join and maximise the opportunity of a renewed emphasis on the alumni engagement programme.
With support from the Head of Fundraising and Alumni Engagement, the post holder will develop and deliver communication and events plans that drive long lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the Stirling alumni community, growing the number of alumni who are contactable and engaged. The role will also have operational responsibility for devising and growing an alumni volunteer programme, providing alumni and stakeholders with clearly defined opportunities to remain involved that align with the strategic needs of the institution.
The post holder will report to the Head of Fundraising and Alumni Engagement and will work with them and the Director of Development and Alumni Relations to foster a culture of cohesive alumni engagement across the institution, working collaboratively with colleagues from faculties and the wider Communications, Marketing and Recruitment Directorate, of which Development and Alumni Relations is an integral part, to achieve both directorate and institutional goals. The Alumni Relations Manager will also have direct line management responsibility of the Alumni Relations Officer, providing direction, motivation, and support to facilitate high-performing members of the team.
The role requires exceptional verbal and written communication, organisational and analytical skills, a positive, solutions-focused attitude, and a commitment to maintaining high professional standards in all areas of work. The post holder should enjoy working as part of a team to reach shared objectives. They must be an ambassador for the University and adept at managing key relationships with distinguished alumni at a strategic and operational level.
Please note after the closing date, this job advert will no longer be available on the University of Stirling website; therefore, please keep a copy for your records.
Unfortunately, if you are not selected to attend an interview for this post, we are unable to provide individual feedback.
Any informal queries can be sent to Myra Matthews - Head of Fundraising & Alumni Engagement: myra.matthews@stir.ac.uk
Description of Duties

Strategy and Planning

• In collaboration with the Head of Fundraising and Alumni Engagement and other relevant colleagues, contribute to the development of and successfully implement a multi-year alumni relations and stakeholder engagement strategy, with day-to-day operational responsibility for planning and delivering all alumni relations communications and activities
• Plan and execute a warm, engaging, and informative communications plan across multiple channels, including social media, e-newsletters, website, and a print and/or digital magazine, to deliver key messages and opportunities to the alumni community, helping to build the University’s brand and reputation
• Plan, publicise and deliver an annual programme of engagement events locally, nationally, and internationally, both in person and virtually, maximising the attendance of alumni and generating warmth towards the University

Management

• Provide clear and supportive line management to the Alumni Relations Officer, including agreeing objectives and work plans; managing performance through regular one-to-one discussions; and undertaking performance reviews in line with university policies

Operational

• Liaise with and support alumni groups who wish to arrange activities and events on campus, nationally and internationally, ensuring mutual benefit
• Respond appropriately to requests for input from alumni for areas of strategic importance (such as Graduate Outcomes survey, student recruitment, marketing, and careers activity), by maintaining robust processes and proactively engaging with colleagues across faculties and professional services
• Ensure that alumni are appropriately represented in relevant university activities, as the institution’s largest stakeholder group
• Provide expert guidance and support for alumni engagement activities to faculty colleagues at all levels and work towards fostering a culture of cohesive alumni engagement across the institution
• Devise and implement a successful volunteer programme – and recruit, induct and steward volunteers – including but not limited to international chapters, case studies, speakers, ambassadors, and faculty advisory board members

Finance & Reporting

• Support the Head of Fundraising and Alumni Engagement to plan and monitor the alumni relations budget, ensuring activities are tailored to the available resource and the programme is managed within budget
• Work with the Head of Fundraising and Alumni Engagement to identify and track key alumni engagement metrics and provide appropriate updates and commentary for reporting purposes
• Work in a way which integrates data gathering, reporting and insight monitoring by design

General Duties

• Appropriately represent the University at institutional and external events, occasionally out of hours or requiring travel, normally by prior arrangement
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of best practice, engage with sector networks, and undertake continued professional development as appropriate
• Ensure procedures and actions are fully compliant with the University’s policies and privacy and data protection legislation, including record keeping practices such as maintaining flawless records on the Raiser’s Edge database in a timely manner

Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to degree level, with substantial, relevant experience in a similar role
• Demonstrable experience of alumni relations or mass stakeholder engagement, preferably in higher education or not for profit sector
• Proven track record of achievement in successfully developing relationships with key internal and external stakeholders at all levels of seniority
• Proven ability to motivate and inspire others, with some experience of line management and volunteer management experience
• Experience of developing a strategic plan, including prioritising and managing work plans on a short-term and long-term basis to ensure high quality service delivery
• Proven track record in planning and delivering a project or programme of activity, including monitoring and evaluating success
• Experience of planning high quality events and communications that deliver against key strategic goals and budget
• An appreciation of the importance of data security, and practical knowledge of the UK GDPR and PECR laws and how they apply to stakeholder communication and data storage
• Experience of using Raiser’s Edge/NXT, or similar relationship management database
• An appreciation of the importance of higher education and an understanding of the role of alumni within the wider university communit

