Executive Director for Alumni and Family Engagement

The Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with Denison University in the search for an Executive Director for Alumni and Family Engagement.

Reporting to the Campaign Manager and Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement, the Executive Director for Alumni and Family Engagement will serve as the chief engagement officer of the university and will execute a new strategic plan for alumni engagement as part of an integrated advancement model, which has become a key goal within the university's newly adopted comprehensive fundraising campaign. The Executive Director and their team will build and coordinate an institution-wide approach to activating alumni, parents, and families to support Denison University and its students. The Executive Director will lead, organize, collaborate, and evaluate engagement efforts across the university and will develop and implement a leading program to inspire the involvement of Denison alumni. The results of this work will develop deeper connections with Denison, add value to the lives of its alumni, drive an increase in philanthropic investments, provide meaningful opportunities for service to the university and its alumni, and make full use of the talents of Denison alumni through the development of a life-long engagement model.

Denison University, founded in 1831, is one of the earliest colleges to be established beyond the Allegheny Mountains and north of the Ohio River. Founded by ambitious frontier people who were determined to nurture leadership for the nation, its focus on preparing effective leaders and active citizens remains an essential part of Denison’s mission today. The university is one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges with a vibrant, residential community of 2,300 undergraduate students and a student to faculty ratio of 9:1, ensuring that students are more than a number, and that they become active participants in their own educational experience. The university offers 65 academic programs and four pre-professional programs that lead to three undergraduate degrees. Denison University fields 26 athletic teams that compete at the NCAA Division III level in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Denison's extracurricular options for students include more than 160 student organizations that provide over 600 opportunities for campus leadership. Denison's more than 900-acre campus features the 250-acre hilltop section, a 350-acre Biological Reserve, and historic Denison Golf Club. With an endowment of $1.1 billion, Denison commits over $70 million towards student financial aid each year in the form of need-based and merit-based scholarships.

Denison University is nationally recognized for the value of its prestigious academic programs and for its welcoming community. Business Insider has ranked Denison #43 in “Smartest Liberal Arts Colleges in America” by analyzing average standardized test scores. In its lists of “America’s Top Colleges” and “America’s Most Entrepreneurial Colleges,” Forbes lists Denison among the very best. Denison is among the top 50 best value liberal arts colleges according to Kiplinger’s and is ranked 11th in the New York Times most economically diverse top colleges. Washington Monthly focuses on what colleges are doing in response to social inequalities and ranks Denison high for social mobility. The university also ranks high for undergraduate service community hours, as well as postgraduate service opportunities with Peace Corps, Teach for America, and City Year.

A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required for this position as is at least eight years of fundraising experience in progressively responsible development leadership positions within alumni relations, university advancement or nonprofit management. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of Denison University as well as the responsibilities and qualifications stated in the prospectus.