Assistant Director of Academic Community & Alumni Engagement - Institutional Advancement

The Assistant Director of Academic Community & Alumni Engagement leads the strategy and coordination that strengthen connections between alumni and the university’s academic colleges. The role partners closely with deans, faculty, and academic staff to understand each college’s unique goals and to develop approaches that make alumni involvement accessible, meaningful, and sustainable. This position supports academic advisory boards, builds shared tools and practices, and helps connect colleges with alumni and community contributors in ways that enhance academic programs and student learning. The Assistant Director also guides strategic initiatives that increase visibility, reduce siloed efforts, and create consistent opportunities for alumni to stay engaged with their disciplines. The role collaborates closely with divisional and campus colleagues to ensure academic engagement efforts align with institutional priorities and elevate philanthropic interests. 

Primary Duties

• Lead academic community and alumni engagement strategies that reflect university priorities and align with the unique needs and goals of each college.  

• Build strong relationships with deans, faculty, and academic staff to deepen alumni involvement in curricular and discipline specific initiatives.  

• Create shared tools, templates, and processes that help faculty and staff involve alumni in classroom engagement, experiential learning, and other discipline‑aligned academic volunteer opportunities.  

• Support academic advisory boards through guidance on recruitment, onboarding, member expectations, volunteer cultivation, and sustainable approaches to engagement and succession, ensuring alignment with college‑specific priorities.  

• Collaborate with colleges to identify opportunities for alumni involvement in mentoring related to academic programs and connect faculty and staff to campus‑wide mentoring resources and systems.

• Coordinate with campus colleagues to track academic engagement activity, emerging needs, and opportunities, and align academic‑based engagement events with the broader alumni engagement calendar to support cohesive planning across colleges.

• Collaborate with divisional colleagues and university partners to support experiential learning involving alumni.  

• Lead and support strategic initiatives that strengthen academic and community engagement across colleges and departments, including virtual opportunities that support college‑based teaching, learning, and alumni involvement. 

• Identify new ideas and opportunities that deepen alumni involvement in academic priorities and advance the Laker for a Lifetime philosophy, including collaboration with divisional colleagues to enhance philanthropic engagement. 

• Other duties as assigned.  

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Minimum of 2 to 3 years of full-time, post‑graduate experience in academic program support, alumni engagement, community partnership development, or related higher education roles.

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Strong ability to build collaborative relationships with deans, faculty, staff, alumni, and external partners.

• Skill in organizing complex work, managing multiple priorities, and adapting to the unique needs and expectations of different colleges and disciplines.

• Ability to design and maintain clear processes, tools, and shared resources that support consistent engagement across academic units.

• Ability to interpret alumni and engagement‑related data to inform planning, outreach, and strategy.

• Strong communication skills, including presenting, facilitating, and writing for academic and professional audiences.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Master’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University.

• Experience advising, supporting, or coordinating academic advisory boards, college-based committees, or volunteer leadership groups.

• Experience collaborating with faculty or academic units to support classroom engagement, discipline‑specific alumni involvement, and experiential learning activities involving alumni or community contributors.

• Experience developing partnerships with academic departments, external organizations, or industry partners that support academic programs or student learning.

• Familiarity with engagement systems, CRM tools, or list management processes that support academic outreach and volunteer coordination.

• Experience with virtual engagement, workshops, or professional learning opportunities connected to academic programs.

Working Conditions:

Normal office environment. Some travel may be required

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week.  The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. See www.gvsu.edu/equalopportunity/. TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).

 

Grand Valley State University is an Antidiscrimination/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. University policy extends protections to additional identities.