Senior Alumni Officer

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day.

Learn more about our recruitment process.

Job Requisition ID

2026-02668

Time Type

Full time

Employee Group

Staff

Job Category

Advancement and Alumni Engagement

Employment Type

Permanent

Department

Advancement and External Relations - Volunteer Engagement

Hiring Range

$80,248.28 - $100,310.35

Posting Information

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Internal application deadline is Friday September 11th at 11:59 PM

This is a Career Path position. The final level will be determined based on demonstrated skills and experience.

Anticipated hiring ranges:

• USG 10: $85,980 - $107,475

• USG 11: $93,878 - $117,348

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Senior Alumni Officer is responsible for building and sustaining a scalable alumni engagement ecosystem that connects alumni with each other, current students, and the University. Through strategic leadership of the digital community and institution-wide programming, this role strengthens alumni relationships, increases engagement opportunities, and supports the University's advancement and community-building objectives. This role maximizes the institutional return on investment by driving adoption, participation, and long-term value creation through the digital community which in turn provides a coordinated institutional approach to broad-based alumni engagement, ensuring consistency, reducing duplication, and complementing faculty- and region-specific initiatives.

Using project management, technical expertise and community building skills, this role establishes a scalable and sustainable approach to alumni engagement through mentorship, career development, volunteer engagement, and philanthropic outcomes  that strengthens relationships with an increasingly diverse and geographically dispersed alumni community.

The Senior Alumni Officer is a member of the Alumni Relations leadership team. They are responsible for strategy development and oversight, team management, and program evaluation to ensure the success of the campus-wide alumni relations strategy.

The Senior Alumni Officer supports the Office of Advancement’s goals to increase alumni engagement to further impact the Advancement pipeline. They develop the strategy for alumni outreach, alumni volunteerism and overall alumni engagement, focusing on mutually beneficial engagement opportunities that enhance the impact of alumni on the University of Waterloo.

The Senior Alumni Officer will manage projects that require broad campus consultation and collaboration within the Office of Advancement, including all alumni and development professionals across campus, as well as partners across campus such as University Relations, Waterloo International, Co-operative and Experiential Education, Student Success and Registrar’s Offices.  The Senior Alumni Officer also works closely with all levels of alumni volunteers world-wide to foster and strengthen relationships with other alumni as well as to the institution.

Alumni Relations programs, activities and events include; Homecoming, geographic alumni events, chapter and global ambassador-run events, ,digital community, volunteer engagement program, outreach programs, alumni-student bridge programs, athletics events, and all other engagement activities created to deepen and broaden engagement between alumni and the University of Waterloo. The Senior Alumni Officer is accountable for evaluating and measuring alumni events, programs and activities with the goal of always enhancing and improving alumni engagement. Each Senior Alumni Officer position focuses on one portfolio; Volunteer Engagement, Events or Alumni Engagement.

Key Accountabilities

Program Strategy and Development

• Develop and oversee strategies that successfully motivate the team to achieve Advancement objectives

• Leverage and engage local and international alumni communities by offering programming to bridge the gap between all stakeholders

• Work collaboratively to enhance relationships within the University of Waterloo community

• Lead the University’s high profile alumni events, programs and activities, creating a best-in-class experience for alumni

• Conduct planning exercises to align events, programs and projects with the Advancement goals and the University of Waterloo Strategic Plan

• Oversee the development, implementation, maintenance and evaluation of alumni programs, projects and activities (current and new)

• Actively engage alumni as volunteers and participants in regional activities and events

• Ensure consistency, accuracy and excellence in quality and content of messaging in all materials

• Oversee systems and processes vital to successfully engage alumni

Management, Collaboration and Integration

• Provide mentorship, guidance and insight to help all team members grow and be successful within their roles

• Assume direct management and supervisory responsibilities for alumni team members

• Alumni subject matter expert on special project teams and task forces, as appropriate, in addition to serving as the key contact for specific on-campus units

• Direct Advancement-wide special projects which could include staff across Advancement

• Ensure resources are in place for mentorship and training of specific alumni team members

• Provide effective management, guidance and planning oversight for specific alumni team, including establishment and monitoring of performance milestones and yearly objectives

• Collaborate with alumni and development professionals within Advancement to facilitate programs, activities and events that include key/pertinent alumni, donors and friends and enhance current activities through the partnering of units within the central alumni relations and development team

• Review, develop and negotiate agreements with external vendors and partners

• Actively participate in the alumni relations leadership team

• Work in collaboration with Advancement Services to maintain and regularly improve systems and data processes

• Maintain a network with a variety of departments on campus to facilitate effective and efficient coordination of events, programs and activities

• Develop and build strong relationships with University faculty and staff in support of successful programs, events and activities

• Act as ambassadors for the University with the public, alumni, volunteers, donors, and invited guests at University of Waterloo alumni initiatives

Measurement, Evaluation and Budgeting

• Conduct quarterly measurement and evaluation against the outcomes and goals of strategic plans as well as reporting against the budget

• Manage the associated budget for specific alumni team

• Establish benchmarking measures and ongoing monitoring and adjustment of plans according to results observed

• Manage data integrity as needs arise

• Collaborate with appropriate partners in Advancement Services to facilitate data analysis pertinent to measuring the continued engagement of alumni

• Undertake a systematic review of previous data and trends to accurately forecast the coming year

• Measure alumni engagement for program evaluation

• Manage reports including environmental scans, statistical reports, proposals and post event reports

Communications

• Work closely with  the university Marketing & Communications team to integrate messaging pertinent to all alumni and donors as well as the University community

• Work collaboratively with the Marketing & Communications team to create and produce appropriate marketing and communications to all