Want to become a soaring UNCW Seahawk and work at one of the best universities on the East Coast? Want to put your toes in the sand after a day of work? The University of North Carolina Wilmington offers a wonderfully vibrant university community along with a beautiful location just miles from the beach.

UNCW is recruiting for a new leadership role within the Division for University Advancement – the Director of Alumni Engagement Programming. This strategic innovator will focus on initiatives that add value to and enhance the engagement experience of our diverse and vibrant alumni network as well as yield a strong return on investment.

The Director of Alumni Engagement Programming will design, implement and evaluate initiatives that strengthen and advance relationships between the university and its nearly 100,000 alumni with a goal to increase giving. The Director of Alumni Engagement Programming will work collaboratively with other senior leaders within the Division for University Advancement to develop a strategic, holistic and inclusive calendar of engagement programs and initiatives that include volunteer, experiential, philanthropic, and communication opportunities. This role will work collaboratively with the Executive Director of the UNCW Alumni Association and will interface with the Board of Directors.

This position will supervise and mentor an assistant director of alumni engagement programming, may hire a graduate assistant, and will have assigned administrative assistant. In addition to alumni engagement initiatives, this team will help develop and advance programs that engage students from recruitment to commencement to strengthen UNCW’s culture of philanthropy and the donor pipeline.

Over 96% of alumni rate their UNCW experience as positive – noting that our coastal location, commitment to sustainability, academic prominence and distinct family feel make it an institution like no other. This is a wonderful opportunity to convert that pride into participation, especially during the public phase of Like No Other: The Campaign for UNCW.

UNCW’s Division for University Advancement offers a fast-paced yet lighthearted working environment where work-life balance and teleworking flexibility are afforded, all while honoring our values of accountability, collaboration and efficiency.

Minimum Education & Experience Requirements

Bachelor’s degree is required. 5+ years of higher-education experience or related experience to include the development of innovative programs that advance the mission of the institution and engage constituents.

• Strong understanding of the development cycle including discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• Ability to recruit, train and inspire volunteers.
• Ability to identify potential alumni donor prospects, cultivate relationships and solicit gifts.
• Must be able to secure buy-in on proposed strategies from key stakeholders including division colleagues, campus partners and alumni volunteers, and advocate for resources.
• Must be able to provide clear, concise and timely direction to staff and colleagues.
• High level of cultural competence, an inclusive approach to developing programs that appeal to diverse alumni.
• Understanding of critical issues, challenges and opportunities within higher education.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and deliver outcomes.
• Understanding of customer relationship management systems (CRMs).
• A commitment to understanding development trends and best practices in higher education and implementing program changes, when necessary.
• Strong interpersonal skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong judgment and code of personal ethics.
• Ability to operate effectively, flexibly and collegially in a complex organizational environment.
• Ability to develop budgets aligning resources with strategies and demonstrating return on investment.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and occasional travel.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, & Experience

Familiarity with UNCW. Knowledgeable about the CASE Alumni Engagement Metrics survey. Experience with Blackbaud products to include Raiser’s Edge, NXT, Net Community and Target Analytics. Experience with project management software.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

• The Division for University Advancement is responsible for the following primary goals:
• Coordinate a campus-wide, comprehensive effort to raise philanthropic funds that support the strategic plan and mission of the university.
• Manage an inclusive alumni engagement program designed to serve and engage nearly 100,000 alumni as ambassadors, advocates and donors.
• Strengthen and expand UNCW’s donor pipeline through effective discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies.
• Ensure that external boards (UNCW Foundation Board, Board of Visitors, Student Aid Association Board, Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Friends of UNCW) are effective in their mission of supporting UNCW.

The division’s fundraising efforts are enhanced by effective partnerships with the campus community as well as external constituents including alumni, parents, corporations, foundations, volunteers and friends. Development areas include annual giving, leadership annual giving, major gifts, principal gifts, corporate and foundation engagement and planned giving, as well as alumni engagement. Prospect development, events and board management, stewardship, communications and advancement services are support services for the fundraising activities of the division.

University Information

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

EEO Statment

At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Benefits of Working at UNCW

Employees of UNCW are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other programs, resources, policies, and practices that help to support a work/life balance. Our programs have been designed to provide a variety of choices to best fit your needs and the needs of your family. Full time employees are eligible for dental, vision and health insurance plans. Health insurance benefit plans eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.

Full time employees are also eligible for up to three (3) paid waivers from the state and then UNCW provides an additional two waivers in the summer for classes taken only at UNCW including the application fee and book rental. In addition as a full time employee, UNCW offers a free membership to the Campus Recreation Center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, meditation and yoga sessions, voluntary supplemental insurance coverages, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays, 24 hours of paid community service leave time, paid vacation and sick leave accrual and family medical leave after 12 months of continuous service.