Position Summary:
UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint a Director, Alumni Relations and Annual Giving, Abu Dhabi reporting jointly to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at NYU Abu Dhabi, and the Senior Director of Advancement Programs at NYU New York.
The Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving, Abu Dhabi will design and lead a comprehensive engagement strategy for graduates of NYU Abu Dhabi, as well as engage with NYU alumni throughout the Middle East. Based in Abu Dhabi, the Director will be responsible for developing a culture of philanthropy with NYU students and alumni, and for building a sense of engagement and community among its graduates. The position will be responsible for local and regional alumni relations programs covering numerous countries in North Africa, Eastern Mediterranean (Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel), the Arabian Gulf and India.
The Director will strategically advance alumni programs with the goals of increasing alumni engagement, providing tangible benefits to alumni, and building a pipeline of current NYU Abu Dhabi students to become engaged alumni. The Director will advance NYU Abu Dhabi’s goals by developing and executing a core alumni relations portfolio, including outreach and stewardship of all alumni, donors, parents and friends; and overseeing the execution of alumni special events and the development of a philanthropic culture in the region. Reporting jointly to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at NYU Abu Dhabi, and the Senior Director of Advancement Programs at NYU New York, the Director will work to support University goals, priorities and strategies to identify volunteer leadership, manage alumni clubs, facilitate continued engagement of NYUAD alumni in their current countries of residence, and support the expansion of annual giving from alumni and parents of NYUAD. The Director will support NYU Abu Dhabi’s philanthropic efforts, and work with the larger NYU Abu Dhabi staff to build community on and around the NYU Abu Dhabi campus. The Director will work to develop and guide NYU Abu Dhabi alumni leadership and will also manage the budget allocated for these tasks.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop and implement strategic alumni outreach plan and activities by executing an active program of cultivation and special events
Ensure strategies are consistent with both NYU Abu Dhabi’s priorities and the University’s alumni strategies, policies and procedures
Develop and maintain systems to track participation in these programs and their impact on NYU Abu Dhabi philanthropic efforts
Manage the core alumni relations portfolio of NYU Abu Dhabi graduates around the world. Implement alumni programs, conduct alumni award nominations and selections and outreach to alumni, and students
Coordinate with the lead philanthropic officer on cultivation and strategies for alumni, parent, and friend support
Strengthen alumni engagement in career opportunities, internships and post-graduation positions for NYUAD students. Additionally, coordinate with UDAR on local and global events and act as point of contact for all NYU alumni in the region
Track and record relationships with alumni, parents, and friends in central database
Identify opportunities for University and campus leadership to meet with groups of alumni or individual alumni or parent supporters in Abu Dhabi or in other locations
Generate new ideas and manage related tasks to strengthen engagement with alumni, parents, students, and friends
In collaboration with the AVP of UDAR Annual Giving, develop and implement philanthropic strategies to build class gifts and young alumni participation in Annual Giving
Create an alumni-in-training program for NYUAD students and develop an alumni orientation program for graduating seniors
Develop, recruit, train and manage a student committee to champion and advocate for student giving in NYU Abu Dhabi
Develop and implement student outreach strategies to engage NYU Abu Dhabi undergraduate students from initial matriculation through graduation and beyond
Conduct events for NYU Abu Dhabi students to cultivate a lifelong relationship with NYU
Promote an active calendar of student/alumni activities and support Young Alumni Leadership Circle events in the region
Develop and manage Student Alumni Council to assist with engagement in the area
Develop a comprehensive budget strategy and implement an annual budget process
Manage a budget of 50K+ and ensure accuracy and timeliness of information including reviewing reports against other sources such as invoices received
Play a lead role in UDAR’s global outreach in NYU Abu Dhabi
Partner with the Senior Director of Volunteer Engagement, and other senior members of UDAR who travel to the region, as well as local NYU Abu Dhabi staff
Partner on visits, meetings, regional strategy, prepare related briefings, implement follow-up activities (thank you letters, debriefings, etc.)
Identify and respond to needs of priority alumni, prospects and VIP visitors as needed
Maintain the Central Events Archive (CEA) to ensure it’s always updated, and record activity in the central database, enter contact reports on all visits
Qualifications:
Required Education:
Bachelor’s Degree
Preferred Education:
Master’s Degree
Required Experience:
Required experience 7+ years alumni relations/ event management experience or equivalent combination of education and experience
Proven ability to work in an international setting and build relationships with people from diverse cultural backgrounds
Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
Highly organized and creative
Strong experience with alumni relations, events planning, logistics, and management
Ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and work in a fast-paced environment
Ability to professionally interact with all levels of students, staff, faculty and alumni
Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, and database software
Familiarity with presentation software and desktop publishing applications
Proven record in managing alumni relation processes, events and programs
Strong strategic planning and management skills
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Proficiencent with MS Office and Power-point
Preferred Experience:
Experience in an academic, non-profit and/or development environment
Fundraising experience
Exposure to fundraising software
Additional Information:
The University is an equal opportunity employer committed to equity, diversity and social inclusion.