Director of Alumni Engagement

Director of Alumni Engagement

Director - Dublin , Leinster (Hybrid)

Post Title:      Director of Alumni Engagement 

Status:              Permanent, Full-time Contract

Salary:           €110,000 - 120,000

Reports to:   Chief Advancement Officer, Trinity Development & Alumni

Direct reports:  Three (a total team of 13)

Closing Date:    March 10th 2025

More Information: https://www.tcd.ie/alumni/about-us/careers/

About the Role

The Director of Alumni Engagement at Trinity College Dublin offers an exceptional opportunity for you to make a meaningful impact at one of the world's most prestigious universities. Situated at the heart of Dublin, Trinity is renowned for its academic excellence, rich history, and vibrant community. We are now seeking a visionary leader to shape and strengthen lifelong connections between the university and its global network of over 150,000 alumni. By fostering relationships, developing innovative programs, and advancing Trinity’s reputation, you will play a key role in engaging alumni as ambassadors, supporters, and volunteers in the university's mission. If you're passionate about cultivating meaningful relationships and enhancing the legacy of a world-class institution, this role is your chance to make a lasting difference.

You will lead the Alumni Relations, Communications and Events Teams, supporting them in their delivery of innovative programmes, communications and events that enthuse and engage the University’s alumni and supporters in a meaningful way. By serving on the Senior Management Team, you will provide an active leadership role in TDA and contribute to the organisation’s long-term strategy and planning.

Leading on alumni relations for TDA, you will:

• Develop a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy, based on best practice and current developments in alumni relations, which deepens connection and affinity between the University and its graduates, in Ireland and overseas, and ensures a variety of touchpoints throughout a graduate’s lifetime including opportunities to give back.
• Build strategic relationships between TDA and the University’s schools and student support areas to ensure effective execution of collaborative programmes such as the Mentoring Programme with the Careers Office. 
• Nurture supportive relationships with alumni groups, including volunteer networks, international chapters, student groups and parents of prospective and current students.
• Represent TDA and the University at alumni events and engagements.
• Advocate for the alumni voice in everything that we do.
• Ensure a service approach to all alumni queries to the office. 

 Leading on Communications and Events for TDA, you will:

• Oversee the planning and delivery of creative, consistent and meaningful communications across TDA including print (Trinity Today magazine, the Impact Report) and digital output (social media, the TDA website, email communications).
• Establish effective segmentation strategies to ensure messaging resonates across stakeholder and audience groups.
• Work with the Fundraising team proposal unit on a suite of templates to ensure the efficient, high-quality creation of fundraising collateral (proposals, donor reports). 
• Liaise with our fundraisers on innovative cultivation and donor stewardship events.
• Oversee the design and delivery of signature alumni events, both in-person and online, including the Alumni Weekend, Christmas Commons & Homecoming, the Alumni Awards, and other engagement activity such as Inspiring Generations webinars and mentoring events.
• Work closely with the University’s Public Affairs & Communications office on issues of relevance to TDA.
• Develop plans to ensure the University community has an awareness of TDA’s impact.
• The scope of the job requires international travel and attendance at evening and/or weekend activities, meetings, events, seminars and workshops.

Reporting Lines & Key Relationships

As the Director of Alumni Engagement, you will report to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) and directly manage the Head of Marketing, the Alumni Relations manager, and the Events manager.

There will be a requirement to engage skillfully and proactively with a wide range of stakeholders including university personnel - senior administrative staff, academics and administrators - and external stakeholders such as donors, alumni, volunteers and friends of the University.

About the Person:

As the Director of Alumni Engagement, you will: 

• Have a minimum of five years’ experience in a strategic communications, fundraising, alumni relations, or marketing role with a track record of developing and delivering targeted stakeholder engagement programmes.
• Have experience of utilising digital campaigns to engage large communities with demonstrable effect.
• Be accomplished at working in a strategic capacity with the ability to prioritise competing demands, execute multiple projects and remain focused on strategic objectives.
• Be a skilled leader with extensive experience in motivating and directing professional staff in a manner that assesses, supports, and enables exceptional performance.
• Be a natural networker with proven experience of building relationships and establishing networks with volunteers, supporters, and key stakeholders.
• Be a strategic thinker with an ability to identify new opportunities in all situations.
• Be a confident and empathetic communicator, able to gain trust and commitment across the university and the wider community; public speaking skills preferred.
• Be a determined driver of progress with a flexible and pragmatic approach and focus on outcomes.
• Have a relevant third-level qualification

What We Can Offer You

You will be offered an attractive benefits package which includes 28 days annual leave, annual salary increments, hybrid working, and a generous contribution to TDA’s pension scheme (providing for pension, life assurance and prolonged disability pension), in a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative team environment. Your continued professional development is important to us, and you will be encouraged and supported as you participate in training be that on-the-job training, participation in externally delivered workshops or courses, or conference attendance.  https://www.tcd.ie/alumni/about-us/careers/ 

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