Skills and Attributes

• Highly motivated with a positive, solutions-focused attitude, taking genuine pleasure in building relationships and working collaboratively to improve services and processes
• Strong project management and planning capability and a proven ability to manage conflicting priorities within tight deadlines using a strategic mindset
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to produce inspiring, accurate and engaging copy for different mar-comms channels targeted at specific audiences
• Outstanding customer service and interpersonal skills, and the ability to build rapport quickly with people from all walks of life
• Ability to display tact and diplomacy when dealing with sensitive matters
• Strong IT, analytical and administrative skills, preferably including experience in data manipulation
• Flexible and willing to work some unsocial hours and undertake travel, occasionally overseas, as role require

FOR FULL DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES PLEASE SEE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION

Essential Criteria

Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to degree level, with substantial, relevant experience in a similar role
• Demonstrable experience of alumni relations or mass stakeholder engagement, preferably in higher education or not for profit sector
• Proven track record of achievement in successfully developing relationships with key internal and external stakeholders at all levels of seniority
• Proven ability to motivate and inspire others, with some experience of line management and volunteer management experience
• Experience of developing a strategic plan, including prioritising and managing work plans on a short-term and long-term basis to ensure high quality service delivery
• Proven track record in planning and delivering a project or programme of activity, including monitoring and evaluating success
• Experience of planning high quality events and communications that deliver against key strategic goals and budget
• An appreciation of the importance of data security, and practical knowledge of the UK GDPR and PECR laws and how they apply to stakeholder communication and data storage
• Experience of using Raiser’s Edge/NXT, or similar relationship management database
• An appreciation of the importance of higher education and an understanding of the role of alumni within the wider university community

Skills and Attributes

• Highly motivated with a positive, solutions-focused attitude, taking genuine pleasure in building relationships and working collaboratively to improve services and processes
• Strong project management and planning capability and a proven ability to manage conflicting priorities within tight deadlines using a strategic mindset
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to produce inspiring, accurate and engaging copy for different mar-comms channels targeted at specific audiences
• Outstanding customer service and interpersonal skills, and the ability to build rapport quickly with people from all walks of life
• Ability to display tact and diplomacy when dealing with sensitive matters
• Strong IT, analytical and administrative skills, preferably including experience in data manipulation
• Flexible and willing to work some unsocial hours and undertake travel, occasionally overseas, as role requires

General Duties

• Appropriately represent the University at institutional and external events, occasionally out of hours or requiring travel, normally by prior arrangement
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of best practice, engage with sector networks, and undertake continued professional development as appropriate
• Ensure procedures and actions are fully compliant with the University’s policies and privacy and data protection legislation, including record keeping practices such as maintaining flawless records on the Raiser’s Edge database in a timely manne

The role holder will be required to evidence that they can meet the qualities associated with the following behavioural competencies, as detailed within the AUA Competency Framework.

• MANAGING SELF AND PERSONAL SKILLSBeing aware of your own behaviour and mindful of how it impacts on others, enhancing personal skills to adapt professional practice accordingly.
• DELIVERING EXCELLENT SERVICEProviding the best quality service to external and internal clients. Building genuine and open long-term relationships in order to drive up service standards.
• FINDING SOLUTIONSTaking a holistic view and working enthusiastically to analyse problems and to develop workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.
• EMBRACING CHANGEBeing open to and engaging with new ideas and ways of working. Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, shifting demands and changing roles.
• USING RESOURCES EFFECTIVELYIdentifying and making the most productive use of resources including people, time, information, networks and budgets.
• ENGAGING WITH THE WIDER CONTEXTEnhancing your contribution to the organisation through an understanding of the bigger picture and showing commitment to organisational values.
• DEVELOPING SELF AND OTHERSShowing commitment to own ongoing professional development. Supporting and encouraging others to develop their professional knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable them to reach their full potential.
• WORKING TOGETHERWorking collaboratively with others in order to achieve objectives. Recognising and valuing the different contributions people bring to this process.
• ACHIEVING RESULTSConsistently meeting agreed objectives and success criteria. Taking personal responsibility for getting things done