Location: Worcester, MA Category: Staff and Administrators Posted On: Tue Jan 13 2026 Job Description:
About University Advancement University Advancement at Clark University builds meaningful, lifelong relationships with alumni, donors, and friends of the University. Through fundraising, alumni engagement, stewardship, and campaign initiatives, the team supports Clark's mission, academic priorities, and student success. Events play a central role in connecting people to the University's story, strengthening community, and advancing philanthropic impact.
The Opportunity Clark University is seeking a Director of Advancement Events to lead the strategy, planning, and execution of high-impact events that inspire alumni, donors, and friends of the University. This role is ideal for a creative, detail-driven events leader who thrives in a collaborative environment and understands the power of events to build relationships, strengthen community, and advance philanthropic goals.
Reporting to the Senior Executive Director of Advancement Strategy & Campaign Planning, the Director of Advancement Events is a key member of the University Advancement team and will play a central role in signature alumni events, donor engagement, and campaign-related programming?including major milestones such as campaign launches and multi-day alumni weekends.
What You'll Do
Lead Signature Events & Alumni Engagement
Plan and execute a wide range of events, from intimate leadership and donor gatherings to large-scale alumni and reunion events
Lead the strategy and delivery of a multi-day alumni weekend, donor recognition events, cultivation and stewardship programs, and campaign-related events
Ensure all events reflect Clark's mission, brand, and commitment to inclusive engagement
Align Events with Advancement Strategy
Partner closely with colleagues across University Advancement?including Principal Gifts, Major Gifts, Annual Giving, and Planned Giving to support fundraising and engagement goals
Collaborate with faculty, senior leadership, and campus partners to maximize alumni participation and deepen relationships
Supervise & Develop Staff
Manage and mentor the Associate Director of Advancement Events
Support professional growth through coaching, goal-setting, and performance feedback
Strategic Planning & Budget Management
Develop an annual events plan aligned with institutional priorities
Make informed, data-driven budget decisions and ensure effective use of resources
Build Strong Campus & External Partnerships
Cultivate relationships with campus partners, volunteers, vendors, and external stakeholders
Contribute ideas for new and innovative programs as institutional priorities evolve
Job Requirements:
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree
At least 5 years of experience in events management with a preference for experience in advancement events management
Demonstrated success managing signature or hallmark events from concept through execution
Exceptional organizational, communication, and project management skills
Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities
A collaborative, proactive work style with excellent interpersonal skills
Ability to clearly articulate Clark's mission and value proposition to a wide range of audiences
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degree
Experience in higher education or nonprofit advancement
Familiarity with Raiser's Edge/NXT or similar CRM systems and GiveCampus Events
Experience designing inclusive engagement strategies for diverse audiences
Knowledge of alumni engagement metrics, fundraising principles, and campaign planning
Work Environment & Expectations
Hybrid work environment with an office presence on Clark's Worcester campus
Evening and weekend work required for events
Occasional travel
Additional Information:
Expected Hiring Range: $ 96,000 to $107,500
Pay Transparency Disclosure: The compensation for this position will be determined based on factors that include available budget, internal equity, and the selected candidate's qualifications, experience, education, and other job-related credentials. This range represents Clark University's good-faith estimate of the expected hiring range at the time of posting consistent with Clark's compensation philosophy and internal alignment.
At Clark University we believe that diversity of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds leads to a more innovative and productive work environment. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to join our team and contribute their unique ideas to help us achieve our goals.
Clark University offers a generous benefit package for full and, if applicable, part-time employees that include; paid time off, generous retirement plan, group health and dental insurance, life insurance, and tuition, along with use of many campus amenities. For a complete list of benefits for eligible employees visit here.
To review the Clark University Police Department Annual Security and Fire Safety Report visit here.
Founded in 1887, Clark University is a liberal arts-based research university committed toscholarship and inquiry that addresses social and human imperatives on a global basis. It is the place where Robert Goddard invented the modern rocket, where Sigmund Freud delivered his only lectures in the United States, and where current students stake their claim to the Clark motto, “Challenge Convention, Change Our World,” which is the rallying cry that inspires our community every day. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University educates its undergraduate and graduate students to be imaginative and contributing citizens of the world, and to advance the frontiers of knowledge and understanding through rigorous scholarship and creative effort. The University’s engages students in such areas as biology, chemistry, economics, geography, psychology, urban education, management, environmental science and policy, Holocaust and genocide studies, and international development and social change. Clark University’s pioneering model of higher education, LEEP (Liberation Education and Effective Practice) compels undergraduate students to thrive in authentic world and workplace settings, and prepares them for lives and careers of consequence.