Assistant Director, Careers and Mentorship

Department: Alumni Relations & Development
Grade: EXS/6
Target budgeted salary range: $60,000 to $64,000 annually. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, and market data.

About the role

The Assistant Director collaborates across departments to advance alumni engagement and relationship management for Northwestern University, with a focus on career and industry-based engagement. Reporting to the Director of Alumni Engagement on the Career and Mentorship team within the Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA), this role supports planning, execution, and growth of strategic engagement initiatives to connect alumni, cultivate volunteers, and strengthen philanthropic pathways. The position serves as a functional expert in coordinating and managing career and professional development programs, including virtual and in-person events, and leads operational efforts such as researching topics, outreach to speakers, content development, and marketing in collaboration with alumni and team partners.

Responsibilities

Northwestern Alumni Industry Networks

• Assist in the strategy, development, and growth of this initiative with the team’s Associate Director
• Manage volunteer committees
• Support LinkedIn groups and other online community spaces
• Help plan industry-focused events in collaboration with alumni volunteers

Virtual and in-person career programming

• Support the development of the annual calendar of speakers and themes
• Assist the Associate Director in researching and recruiting speakers
• Lead promotion and marketing of career events
• Coordinate event logistics, including venues and catering
• Manage pre- and post-production for podcasts/webinars
• Handle event follow-up duties (upload recordings, transcriptions, code data in CRM, and program analytics)
• Partner with stakeholders to build and sustain successful virtual content, including periodic check-ins with communications, engagement, and editorial teams

Strategic Planning

• Develop, implement, and refine strategic plans for alumni engagement initiatives focused on professional development and industry-based engagement
• Co-lead the long-term strategy, growth, and sustainability of the Northwestern Alumni Industry Networks, aligning programming with NAA goals and institutional priorities
• Use data, feedback, and analytics to inform continuous improvement and strategic decision-making

Collaboration

• Collaborate with internal department partners and University partners to implement and expand relationships for strategic goals
• Key partnerships include:
  • Northwestern Alumni Association (strategy, content development, analytics)
  • Marketing and communications team (promotion, messaging, branding)
  • Major gift officers, directors of development, and professional school colleagues
  • Alumni volunteers and industry leaders serving on committees or as program hosts
  • Faculty and cross-campus staff contributors to career and industry programming

Prospects & Gifts

• Partner with development colleagues to align engagement initiatives with stewardship and fundraising strategies, strengthening donor readiness through meaningful involvement
• Accurately record alumni interactions, participation, and outcomes in CRM systems to support prospect strategy and institutional reporting

Volunteers

• Recruit, manage, and support alumni volunteers serving on Industry Network and affinity-based committees
• Maintain volunteer rosters, reports, and communications to ensure consistency and sustained engagement
• Travel as needed to support in-person events, planning meetings, or leadership gatherings

Events

• Support planning, execution, and evaluation of virtual and in-person alumni engagement programs, including webinars, podcasts, and industry-focused events
• Coordinate in-person and virtual events, including topic development, speaker coordination, and production planning
• Develop and manage event timelines, production plans, and run-of-show documents
• Oversee event promotion and marketing in collaboration with the marketing and communications team
• Conduct post-event follow-up, including uploading recordings, managing transcriptions, coding data in CRM, and analyzing engagement metrics
• Assess program outcomes and identify best practices for continuous improvement

Administration

• Oversee administrative processes related to the production, promotion, and assessment of alumni engagement initiatives
• Manage timelines, workflows, and project documentation for multiple concurrent programs
• Track and document participation, volunteer involvement, and engagement outcomes in relevant databases and systems
• Develop dashboards, ROI reports, and analytics to assess program effectiveness and inform strategic planning
• Track participants and volunteers, record engagement and donor interactions in the database
• Optimize the use of technology, including social media for marketing, communications, data reporting, and analysis
• Assist in the development of dashboards and metrics for quantitative analysis of program and event outcomes

Budget

• Implement and administer approved budgets for designated programs and/or events

Requirements

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience
• 2 years of development, marketing, event planning, or equivalent experience

Skills

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with alumni, volunteers, faculty, staff, and external partners
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and projects with attention to detail

Preferred Qualifications

• Volunteer and/or program management experience
• Familiarity with CRMs and/or Microsoft Suite (including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word)
• Career coaching/advising background
• Familiarity with using Zoom Webinar
• Knowledge of career or professional development programming
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and execute virtual events, including planning logistics, managing timelines, and ensuring successful program execution

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Paid medical/sick and parental leave
• Tuition benefits for the employee and dependents
• Pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care
• Retirement savings options
• Wellness programs

Work-Life and Wellness

• Flexible work arrangements (hybrid: up to two days remote and three onsite)
• Programs and services to help navigate life’s challenges and opportunities
• Support for locating and paying for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care

Professional Growth & Development

• Career development support, including tools and resources for professional growth
• Opportunities for continuing formal education