Executive Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for annual giving, donor relations, advancement communications, and alumni relations.
• Create and execute a comprehensive strategic plan to enhance alumni and donor connections to the University.
• Manage the annual engagement and communications calendar, including social media, e-newsletters, and Mercy Magazine.
• Partner with the alumni advisory council to expand volunteer involvement and create meaningful engagement opportunities.
• Collaborate with campus partners such as Athletics, Admissions, and Career Services on signature events, including the Annual Golf Outing and Trustee Scholarship Gala.
• Develop and maintain a modern annual giving program to grow unrestrictive support through multi-channel outreach.
• Oversee donor stewardship plans to ensure thoughtful recognition of individual and organizational support.
• Manage budgets aligned with the Office of Institutional Advancement's strategic priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of seven years of experience in alumni relations, annual giving, or fundraising.
• Proven leadership skills with experience building, mentoring, and motivating high-performing teams.
• Proficiency with constituent relationship management (CRM) systems such as Raiser’s Edge or Salesforce.
• Strong project management, analytical, and organizational abilities.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational structures and drive cross-functional initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within a college or university setting.
• Previous experience specifically within a development and alumni relations office.

Benefits

• High-quality health care plans.
• Retirement benefits.
• Tuition discounts.
• Flexible spending options.

About the Company

Mercy University is a dynamic, independent, coeducational New York City area university offering more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. As a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and a leading Minority-Serving Institution, Mercy is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment that helps a diverse student body transform their lives through high-quality education.