Summary The Director of Alumni and Community Relations at Barry Law plays a pivotal role in fostering and enhancing relationships with alumni and local community stakeholders. This position, under the supervision of the Associate Dean of Communications, Enrollment Marketing, and Outreach, is tasked with developing strategic engagement plans, coordinating and attending events to promote the law school, and managing communications that highlight the achievements and opportunities within the alumni community.
Through a combination of strategic planning, event management, and targeted communication efforts, the Director is essential in building the law school’s presence within the community and among alumni. This role not only focuses on strengthening existing relationships but also on expanding the law school’s network by attending local events, securing sponsorships, and recognizing the accomplishments of the law school’s stakeholders. The Director’s efforts contribute significantly to the law school’s goals of increased engagement, fundraising, and overall visibility.
This is an in-person position.
Essential Functions
1. Strategic Relationship Building and Engagement:
- Identifying key alumni and community partners to foster strategic relationships.
- Developing personalized outreach plans, including visits, calls, and social media engagement.
- Working with the Associate Dean to align these outreach efforts with broader University goals.
- Utilizing and managing data analytics and CRM tools to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for growth in alumni and community engagement, enabling the Director to make informed decisions on where to focus relationship-building efforts for maximum impact.
2. Event Planning, Coordination, and Attendance:
- Organizing alumni reunions, networking events, and community partnership events to promote engagement and support for Barry Law.
- Collaborating with marketing and events teams to ensure events are well-publicized, aiming for high attendance and engagement.
- Attending approved local community and alumni events to build law school status and share our name in the community, serving as a representative of Barry Law to foster positive relations and awareness.
- Assisting in mobilizing faculty, staff, alumni, and students to participate in community and alumni events, utilizing social media, direct outreach, and coordination with various university departments to maximize attendance.
- Evaluating the success of events through feedback and attendance metrics to inform future event planning and strategy.
3. Communications and Public Relations:
- Actively staying in contact with alumni and local constituents through regular updates, personal outreach, and engagement initiatives, reinforcing their bond with the law school and encouraging ongoing involvement and support.
- Creating and distributing alumni-focused content, through emails, newsletters and press releases.
- Managing the alumni section of the University’s website and social media platforms.
- Coordinating with the Associate Dean to ensure messages align with University branding.
- Initiating collaborative content creation projects, including emails, articles, social media posts, video, etc. with alumni and community leaders to feature their stories, contributions, and successes in university publications and on digital platforms.
4. Fundraising Support and Collaboration:
- Providing crucial support to the Dean, Associate Dean, and the Major Gifts Officer in their fundraising initiatives, helping to identify potential donors and assist in developing engagement strategies that align with the law school’s fundraising goals.
- Assisting in the preparation and execution of fundraising campaigns, including coordinating logistics for donor events, managing donor communications, and ensuring that all fundraising activities are consistent with the law school’s mission and values.
- Contributing to the development of fundraising materials, proposals, and presentations by providing relevant data, success stories, and strategic input to effectively communicate the impact of donations to potential and existing supporters.
5. Alumni and Community Database Management:
- Keeping alumni and community partner contact information up-to-date and accessible, ensuring the database serves as a robust tool for outreach and engagement efforts.
- Analyzing engagement data to identify trends and opportunities for increased interaction, enabling targeted and strategic outreach initiatives.
- Ensuring data privacy and compliance with relevant regulations, maintaining the trust and confidence of all stakeholders in the management of their personal information.
- Working with main campus alumni relations to ensure alumni information is consistent and up-to-date across all university systems, facilitating seamless communication and engagement efforts across the institution.
6. Cross-departmental Collaboration:
- Facilitating communication between departments to support alumni and community relations goals.
- Sharing best practices and success stories from alumni engagement efforts.
- Participating in University-wide committees or projects that involve alumni or community stakeholders.
7. Awards and Recognition Initiatives:
- Researching potential awards and recognitions for dean, administration faculty, alumni, and achievements.
- Preparing and submitting award nominations, coordinating with nominees to gather necessary information.
- Promoting award winners through University communications channels and events.
8. Alumni Newsletter Management:
- Gathering news, achievements, and stories from alumni for inclusion in the newsletter.
- Designing and formatting the newsletter for appealing and effective communication.
- Analyzing reader feedback and engagement metrics to continuously improve the newsletter’s content and reach.
9. Social Media and Technology:
- Utilize social media management tools to schedule posts, monitor engagement, and analyze the effectiveness of different types of content. Regularly update platforms with news and accomplishments from alumni to keep the community informed and engaged.
- Craft compelling social media content that highlights alumni achievements, upcoming events, and law school news. Use storytelling and visual content, designed in tools like Canva, to enhance engagement and visibility.
- Implement social listening strategies to monitor conversations about the law school, its alumni, and relevant community topics. Use insights gained to inform engagement strategies and respond to trends or feedback in a timely manner.
- Organize and host virtual events for alumni using platforms such as Zoom, ensuring technical setup is seamless and content is engaging. Facilitate discussions, networking opportunities, and presentations to strengthen community bonds and provide value to alumni regardless of their location.
10. Other duties as required or assigned by the Dean.
Qualifications/Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Business Administration, Education, Public Affairs, Legal Studies, Public Administration, or related field.
- Master’s degree or JD preferred.
- Three (3) to five (5) years of relevant work experience required.
- Possession of a valid driver’s license.
- Ability to evaluate relationship-building strategies and assess the effectiveness of engagement activities.
- Ability to oversee complex projects, such as events and assisting in fundraising campaigns and ensure they align with the strategic goals of the School of Law.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Client Relationship Management software, design programs, social media platforms, and other relevant technology.
- Ability to manage correspondence, schedule meetings, and maintain records with a strong attention to detail.
- Ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to diverse stakeholders and in the crafting of compelling marketing and fundraising communications.
- Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous priorities effectively and ensure the smooth operation of the department’s varied functions.
- Ability to maintain a professional and positive demeanor under pressure, especially during high-profile events and critical fundraising activities.
Benefits: Barry University offers a comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees that includes health, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement, tuition assistance, paid time off and work/life balance initiatives such as wellness programs, spirituality in the workplace, and training and development.
Barry University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.