About the Opportunity
Job Summary
The Assistant Director for Leadership Recognition & Engagement plays a pivotal role in cultivating, deepening, and sustaining relationships with Northeastern University’s most distinguished leaders, including alumni and current students recognized through Academic Honors, Huntington 100, Laurel & Scroll 100, the Compass Awards program, and other honors. These honorees represent the university’s most accomplished community members, and the Assistant Director serves as their primary champion, relationship manager, and dedicated advocate, ensuring their voices and experiences inform engagement activities and initiatives.
The Assistant Director leads strategic planning, relationship building, event coordination, and the continuous development of engagement strategies that reflect the leadership potential and contributions of this exceptional constituent group. The role also documents and analyzes data from engagement activities to inform ongoing work and enhance strategies that lead to sustainable engagement.
The Assistant Director must represent the university, the Advancement division, and the Alumni Relations team in a professional and enthusiastic manner, with a customer service and team focus. As a member of the Advancement division, the Assistant Director must understand and actively support the role philanthropy plays in engaging the Northeastern community.
This position is in person on the Boston campus. Evening and weekend work is required as events, programs, and activities dictate, along with occasional local and regional travel.
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
Leadership Relationship Management
Activate and deepen lifelong relationships between honorees and the university by creating meaningful pathways for alumni and current student honorees to connect with the university’s strategic goals, leadership initiatives, and alumni community
Conduct in-person meetings with alumni and student honorees to understand their interests, learn more about their experiences, and connect them with opportunities to continue building their relationships with Northeastern
Build a network of engaged alumni and student leaders who champion the university’s engagement and philanthropic vision and serve as ambassadors for Northeastern’s mission
Identify and curate exclusive opportunities, access points, and leadership experiences for honorees that reflect the distinction of their recognition and advance their connection to the university
Event Logistics and Production Assistance
Plan and coordinate the annual Societies of Distinction events for Huntington 100 and Laurel & Scroll 100, including all aspects of the programs, particularly the nomination and selection process for each honor
Identify unique opportunities and access points for honorees that are not available to others
Collaborate with internal partners on selection, stewardship, and recognition strategies, collateral, and events that honor the leadership of current student honorees and connect them to a broader community of Northeastern leaders
Data Management and Reporting
Track and analyze activity participation and outcomes, using data to inform continuous improvement efforts
Prepare regular reports on activity effectiveness and alumni engagement metrics for benchmarking and awareness
Administrative Operations
Ensure administrative responsibilities, including meeting follow-up, post-visit call reports, data tracking and entry, inquiries, and information updates, are completed accurately and responded to in a timely manner
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned, including assisting with university, Advancement, Alumni Relations, and Annual Giving activities and initiatives throughout the year
Minimum Qualifications
Required
Bachelor’s degree
At least three years of experience in a combination of alumni relations, student affairs, fundraising, or event management
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and…