Senior Director of Engagement, Thunderbird

About the role

The Senior Director of Engagement (SDE) is a leadership role as part of Thunderbird’s integrated advancement team. Reporting to the Executive Director, the SDE is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive engagement strategy for Thunderbird’s 46,000 alumni, over 100,000 global learners (and growing), and our community of donors.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead a comprehensive, segmented engagement strategy for Thunderbird’s global community of alumni, learners and donors, which includes creative and innovative opportunities to broaden and deepen T-birds’ engagement with the School.
• Manage the team of staff responsible for alumni engagement, campaigns and annual giving and offer strategic guidance, feedback, coaching and meaningful development opportunities.
• Work closely with the Dean and other members of Thunderbird’s senior leadership to build solid and trusted internal partnerships and develop creative and compelling ways to further engage alumni across Thunderbird, including executive education, corporate engagement, recruitment and admissions, student experience and success.
• Work across the Thunderbird advancement team to ensure a strategy where engagement drives giving and vice versa, through a mutually-reinforcing approach.
• Oversee the chapter engagement strategy and ensure efficient communication, onboarding and volunteer support.
• Oversee the volunteer and donor stewardship strategies for Thunderbird, creating personalized and meaningful opportunities to thank, recognize, renew and develop these groups.
• Develop and deploy Thunderbird’s campaigns aimed at building engagement, loyalty and inspiring action around giving and involvement.
• Develop a new digital engagement strategy which harnesses AI and other digital tools and channels.
• Support the Dean and Executive Director in the creation of the new CEO Roundtable.
• Manage metrics and dashboards to track engagement and inform ongoing strategy.
• Collaborate with Thunderbird’s global centers and ASU enterprise partners to build and strengthen relationships with international alumni and corporate partners.
• Collaborate with ASUF colleagues in philanthropy and major gifts, donor relations, marketing, and research to align efforts.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge on key alumni and ensure accurate and timely documentation of all alumni activity in accordance with ASUF policies.

Qualifications

• A demonstrable global mindset and ability to work across cultures with diplomacy and sensitivity.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to build trust with diverse, global stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with persuasive proposal and presentation experience.
• Strong literacy in AI and other digital engagement tools and a competent understanding of how these can be integrated into a comprehensive, global engagement strategy.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of database management.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and to use discretion in interactions with alumni, donors, prospects, volunteers, and others.
• Ability to foster effective working relationships within a team environment.
• Proficiency with donor management systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Commitment to ASU’s vision and Thunderbird’s mission.
• Flexibility and agility in a fast-paced, global environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• Five (5) to seven (7) years of years of successful engagement experience in higher education.
• Prior experience living or working internationally or within globally distributed teams.
• Experience working in campaigns and/or annual giving.
• Experience working in Salesforce and Workday.