Program Manager, Recruitment & Alumni Engagement

Program Manager, Recruitment & Alumni Engagement
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The Program Manager for Recruitment and Alumni Engagement provides strategic and operational leadership for recruitment, yield, and alumni engagement across the Scott Scholars Programs at both the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Serving as a key connector between two campuses, this role stewards the full lifecycle of engagement, from statewide prospect cultivation and applicant management through onboarding, alumni connectivity, and long‑term program affinity, ensuring a consistent, high‑touch experience that reflects the prestige and expectations of the Scott Scholars brand.

The position leads statewide recruitment strategy and execution by building and sustaining relationships with high school counselors, principals, teachers, STEM academy directors, and college‑access partners to strengthen awareness, grow applications, and support a highly competitive selection process. The Program Manager oversees end‑to‑end recruitment operations across both campuses, including outreach campaigns, inquiry response, applicant communications, event registration, applicant tracking and documentation accuracy, and the coordination of selection and yield/onboarding experiences for admitted scholars and families.

In parallel, the role advances a robust alumni engagement ecosystem by managing communications and contact strategies, coordinating peer and alumni mentoring pathways, and designing meaningful engagement opportunities that connect alumni to current scholars and to each campus’s priorities. The position also serves as the program’s lead for high‑visibility event planning and execution across UNO and UNMC recruitment events, admitted student experiences, donor and foundation‑facing engagements, alumni gatherings, and program milestone celebrations, requiring sophisticated project management, vendor coordination, and stakeholder hospitality.

To support recruitment and stewardship objectives, the Program Manager produces polished marketing and communication assets, including graphic design and branded materials for print and digital platforms, ensuring consistency with university and foundation standards. The role also stewards recruitment and engagement data across both campuses, generating dashboards and reports for quarterly, annual, and specialized updates for campus leadership and the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation. The cross‑campus scope, external‑facing partnership accountability, high‑stakes event execution, and donor‑facing reporting responsibilities justify an elevated classification and salary aligned with advanced program management in higher education.

Recruitment and Outreach (30%)

Develop and execute annual recruitment strategies for Scott Scholars at UNO and UNMC.

Build and sustain statewide relationships with counselors, principals, teachers, STEM academy directors, and college‑access partners.

Coordinate recruitment travel, school visits, presentations, and outreach campaigns to increase awareness and applications.

Represent the program at key recruitment events; deliver consistent messaging and program positioning.

Applicant Lifecycle Operations (25%)

Manage end‑to‑end applicant lifecycle operations: inquiry response, applicant communications, application support, and tracking.

Maintain accurate applicant records in program systems/CRM; ensure data integrity, confidentiality, and timely documentation.

Coordinate applicant touchpoints, deadlines, and communications to support completion and an exceptional candidate experience.

Produce pipeline updates and status reports; implement process improvements to increase efficiency and yield.

Selection and Onboarding (15%)

Coordinate selection process logistics across UNO and UNMC (scheduling, event operations, candidate communications, and materials).

Implement yield strategies and admitted‑student engagement experiences that strengthen matriculation decisions.

Lead onboarding communications and transition programming for incoming scholars and families across both campuses.

Coordinate with admissions and campus partners to ensure a consistent, high‑touch onboarding experience.

Alumni Engagement and Mentoring (15%)

Maintain alumni engagement infrastructure, including contact lists, communications cadence, and engagement pathways.

Coordinate peer and alumni mentoring programs (mentor recruitment, matching, communications, and engagement touchpoints).

Plan alumni engagement opportunities that connect alumni to current scholars and campus priorities at UNO and UNMC.

Track engagement participation and outcomes to strengthen stewardship and continuous improvement.

Events and Experiences (10%)

Plan and execute high‑visibility events across UNO and UNMC (recruitment, admitted‑student, alumni, and foundation‑facing engagements).

Develop run‑of‑show documents, staffing plans, registration processes, logistics, vendor coordination, and post‑event follow‑up.

Ensure stakeholder hospitality and event quality aligned with university and foundation standards.

Marketing and Reporting (5%)

Design and produce branded recruitment and engagement materials for print and digital platforms; maintain visual consistency across campuses.

Steward recruitment and engagement data; prepare dashboards and reports for quarterly, annual, and specialized reporting to leadership and SWSF.

Coordinate with campus marketing/communications partners as needed to align messaging, brand standards, and deliverables.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Business, Social Sciences, or a related field.

Experience: Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education or a similarly complex organization with duties in at least two of the following areas: recruitment/outreach, student or alumni engagement, program management, event planning, communications/marketing, stakeholder relations, or data/reporting.

Demonstrated experience building and managing external partnerships (e.g., K–12, community organizations, employers, alumni, donors, or similar stakeholder networks).

Demonstrated experience planning and executing high‑visibility events (end‑to‑end logistics, vendor coordination, timelines, and stakeholder experience).

Demonstrated experience producing professional communications and marketing materials, including basic graphic design for print and digital use (e.g., Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or comparable tools).

Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive information with discretion and maintain accurate records/data for reporting and decision‑making.

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Communications, Public Administration, or a related field.

Experience: Five (5) or more years of experience in recruitment, alumni relations, advancement support, enrollment/student success, or program management.

Experience working across multiple units/campuses or within a complex, matrixed organization.

Experience with CRMs or tracking systems (e.g., Slate, Salesforce, TargetX) and reporting tools (Excel/Sheets, dashboards).

Knowledge of higher education recruitment landscapes in Nebraska/the Midwest and experience with statewide travel.

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