Assistant Director, Alumni and Volunteer Experience

Department

ADV Alumni and Volunteer Experience 1

About the Department

The University of Chicago Advancement team cultivates lifelong connections with more than 220,000 alumni, current students, parents, and friends worldwide, building community through intellectual, professional, and other meaningful experiences on campus, around the world and online. Advancement empowers every division, school, department, and institute to thrive, generating support for esteemed faculty, pioneering researchers, visionary practitioners, and ambitious students.

During the Chicago Minds campaign, Advancement seeks to raise over $1 billion annually. This unprecedented philanthropic effort is designed to stretch the boundaries of what is possible, fueling bold discovery and amplifying the University’s global impact.

Our work is rooted in the belief that meaningful connection and lasting experiences inspire ambassadorship and enduring commitment. We champion a culture of innovation and excellence, inviting every member of our community to participate in a future defined by creativity, intellectual rigor, and shared purpose. Through collaborative partnerships, strategic stewardship, and investment in talent, Advancement is reimagining alumni and donor engagement while ensuring UChicago remains a catalyst of impact for generations to come.

The Alumni and Volunteer Experience team oversees a diverse set of programs and initiatives designed to increase participation and engagement among alumni, parents, and friends of the University, with a focus on driving key University priorities.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director, Alumni and Volunteer Experience provides essential operational and administrative support in the execution of volunteer experience strategy for UChicago Advancement. This position will support the University of Chicago Women's Board, one of the University's distinguished philanthropic communities, encompassing fundraising operations, data management, membership coordination, and committee support. Additionally, this position plays a critical behind-the-scenes role in ensuring that other volunteer programs and signature initiatives run smoothly, efficiently, and in alignment with Advancement's broader engagement goals. This position administers programs and fundraisers designed to engage the alumni community worldwide, increase participation, and advance the objectives of the Alumni Associations, the broader University and divisional alumni initiatives.

The ideal candidate brings strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a collaborative spirit to support the meaningful work of alumni volunteers and donor communities.

Responsibilities

• Provides exceptional operational support for the Volunteer Experience team and the University of Chicago Women’s Board, including special events, committee meetings, membership operations, and data management. Following training, independently manage established Women’s Board membership and financial operations and respond directly to members regarding general inquiries and updates.
• Builds and maintains professional, responsive, and tactful relationships with Women’s Board members through telephone, email, committee meetings, luncheons, and other in-person events. Engages with award nominees, University partners, and other stakeholders regarding assigned program activities and logistics.
• Assists in executing strategies that enhance volunteer engagement across the University and collaborate with team members to implement volunteer training and stewardship programs. Independently manage the volunteer Code of Ethics intake, tracking, and oversight process.
• Supports the planning and execution of the Women’s Board grant fund and Alumni Awards program, including maintaining accurate records, preparing applications, supporting selection processes and recognition events, and adhering to established timelines and best practices. Coordinates assigned program logistics, including communications with award nominees and University partners, VIP travel, and arrangements for the spring Awards Ceremony.
• Maintains accurate constituent, alumni, volunteer, membership, and program data. Prepares custom and ad hoc reports, spreadsheets, graphs, charts, presentations, summaries, and other information using various sources. Independently pulls and distributes established reports for the Volunteer Experience team and ensures the accuracy and integrity of data across assigned programs and processes.
• Analyzes event, survey, membership, and volunteer program data; identifies trends, opportunities, challenges, and inefficiencies and presents findings to inform team decision-making. Contributes recommendations for improving volunteer programs and operations, engaging the manager and relevant partners when additional program or technical expertise is required.
• Acts as a centralized resource for team members and programs, fostering collaboration and resource sharing across initiatives. Maintains visibility across multiple volunteer programs, boards, committees, and processes and identifies opportunities to improve coordination and cohesion across the Volunteer Experience team.
• Develops proposals and recommendations for improving established processes and operational systems. Following approval, coordinates stakeholder engagement, leadership reporting, implementation, and follow-up.
• Maintains accurate records, timelines, process documents, and archives for assigned programs, events, and initiatives. Monitors progress against established timelines and provide regular reports on activities, challenges, proposed solutions, and recommended next steps.
• Independently identifies and implements solutions to routine challenges involving program timelines, constituent needs, applications, data, events, and logistics. Escalates significant or higher-risk matters and present potential solutions for consideration..
• Seeks opportunities for professional development and networking within the University and with peers at other institutions to enhance job performance and contribute to the overall success of the advancement team.
• Develops, plans, implements and maintains alumni programs and volunteer activities that connect students and alumni in any existing or new alumni clubs and formed committees.
• Establishes and maintains metrics of success and makes sure those are present in departmental strategic plans, goals setting, and the annual budget.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications

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Preferred Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience

• Minimum two years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales, or similar field.
• Processing payments and reimbursements using financial systems, or learn applicable University financial systems and procedures quickly.
• Background working with and manipulating data.

Technical Skills or Knowledge

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to Advancement, including Phoenix, the University's Donor Relationship Management Salesforce System.
• Proficiency in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace, including Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, including managing large documents and creating mail merge documents.

Preferred Competencies

• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.