Deputy Director, Alumni Strategic Initiatives

Deputy Director, Alumni Strategic Initiatives

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the city of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the "Trojan Family," which comprises the faculty, students, and staff that make the university a prime place to learn, grow, and succeed.

University Advancement is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture in which all advancement staff and our stakeholders have the opportunity to connect, belong, and grow while supporting the University of Southern California’s mission, values, and goals.

The USC Alumni Association – a department of University Advancement – has a mission to support the overall advancement of USC by engaging all alumni for life, building a culture of philanthropy among the Trojan Family, and acting as the representative voice for all USC alumni. With over 480,000 members worldwide, the USC Alumni Association provides a wide array of programs and engagement opportunities, and supports a vast system of alumni networks, support groups, and multicultural alumni organizations.

The USC Alumni Association seeks a Deputy Director, Alumni Strategic Initiatives who is a proven alumni engagement leader, collaborative partner, and strong strategic advisor to advance the strategic direction of USCAA. Reporting to the Associate Senior Vice President of Alumni Relations, the Deputy Director will ensure that the alumni experience is championed within the team and the wider university, and hold responsibility for developing key initiatives, and work directly with our most senior volunteers to ensure that outcomes are aligned with priorities.

As the Deputy Director, Strategic Alumni Initiatives, you will have a strong understanding of the importance of alumni engagement as it relates to fundraising and the donor pipeline and will be well-versed in approaches to build and sustain strong relationships and structures to support the mission of USC.

This is a hybrid position under our current work arrangement plan, with the expectation of on-site presence on our University Park Campus.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Direction, Execution, and Leadership (35%)

• Develop systems to effectively manage the essential activities of the organization, including strategic and annual operations planning, to ensure USCAA continues to progress toward its goals.

• Ensure implementation of priority efforts in collaboration with the ASVP, the alumni team, Advancement, volunteer leadership, and across campus.

• Lead the development of a strategic direction tracking and project management tool; be responsible for co-leading the quarterly check-in meetings with the ASVP.

• Demonstrate mature judgment, impeccable integrity, and excellent skills to establish an environment of confidentiality and handle sensitive matters in a discreet manner.

• Represent the university and the alumni association professionally both internally and externally.

•  Perform other duties, as assigned.

​Board Management (35%)

About the Board:

The USC Alumni Association Board of Governors is a premier volunteer organization that provides critical advice and support in developing and implementing USC Alumni Association programs and services. Members also play important roles as ambassadors, greeting alumni at events and informing them about alumni programs and benefits. The Board promotes the advancement of the university and engages alumni of all ages and backgrounds. Its members represent each of the USC Alumni Association’s major constituent groups, as well as all the university’s major academic units. Members are appointed for one to three-year terms. Specifically, you will:

• In partnership with the ASVP, manage the USC Board of Governors, including the planning and execution of their meetings and calendar of events.

• Ensure that there is effective documentation and standard operating procedures, develop a stewardship program, and ensure that the board committees have clearly defined goals and are actively working towards increasing and enhancing the alumni engagement and student experience.

• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Volunteer Experience (30%)

Oversee unique engagement opportunities for new and existing volunteers with the Alumni Association and across campus. This would include providing leadership, support, and training for all alumni volunteers and overseeing stewardship of volunteers, and creating a mechanism to ensure communications, documentation, and evaluation of our volunteer programs is best in class. Specifically, you will:

• Oversee the volunteer experience function and team and guide/coach staff to identify and rotate volunteers to appropriate positions.

• Lead efforts to create a robust, diverse volunteer pipeline.

• Oversee the content and delivery of the tools used to support volunteer efforts.

• Set consistent guidelines for recognition for volunteer activities.

• Recruit and steward alumni leaders at each life stage to ensure boards are diverse, have strong succession plans, and are representative of the USC alumni base.

• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Combined experience/education as a substitute for minimum education.

• Minimum of five-seven years of professional experience in alumni engagement, program management, strategic planning, or related function/field.

• Strong knowledge and experience with board and volunteer management

• Excellent written and oral communication skills. Ability to prepare clear and concise reports and deliver formal presentations to senior management and other audiences.

• Ability to juggle a vast quantity of incoming information, interruptions, and inquiries with a high level of professionalism and tolerance for ambiguity.

• Thorough knowledge of market research and of current/emerging marketing trends and best practices including digital strategies/technologies.

• Demonstrated ability to serve different audiences and to work to build consensus among team members; excellent skills to advise and consult management on all aspects of communications including dealing effectively with sensitive or complex issues of information.

• Proficiency with Salesforce and the Microsoft suite of applications as well as other applications, programs, and databases; demonstrated experience with web and new media technology.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7 – 10 years of experience in alumni engagement, program management, strategic planning, or related function/field.

• Master’s degree.

• Advanced knowledge of current affairs and issues in higher education with the ability to quickly and thoroughly understand the changing higher education landscape.

• Demonstrated strategic leadership, planning, and change management skills with sound judgment and managerial courage.

• Proficient analytical and problem-solving skills. Strong project/program management skills with demonstrated effectiveness in data analysis, critical thinking, creative problem solving, consulting, facilitation, negotiating, influencing, people leadership, and strategic decision-making skills.

In addition, the successful candidate must also demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Core Values: integrity, excellence, diversity, equity and inclusion, well-being, open communication and accountability.

Required Documents and Additional Information

Resume and cover letter required (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.

The budgeted salary range for this position is $173,800 – $200,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations. 

USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff & their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans with employer contributions once you meet Program's eligibility; tuition benefits for staff & their family; free professional development online courses; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses & free tram pick up services; discounts to football, basketball & other campus events.

The University of Southern California values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree Additional Education Requirements Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: 5 years Minimum Skills: Management experience in busy, multi-faceted department, preferably within a university setting. Preferred Education: Master's degree Preferred Experience: 7 years