Alum Experience Director
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, United States
Alum Experience Director
Staff, Full Time, In‑Person, Start Date: May 4, 2026. Hiring Range: $98,225 – $110,845. Minimum Starting Rate of Pay: $98,225.00 (rate commensurate with experience).
The Alum Association of Mount Holyoke College is an alum‑led organization that uplifts Mount Holyoke alums and builds community that fosters lifelong learning and empowers impactful connections among alums and with the College. Within Mount Holyoke, staff of the Association operate as the Alum Relations Office in the President’s Division.
This vital role leads and executes signature experiences to grow participation across Mount Holyoke’s diverse, global community of 40,000 alums. The Director heads the Alum Association’s Alum Experience pillar, responsible for delivering exceptional shared alum engagements. This individual holds ownership for signature events, including Reunion, the Volunteer Leadership Summit and a select portfolio of regional programs. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director serves on the Association’s Leadership Team, integrating the experiential strategy across other Association pillars and campus units. The role directly supervises professional staff and student teams, driving measurable outcomes in conversion to all forms of alum engagement, including philanthropy, in full alignment with the Association’s priorities and the MHC Forward strategic plan.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Vision: develop, champion, and articulate the multi‑year strategic action plan for all experiential alum engagement, ensuring programs are innovative, globally inclusive, and aligned with institutional priorities; own and manage the annual Reunion(s), leading the cross‑functional team, defining program structure, managing budget, and evaluating quality and outcomes; oversee development and implementation of creative, compelling programs that foster connection and a sense of belonging among students, recent alums, and under‑engaged constituents, with a focus on intergenerational initiatives; ensure all program delivery and outcomes embody the Association’s and College’s core commitment to excellence and inclusion; own and manage the entire Experiential Engagement pillar budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility, monitoring cost recovery, and optimizing resources; regularly collect, analyze, and use data to guide programmatic decisions, assess effectiveness, and present key performance indicators and post‑event analysis to leadership.
Team Management and Operational Oversight: supervise, mentor, and evaluate a lean professional staff team, fostering a culture of excellence while ensuring effective workload distribution; set and maintain the pillar’s overall programmatic calendar; manage and mentor student ambassadors and workers; lead strategic‑level collaboration with key College partners (e.g., Development, Marketing & Communications, Student Life) to ensure all shared experiences reflect a cohesive institutional presence.
Volunteer & Stakeholder Engagement: actively manage the portfolio of class boards and volunteer leaders planning Reunion, building strong relationships to drive engagement and philanthropic support; strategically lead the planning and execution of the biennial Volunteer Leadership Summit, delivering comprehensive training content and recognition programming; cultivate and maintain strong strategic partnerships across campus and effectively lead alum volunteers, students, faculty, and staff on key initiatives, facilitating cross‑functional teamwork to ensure seamless program delivery.
Required Qualifications
A Bachelor’s degree.
5–7+ years of progressively responsible experience leading signature event experiences (major conferences, festivals, reunions) in hospitality, event production, or a similarly complex organizational environment.
Strong project management skills, able to transform bold visions into results, set ambitious priorities, and manage multiple complex projects while consistently exceeding goals in a fast‑paced environment.
At least 3 years of direct supervisory experience, empowering and developing professional staff through hiring, training, and performance management.
Exceptional communication skills – both written and verbal – and ability to build rapport with diverse individuals at all levels.
Mastery of volunteer engagement, with a proven track record of recruiting, inspiring, training, and guiding diverse volunteer groups to achieve shared objectives.
Tech‑savvy proficiency with Google Workspace, Canva, and experience leveraging database and event management systems (CRM experience with Salesforce, Blackbaud, Blackthorn, or similar platforms preferred).
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and integrity.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in alum relations or higher education.
Certification in project management (PMP, Agile, Lean Six Sigma).
Experience working with virtual communities and online engagement platforms.
US Driver’s license and ability to operate a motor vehicle.
Supervision This role supervises staff and student employees within the Alum Association.
Benefits
403(b) Retirement Plan (College contributes 10.5% of salary)
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Disability and Leave Benefits
Life Insurance (College paid coverage 1x salary)
Employee Assistance Program
Tuition Benefits (to Mount Holyoke College or others)
Generous Paid Time Off
Access to Kendall Sports & Dance Complex
Application Instructions Apply online. Application materials must include a cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications, a complete resume or curriculum vitae, and, for faculty positions, statements on mentoring, teaching, and research.
Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment. All new hires will undergo background checks as required.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The Alum Association of Mount Holyoke College is an alum‑led organization that uplifts Mount Holyoke alums and builds community that fosters lifelong learning and empowers impactful connections among alums and with the College. Within Mount Holyoke, staff of the Association operate as the Alum Relations Office in the President’s Division.
This vital role leads and executes signature experiences to grow participation across Mount Holyoke’s diverse, global community of 40,000 alums. The Director heads the Alum Association’s Alum Experience pillar, responsible for delivering exceptional shared alum engagements. This individual holds ownership for signature events, including Reunion, the Volunteer Leadership Summit and a select portfolio of regional programs. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director serves on the Association’s Leadership Team, integrating the experiential strategy across other Association pillars and campus units. The role directly supervises professional staff and student teams, driving measurable outcomes in conversion to all forms of alum engagement, including philanthropy, in full alignment with the Association’s priorities and the MHC Forward strategic plan.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Vision: develop, champion, and articulate the multi‑year strategic action plan for all experiential alum engagement, ensuring programs are innovative, globally inclusive, and aligned with institutional priorities; own and manage the annual Reunion(s), leading the cross‑functional team, defining program structure, managing budget, and evaluating quality and outcomes; oversee development and implementation of creative, compelling programs that foster connection and a sense of belonging among students, recent alums, and under‑engaged constituents, with a focus on intergenerational initiatives; ensure all program delivery and outcomes embody the Association’s and College’s core commitment to excellence and inclusion; own and manage the entire Experiential Engagement pillar budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility, monitoring cost recovery, and optimizing resources; regularly collect, analyze, and use data to guide programmatic decisions, assess effectiveness, and present key performance indicators and post‑event analysis to leadership.
Team Management and Operational Oversight: supervise, mentor, and evaluate a lean professional staff team, fostering a culture of excellence while ensuring effective workload distribution; set and maintain the pillar’s overall programmatic calendar; manage and mentor student ambassadors and workers; lead strategic‑level collaboration with key College partners (e.g., Development, Marketing & Communications, Student Life) to ensure all shared experiences reflect a cohesive institutional presence.
Volunteer & Stakeholder Engagement: actively manage the portfolio of class boards and volunteer leaders planning Reunion, building strong relationships to drive engagement and philanthropic support; strategically lead the planning and execution of the biennial Volunteer Leadership Summit, delivering comprehensive training content and recognition programming; cultivate and maintain strong strategic partnerships across campus and effectively lead alum volunteers, students, faculty, and staff on key initiatives, facilitating cross‑functional teamwork to ensure seamless program delivery.
Required Qualifications
A Bachelor’s degree.
5–7+ years of progressively responsible experience leading signature event experiences (major conferences, festivals, reunions) in hospitality, event production, or a similarly complex organizational environment.
Strong project management skills, able to transform bold visions into results, set ambitious priorities, and manage multiple complex projects while consistently exceeding goals in a fast‑paced environment.
At least 3 years of direct supervisory experience, empowering and developing professional staff through hiring, training, and performance management.
Exceptional communication skills – both written and verbal – and ability to build rapport with diverse individuals at all levels.
Mastery of volunteer engagement, with a proven track record of recruiting, inspiring, training, and guiding diverse volunteer groups to achieve shared objectives.
Tech‑savvy proficiency with Google Workspace, Canva, and experience leveraging database and event management systems (CRM experience with Salesforce, Blackbaud, Blackthorn, or similar platforms preferred).
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and integrity.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in alum relations or higher education.
Certification in project management (PMP, Agile, Lean Six Sigma).
Experience working with virtual communities and online engagement platforms.
US Driver’s license and ability to operate a motor vehicle.
Supervision This role supervises staff and student employees within the Alum Association.
Benefits
403(b) Retirement Plan (College contributes 10.5% of salary)
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Disability and Leave Benefits
Life Insurance (College paid coverage 1x salary)
Employee Assistance Program
Tuition Benefits (to Mount Holyoke College or others)
Generous Paid Time Off
Access to Kendall Sports & Dance Complex
Application Instructions Apply online. Application materials must include a cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications, a complete resume or curriculum vitae, and, for faculty positions, statements on mentoring, teaching, and research.
Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment. All new hires will undergo background checks as required.
#J-18808-Ljbffr