Executive Director of Alumni Engagement

About the role

Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations, the Executive Director strategically oversees three core pillars of alumni engagement: New York City programming (with a dotted line to the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives), regional outreach, and the critical continuum of young alumni and student engagement. Grounded in cura personalis and supporting our alumni through every stage of their lives, the incumbent will partner with staff and volunteers to cultivate an inclusive global network, deepening alumni connections to each other and the University. Using data-driven insights and reflective discernment, the Executive Director will rigorously evaluate program effectiveness and measure success to shape forward-looking, innovative engagement strategies. This position serves as a member of the alumni leadership team and requires significant travel, evening, and weekend work to actively unite and champion the global Fordham community.

Position Number A11255 • FLSA Exempt • Department: Dev Investment Fund Initiative • Campus: Lincoln Center

Responsibilities

• Orchestrates all aspects of regional alumni receptions with and without the President (approximately 12-15 events per year), identifying ways to innovate events through a lens of curiosity and acting as a catalyst to animate Fordham’s mission across regional networks.
• Empowers a global network of alumni chapters, partnering with local leadership to execute strategic activities, strengthen lifelong University relationships, and reflect the values of compassion and the common good.
• Designs and implements innovative strategies to optimize chapter effectiveness, igniting volunteer involvement, and developing creative, data-informed approaches to measurably and sustainably increase event and program attendance.
• Directs the planning and execution of marquee New York City traditions, including the St. Patrick’s Day Brunch and Parade and the annual Memorial Mass, anchoring alumni engagement in Fordham’s unique historical legacy of reflection and celebration.
• Collaborates with the Fordham University Alumni Association (FUAA) board to maximize the reach and impact of signature large-scale gatherings, including the annual reception and New York Yankees outing, reinforcing a culture of lifelong connection.
• Curates 8-10 bespoke events annually that leverage Fordham’s identity as the “Jesuit University of New York,” utilizing the city’s world-class arts, cultural, and entertainment offerings to inspire intellectual curiosity and provide inclusive, connection-driven access for alumni.
• Formulates the strategic vision for the student-to-young alumni journey, managing Commencement traditions and growing the Fordham Mentoring Program guided by the principle of cura personalis to foster deep institutional affinity and transformative, intergenerational support.
• Empowers the Young Alumni Committee and partners with the Career Center to drive cohort-specific engagement and professional programming, ensuring recent graduates transition into a culture of lifelong connection as ethical leaders in a global society.
• Identifies, recommends, and stewards alumni to channel their unique talents back into the University by aligning their expertise with opportunities to enhance the Fordham network through undergraduate admission, academic engagement, mentorship, community service, and philanthropic advocacy.
• Provides strategic leadership and contributes to higher-level direction; typically oversees managers via direct and indirect reports; responsible for hiring, developing leaders, managing performance, corrective action, and compensation decisions.
• Emcees various events as required.
• Generates compelling social media posts and shares them with appropriate staff members for execution.
• Serves as alumni relations liaison to the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in alumni relations or advancement.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience.

Skills

• Proven capability to lead the full lifecycle of event production, paired with the analytical rigor to evaluate success through quantitative and qualitative metrics, translating those insights into forward-looking strategic planning.
• Exceptional communication and public speaking skills, with a proven ability to portray a highly professional image