Director, Parent Engagement

Diversity and Inclusion Statement Guided by an ethic of Vincentian personalism and professionalism, DePaul compassionately upholds the dignity of all members of its diverse, multi-faith, and inclusive community. We seek to hire collaborative, open-minded, and dedicated professionals who are committed to advancing our university mission to making education accessible to all, with special attention to including underserved and underrepresented communities. Successful candidates thrive in an environment where ideas and perspectives representing a wide variety of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences are welcome and supported.

General Summary

The Director of Parent Engagement reports to the Associate Vice President and is responsible for overseeing parent engagement and giving at DePaul. The Director will create, plan and implement a comprehensive parent engagement and giving program, elements of which include volunteer management, engagement, communications, cultivation opportunities, and fundraising strategies. The Director will develop and leverage partnerships with key campus stakeholders. This is a newly created position within the Division of Advancement & External Relations.

Responsibilities & Duties

Engagement and Communications:

• Develop and execute a suite of parent programming and events in support of DePaul’s engagement and fundraising goals, from college-specific programming to selective salon-style events with DePaul’s leadership.
• Partner with Alumni Relations to engage parents in existing programming, including within Alumni & Family Weekend. 
• Working with colleagues in Student Affairs, Alumni Relations, Advancement Communications, Admissions, University Communications and Marketing and others to coordinate a university-wide parent communication strategy including newsletters, e-communications, social media, web, and more. 
• Develop and manage content for parent web pages on the Advancement and University websites.  
• With the Associate Vice President, develop and maintain collaborative relationships with campus stakeholders, including Student Affairs, Admissions, University Marketing and Communications, Residential Education, Career Center, and others to facilitate information exchange, programming, and communication regarding parent engagement.

Volunteer Management:

• Develop the framework for a DePaul Parent Council designed to increasing parent engagement and philanthropy.
• Identify, recruit and train a cohort of highly driven and motivated parents to serve as volunteers and members of the council.
• Manage all aspects of the Parent Council and any actions related to the Council’s goals set forth on an annual basis. 
• Leverage the relationships of parent volunteers for fundraising and engagement purposes.

Fundraising:

• In partnership with the Director of Annual Giving and Special Giving, develop and execute an annual giving parent solicitation strategy and calendar to drive donor participation and philanthropic support including parent-specific efforts during university/national days of giving.
• Work collaboratively with gift officers to develop appropriate strategies for parent prospect cultivation and solicitations, and serve as a resource for issues parents may encounter.
• Collaborate with Donor Relations to develop and implement meaningful stewardship strategies specific to parent donors.
• Engage, cultivate and solicit parent prospects at the leadership annual giving level.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree. 

• Minimum 5-7 years of experience working in higher education, nonprofit management, or related field.

• Experience in volunteer management.

• Experience working with parent programming in higher education.

• Experience in event planning and/or fundraising. 

• Ability to develop and successfully manage relationships with a wide range of colleagues across campus. 

Financial Responsibilities

• This position will manage the budget for parent programming.

Additional Information
For consideration, please include a resume and cover letter. 

• May require working weekends and evenings. 

Salary & Benefits Package: DePaul offers a comprehensive package including competitive pay and benefits to attract and retain the best talent in order to further the University's mission. For more information, please visit the following pages: Full-Time Benefits
Part-Time Benefits

Required Background Check:
Employment at DePaul University is contingent on passing a background check. Only final candidates who are extended an offer of employment will undergo a background check.
  Required COVID-19 Vaccination: Employment at DePaul University is contingent upon receiving all recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine or having a valid religious or medical reason not to be vaccinated. To request a religious or medical exemption, please email employeerelations@depaul.edu.   Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse & Neglect: Upon accepting an offer of employment with the university, you will also be required to sign an Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter Status at the time of hire. A mandated reporter is required to make a report to the Illinois DCFS Hotline whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that a child known to them in their professional or official capacity may be abused or neglected. For more information, please visit the following pages:
Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS)
Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act

Title IX Contact Information
Federal Title IX policy requires that all colleges and universities make known the contact information for the person responsible for coordinating its efforts to comply with Title IX responsibilities. The Title IX Office is on the Lincoln Park campus on the 3rd floor of the Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Avenue. The Title IX Office can be reached at 312-362-8970 or titleixcoordinator@depaul.edu.

DePaul University is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other legally protected status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local EEO laws.