The Alumni Experience Officer (AXO), identifies, cultivates, stewards, and solicits alumni and donors for the University of Waterloo. The incumbent will be a relationship-building focused individual with the ability to make a financial ask if the opportunity presents itself. They will build a robust pipeline of alumni with the focus of furthering alumni engagement through digital engagement, high volume personalization, and movement through the pipeline.

Working closely with the Alumni and Donor Experience Officer, this position will move prospects between the alumni and donor pipelines to ensure that there is growth in engagement and that they are moving prospects into gift conversations when appropriate. This position will also work closely with the Senior Alumni Officer, Volunteer Engagement (SAO, VE) to support the Global Alumni Volunteer Network through the recruitment, onboarding, training and management of alumni volunteers to deliver regional engagement events and programs. This position will support the management of complex volunteer-led programming and will generate engagement opportunities and leads for the engagement team within Advancement,. and serve as a major communication liaison and lead generator for Waterloo’s academic faculties, Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo (AFIW) and Academic Support Units (ASU) to ensure seamless sharing of information related to alumni engagement strategies and activities.

Fundraising

• Formulates, recommends, and implements qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to secure gifts from current donors, alumni, faculty, staff, retirees, and friends
• Maintains/updates contact reports and the database by ensuring that meeting notes are recorded, and significant moves are tracked in the system in a timely fashion
• Develops knowledge of giving vehicles and non-complex gifts
• Refers planned giving and alumni engagement leads to appropriate colleagues

Alumni engagement

• Formulates, recommends, and implements qualification, cultivation, engagement, and stewardship strategies to secure enhanced engagement from current donors, alumni, faculty, staff, retirees, alumni volunteers, and friends
• Utilizes a dual pipeline system with a number of alumni that will be treated as typical frontline assigned prospects while maintaining a parallel secondary pipeline of unassigned prospects through automated tools
• Utilizes digital engagement tools through automated touchpoints (videos, emails, texts, etc.) to maintain engagement with all alumni in both groups
• Demonstrates experience working with individuals from different cultures, adapting communication styles and is cognizant of time zones and relevant regional communications tools
• Generates leads for faculty/area partners based on activity between both assigned and unassigned pipelines and works with faculty/area partners to enhance engagement for their alumni prospects that are yet to be assigned
• Achieves a high volume of alumni contact annually as determined by performance metrics

Program administration

• Develops and maintains a good working knowledge of the University of Waterloo’s activities, priorities, and engagement opportunities
• Leverages and enhances existing activities to engage local and international alumni communities and bridge the gap between all stakeholders
• Identifies and qualifies alumni locally and internationally for prospect identification opportunities for senior leadership to engage during travel to priority university regions 
• Analyzes trends and results and provides input regarding alumni volunteer engagement strategies and the volunteer-led annual engagement plans
• Engages alumni as volunteers and participants in on-campus and regional activities and events
• Works with the AVP, Engagement and the SAO, Volunteer Engagement to set goals and regularly review alumni volunteer activity
• Generates written materials associated with volunteer-led programming , such as reports and general outcomes from alumni engagement initiatives

Collaboration, communication and cross-program coordination

• Collaborates with alumni and development professionals within Advancement to encourage volunteer-led programs, activities and events that include key alumni, donors and friends and enhance current regional activities through partnering with units within the Engagement team
• Serves as an effective ambassador for the university and broader Engagement team
• Collaborates with colleagues in Advancement Marketing and Communications to ensure that volunteer-led event and program promotion, registration and outcomes are communicated effectively to internal and external audiences
• In collaboration with the donor relations and alumni relations teams, works towards achieving exemplary stewardship of assigned prospects/alumni
• Works in close collaboration with colleagues in academic faculties, Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo (AFIW) and Academic Support Units (ASU)

Coordination and special projects

• Assists with identifying engagement opportunities across campus.
• Measures engagement for all volunteer-led events, programs and/or activities and provides summary reports on the specific outcomes of alumni engagement activities, programs and events
• Undertakes special projects as assigned by the AVP, Engagement
• Ensures that fundraising and engagement efforts across different teams remain in line with Waterloo standards and best practices

• University degree or equivalent education and experience required
• Two+ years of proven alumni engagement, fundraising and/or developing meaningful partnerships with proven results, high volume prospect activity and best in class interpersonal relationships
• Understanding of the university and advancement environments
• Proven experience in project management with a demonstrated ability to manage simultaneous projects under tight deadlines preferred
• Proven experience working within a campus environment and specifically with university alumni
• Proven experience working in a complex fast-paced environment preferably in the post-secondary sector
• Writing and/or editing experience an asset
• Knowledge of alumni relations programs, volunteer management cycle and stakeholder engagement
• Understanding and appreciation of the key role of a university education, and the crucial importance of attracting and retaining the very best talent available (students, faculty, staff)
• Some knowledge of giving vehicles and non-complex gifts
• Great analytical and organizational skills
• Proven ability to work collaboratively and communicate with internal departments and external stakeholders
• Demonstrated expertise using persuasion and negotiation skills to build support and cooperation involving individuals as well as groups, often with different perspectives and concerns
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, oral, and writing skills, showing confidence communicating with individuals from different cultures, including experience with promotional materials, reports and proposals
• Proficient in utilizing internet and CRM research tools for prospect identification and management
• Political acumen and problem-solving skills are required
• Capable of professionally representing the University at alumni events
• Professionally skilled in relationship qualification, cultivation and stewardship that also involves external visits
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, and work independently and effectively as part of a team with a broad mandate in a fast-paced, highly computerized, and challenging environment
• Willingness to travel and work extended hours, as required
• Proficient in MS Office and Constituent Management Software (or similar)

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca  or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.