Work Schedule: Possibility of some remote work for position; full or significant on-campus presence required during spring semester
Department Summary & Job Purpose:
The Alumnae Association of Mount Holyoke College is a nonprofit, independent organization providing diverse programs, expertise, and resources to foster lifelong learning and empower alums to connect with each other and the College.
To design, plan and implement high-impact events and programs for current and future Mount Holyoke alums. This includes a high degree of collaboration with College partners — particularly those responsible for the Mount Holyoke Fund — as well as supporting and managing alum volunteers involved in these initiatives.
Core Job Duties and Responsibilities:
The associate director’s responsibilities are to:
Develop and implement a strategy and clear annual plans that progressively increase alum engagement in alignment with the strategic priorities of the Alumnae Association and Mount Holyoke College
Design creative, compelling programs that foster connection and a sense of belonging, particularly among students, recent alums, and under-engaged constituents
Collect and use data to guide programmatic decisions for the greatest impact
Provide vision and holistic project management of major strategic initiatives and events, including signature annual gatherings such as reunions, to inspire greater community investment
Forge strong partnerships across the campus, including with offices of communications, development, student life, and conference and event services to ensure joint planning, close coordination, and high visibility of strategic initiatives
Collaborate with and lead alum volunteers, students, faculty, and staff on key initiatives
Actively manage a portfolio of 80 class boards (600-700 alum leaders, representing the nearly 40,000 alums worldwide), build relationships with future leaders toward new and increased engagement, and liaise with relevant volunteer and leadership groups
Coordinate, in alignment with development staff, an annual volunteer training curriculum, stewardship, and communications plan to support alum work to grow connections with one another and the College
Ensure that program delivery and outcomes embody the Association and College’s core commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Partner with Association staff on key initiatives and opportunities that arise to further the Association's mission and priorities
Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree and 3–5 years of experience in event and volunteer management • Demonstrated experience in the management of highly complex projects and events (certification in Agile, Lean Six Sigma project management is a plus) • Outstanding public speaking and written communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals from diverse communities • Must have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with diverse constituents in this external-facing role • Strong strategic planning and implementation skills and must be able to lead efforts in setting priorities and meeting goals • Effective volunteer manager with the ability to recruit, train, engage and lead volunteers toward meeting shared goals • Detail-oriented, efficient, and able to handle diversified tasks concurrently • Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access) and database management • Ability to work with highly confidential information • Some evening and weekend hours are involved (typically 3-4 weekends per year) and the ability to occasionally travel is required
Preferred Qualifications:
• Preferred experience in alum relations or higher education • Experience working with virtual communities is a plus • Operate a motor vehicle
License/Certifications:
• US driver's license (preferred)
Compliance Requirements:
Physical Demands:
• Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. • Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which employee must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly. • Sufficient clarity of speech required includes those which permit the employee to discern verbal instructions and communicate effectively in person and by telephone. • Employee talks in front of large groups occasionally. • Employee speaks with alums, students and faculty by telephone, e-mail, or in person on a daily basis. • Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound. • Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers •The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and extensive reading. • Employee operates office equipment and computers to perform essential duties and responsibilities. • Employee is required to have visual acuity to operate motor vehicles.
Working Conditions:
• Evening and weekend work is required (minimum 5 weekends per year) • Occasional outdoor work, depending on nature of events and programs • Occasional travel
Background Checks:
Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.
Special Instructions for Applicants:
Apply online; application materials must include:
A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
A complete resume or curriculum vitae
Contact information for 3 professional references
Mount Holyoke College is a women’s college that is gender diverse. The College is committed to providing equal access and opportunity in employment and education to all employees and students. In compliance with state and federal law, Mount Holyoke College does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, genetic information, sex, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, ancestry, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected status under federal, state or local law. The College does not discriminate on the basis of gender in the recruitment and admission of students to its graduate program.
Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
As the first of the Seven Sisters, the female equivalent of the once predominantly male Ivy League, Mount Holyoke established higher education for women as a serious endeavor. Our long, distinguished history of educating leaders arises from a powerful combination of: academic excellence in a global learning environment; a tight-knit, diverse, and international community; a worldwide network of influential alumnae; the conviction that women can and should make a difference in the world.
