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Job Description

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Executive Director of Alumni Relations and the UMass Amherst Alumni Association
Amherst, MA

The University of Massachusetts Amherst invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for the position of executive director of Alumni Relations and the UMass Amherst Alumni Association.

A national public research university established in 1863 and the flagship campus of the university system of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is located on 1,450 acres in one of the most scenic rural areas of New England. Within its ten colleges and schools, the University of Massachusetts Amherst offers bachelor's degrees in eighty-seven areas, master's degrees in seventy-three, and the doctoral degree in fifty-one. There are approximately 25,800 students enrolled on campus: 20,100 undergraduates and 5,700 graduate students. There are 215,000 alumni of record. For more information on UMass Amherst go to www.umass.edu.

The executive director is the senior strategist for planning, leading and executing a comprehensive alumni relations program designed to inform and involve more than 215,000 alumni worldwide in the life of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The executive director will build constituent relationships that result in volunteer service and philanthropic support for the campus and will initiate activities that maximize alumni outreach and engagement through Alumni Association communications, programs and services. The executive director will serve in two distinct but highly related roles with overlapping objectives: as the chief alumni relations officer for UMass Amherst and as executive director of the UMass Amherst Alumni Association, an independent 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation.

The executive director will provide strategic vision for and comprehensive leadership of alumni programs and services and will serve as a catalyst to link the work of the university with alumni communities and interests outside of the university. In conducting this work, the executive director will collaborate with the deans, vice chancellors and other campus leaders to plan and coordinate effective outreach and engagement activities for alumni, donors, students, parents and friends of the Amherst campus. The executive director will take the leadership role in overall management of volunteer recruitment, training and stewardship of all Alumni Association volunteers, providing the vision, motivation and focus for long-term strategic growth. He/she will manage a staff of 20 as a key member of the university advancement leadership team and will work collaboratively with a 34 member volunteer board. He or she reports to the vice chancellor for university advancement.

The successful candidate will have: 10 or more years experience as a senior executive successfully managing a complex and multi-faceted organization, including experience with developing and managing intricate budgets and programs, with senior level management of a non-profit or higher education organization preferred; a bachelor's degree (advanced degree preferred); proven experience building strong and enduring relationships between and among constituents and parent organizations, including work with chapters, volunteer boards and committees, with demonstrated experience with alumni or constituent relations preferred; a demonstrated understanding of the university's public, land-grant mission and traditions with the ability to articulate the importance of public higher education to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; demonstrated experience in volunteer and board recruitment, management, and leadership development; proven success in development and execution of strategic short and long term plans to achieve organizational mission, vision and goals, with emphasis on conceiving, assessing, and integrating innovative and effective programs with other existing activities; proven ability to work collaboratively and respectfully with a variety of constituencies, with multiple interests and varying levels of authority, to define and achieve organizational objectives; superior analytical skills and demonstrated ability to appropriately frame complex issues and problems to seek optimal solutions serving the best interests of the institution and its constituents; excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, coaching, and persuasive communication techniques and approaches; 10 or more years experience supervising executive, professional, technical and administrative personnel, with staff management background to include hiring, evaluation, motivation, discipline and appropriate delegation; and the ability and willingness to work evenings or weekends as required and to travel extensively throughout the state and country.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

A full leadership profile is available on request. Inquiries and nominations should be directed to Witt/Kieffer's consultant, Mary Elizabeth Taylor at 212-686-2676. Applications containing a letter expressing interest in the position and describing one's qualifications and a curriculum vitae should be either sent electronically to umassalumni@wittkieffer.com or by US Post to Witt/Kieffer, 780 Third Avenue, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10017. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The priority application deadline for this position is August 11, 2008.

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