Job Scope

Reporting to the Associate Director, Young Alumni Engagement, the Assistant Director, Young Alumni Engagement contributes to strategies and programs that increase annual fund participation through strategic engagement and outreach to BU’s youngest alumni, a constituency of more than 70,000 as of 2019. The Assistant Director will plan, organize, and implement strategic initiatives that engage, develop, and solicit this constituency including direct marketing and appeals, events and programming, and volunteer engagement. This position will also spearhead the effort to build stronger communities of engaged young alumni in key markets, with the intent to increase the percentage of local young alumni making annual gifts to BU. Building and maintaining collaborative relationships with internal partners, both within Annual Giving and across DAR, will be critical to the success of this position. Travel and some evening/weekend work is required.

Essential Functions

• Liaise with Annual Giving and Alumni Relations colleagues to support segmented communications to young alumni audiences for appeals, event invitations, volunteer opportunities, and stewardship. Define, document, and update plans, schedules and tactics throughout the year. Benchmark industry best practices and study peer institutions to identify new ideas for growth.
• Develop and lead strategies to activate engaged networks of young alumni in Greater Boston and New York City, home to BU’s largest populations of young alumni. In partnership with the Associate Director and BUYAC members, recruit and manage a corps of young alumni volunteers, coordinate programming for young alumni, and foster a culture of philanthropy among young alumni in these key markets.
• In partnership with the Associate Director, support the activity of the BU Young Alumni Council. Compile information and materials, draft communications, coordinate meeting and event logistics, and staff BUYAC meetings and events.
• Identify and solicit a small portfolio of leadership-level young alumni donors through BU’s leadership annual giving program, the 1839 Society.
• Manage reporting and analysis for Young Alumni giving and engagement at Boston University. Maintain weekly and monthly reporting on progress to goals, highlighting areas of opportunity and recommending strategies for continued growth. Document all activity pertaining to the Young Alumni program in BBEC, the institutional advancement database.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree; 3-5 years professional experience. Direct experience in annual giving, development, alumni relations, higher education administration, volunteer management, or marketing is preferred, but not essential.
• Must demonstrate confidence, aptitude, and success in relationship-building and face-to-face interactions with both external and internal constituents. Strong interpersonal skills are essential for this position.
• Experience with complex constituent databases, data analytics programs, or advanced Excel skills is strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to interpret data and communicate insights.
• Must be an entrepreneurial, innovative, resourceful, collaborative, and self-motivated team player, capable of operating in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment while balancing concurrent assignments. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential.

*Only resumes with a cover letter will be considered.