Director of Alumni Engagement

Director of Alumni Engagement

The Director of Alumni Engagement is an entrepreneurial and systems-oriented leader responsible for building a vibrant, high-value network for KGI's diverse graduate community. Moving beyond traditional event planning, the Director will design and execute a comprehensive engagement strategy that connects alumni, students, and industry partners. This role requires an understanding of the life sciences and healthcare sectors to support meaningful content and mentorship opportunities. By leveraging AI-forward tools and data-driven insights, the Director will scale outreach, enhance the work of the Alumni Advisory Council, and ensure that every initiative delivers a clear value proposition to KGI's domestic and international alumni.

Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) is a recognized leader in applied life sciences, healthcare and pharmacy education, dedicated to translating scientific innovation into medical solutions. As a graduate-level institution within the prestigious Claremont Colleges consortium, KGI offers a unique blend of entrepreneurial agility and deep academic rigor. Our alumni are industry leaders, innovators, and practitioners shaping the future of healthcare and biotechnology. The Director of Alumni Engagement will work within this distinct, mission-driven environment to build networks that are not just social, but professionally vital to the industries we serve.

Located in beautiful Claremont, California, KGI is a member of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five undergraduate liberal arts colleges, two graduate institutions, and The Claremont Colleges Services, which provides shared institutional support services. Each nationally recognized college has its own campus, students and faculty, and distinctive mission, and each offers top-notch curricula, small classes, distinguished professors, and personalized instruction. The Claremont Colleges consistently place at the top of national college rankings, including Forbes, Money and U.S. News and World Report, and the Princeton Review.

A bachelor's degree and at least five years of demonstrated success in alumni relations, business development, nonprofit, or corporate relations are required. Experience or awareness within the biotech, life sciences, or healthcare sectors is preferred, particularly with the ability to communicate fluently with industry professionals. Additional preferred qualifications include familiarity with AI-driven engagement tools, CRM systems such as Raiser's Edge, and strategies for digital community building.

Individuals must possess knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the position or be able to explain or demonstrate how the essential functions may be performed, with or without, reasonable accommodations, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Program Management & Industry Alignment

• Design Value-Driven Engagement: Develop and own the end-to-end alumni engagement strategy. Ensure all activities (panels, awards ceremonies, networking events, reunions) are developed to offer professional value, moving beyond generic events to interconnected, high-impact programming.
• Industry & Institutional Literacy: Demonstrate fluency in KGI's core domains (Biotech, Pharmacy, Genetics, etc.) to effectively engage alumni in industry-specific dialogue. Design panels and initiatives that reflect current market trends and the specific professional needs of KGI graduates.
• Systems-Thinking Approach: Move beyond a series of ad-hoc events to design a sustainable engagement pathways. Create coherent process where alumni engagement directly supports admissions, the student experience, academic excellence and corporate partnerships.

Philanthropic Pipeline & Advancement Integration

• Strategic Collaboration: Partner closely with the advancement colleagues to align engagement activities with fundraising priorities, ensuring that events and initiatives serve as effective cultivation vehicles for annual and major giving.
• Engagement-to-Investment Pipeline: Actively identify and qualify high-potential alumni through their participation and volunteerism, converting general engagement into a tangible pipeline of philanthropic support and leadership ambassadorship.

Leadership & Partnership

• Alumni Advisory Council Leadership: Collaborate with the Council to ensure their time is spent on actionable initiatives rather than general updates. Guide the group's efforts to make sure their industry expertise and professional networks are effectively used to support KGI's growth.
• Class Ambassador Initiatives: Collaborate with campus colleagues to identify and cultivate alumni volunteers and donors, creating a pipeline for engagement opportunities and future philanthropic support.
• Student-to-Alumni Transition: Collaborate with Student Affairs and Program Directors to integrate alumni into the student lifecycle early, fostering a culture of philanthropy and "alumni-in-training" well before graduation.

Innovation, Data & AI Adoption

• AI-Forward Operations: Proactively leverage AI and emerging technologies to scale personal outreach, optimize mentorship matching, and analyze engagement data for continuous improvement.
• Data Integrity & Reporting: Manage alumni data strategies (utilizing Raiser's Edge) to track engagement metrics, ensuring the database is an active tool that informs decision-making and forecasting.

Execution & Administration

• Budget & Operational Oversight: Manage the department budget, negotiate vendor costs for events, and supervise student workers as needed to ensure flawless execution of the annual operating plan.
• Design, Manage, and Evaluate: all aspects of the alumni engagement activities. This includes print and electronic communications, volunteer identification and management, student interaction, and programs across the Institute.
• Other duties as assigned by the Vice President for Advancement.

Individuals must possess knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the position or be able to explain or demonstrate how the essential functions may be performed, with or without, reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

• Industry Literacy: Ability to converse confidently with professionals in biotechnology, pharmacy, genetics, and healthcare; familiarity with the industry's trends, career pathways, and terminology is highly desired.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to view alumni engagement not as isolated events, but as an interconnected ecosystem that supports admissions, student experience, and corporate partnerships.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Demonstrated ability to create "value propositions" for engagementidentifying why a busy professional should participate and structuring opportunities that benefit them as well as the Institute.
• AI & Digital Fluency: Aptitude for adopting and leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to scale outreach, draft communications, and improve operational efficiency.
• CRM Expertise: Advanced proficiency in donor database management (Raiser's Edge/Blackbaud preferred) with the ability to use data to segment audiences, track metrics, and forecast engagement trends.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to interpret engagement data to assess program ROI and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Executive Presence: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with C-suite executives, faculty, potential donors, and recent graduates alike.
• Collaborative Leadership: Ability to manage the Alumni Advisory Council effectively, guiding high-level volunteers toward actionable goals rather than administrative details.
• Persuasive Messaging: Ability to clearly articulate the "value proposition" of engagement to busy industry professionals, aligning their personal interests with institutional needs to secure active participation.
• Advancement Knowledge: Understanding of the cycle of philanthropy and how alumni engagement serves as a pipeline for annual and major giving; ability to identify donor prospects during engagement activities.
• Project Management: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage complex projects, budgets, and events simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.
• Agility: Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, managing competing priorities with a solution-oriented attitude.

Other requirements:

• Travel locally and nationally to build and maintain alumni relationships and represent the Institute at various events.
• Must maintain a valid driver's license and a driving record that meets the Institute's insurance eligibility standards.
• Regular hours may vary to meet the needs of the department or Institute. Holiday, weekend, and evening work hours are required.

Hours, Classification, and Status:

This is a staff, full-time, benefits-eligible, exempt position.

The regular hours of this position are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm. Hours will vary due to the needs of the Institute or department.

Salary range: $78,000 - $85,000 annualized. The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.