The connection between student and university exists well after graduation. Managing the relationship between the institution and the graduates is the Alumni Relations Office. The office communicates with the alumni community through newsletters, events, web pages and other resources.
The role of Alumni Relations Officer is largely about communication. The role is set up to keep alumni connected to each other and the university, encourage and promote the professional development of alumni on an individual level, and to keep the alumni community aware of the university’s developments and needs, including fundraising opportunities and achievements.
Alumni Relations Officers are also responsible for bringing current students into the alumni community, so a lot of promotion work is involved.
Duties:
- Communicating with an alumni community of more than 100,000 people (depending on the size of the university)
- Operating an alumni magazine/newsletter
- Providing content and carrying out editorial duties for the alumni publication
- Organising reunions for alumni members
- Arranging networking events
- Encouraging donations to support bursaries, research and university development
- Promoting the alumni community to current students
- Strategic planning for the direction of the alumni office
- Managing the budget for the office
- Responsibility for the alumni website and online community
- Arranging for discounts, benefits and services for alumni members
- Communicating with university departments and local businesses to arrange benefits packages for alumni members
- Attending national and international events for alumni communities
Entry Criteria:
- Qualified to degree level
- Degrees in areas such as social science, business and marketing will be advantageous
- Professional qualifications in the areas of administration and marketing are desirable
- Experience of university administration or marketing duties is beneficial
- Experience of operating events is essential
- Project management skills are needed in this role
- An ability to communicate with people clearly
- You will be expected to work to deadlines and prioritise workloads
- Copywriting and editorial skills are necessary
- The officer needs to be industrious and creative
- Understanding of and passion for higher education
- Willing to work occasional weekends and evenings, and to go on business trips
- IT skills, and preferably experience of working with a customer relationship management (CRM) system
Salary Information:
- Salary varies by institution and location
- Starting salary of £17- £21k, rising to £30k or more with experience (dependent on location)
- Basic hours are 9am to 5pm
- Evening and weekend work required during busy periods
- Trips away from the office are often required
- International travel is occasionally required
- Most universities operate a pension scheme
- Holiday entitlement in the HE sector is normally 28 days per annum
- Most institutions offer opportunities for personal and professional development
Career Path:
The role of Alumni Relations Officer can lead to higher positions that include managerial duties. Director of Alumni Relations includes a strong emphasis on fundraising and philanthropic activities. Alumni Relations Managers deal with the running of the office, planning and direction and other duties. Salaries and benefits rise considerably with promotion.
Moving into other areas of university administration is a possibility. The registrar’s office has many similar roles, albeit more focused on current rather than past students.
Major Employers:
UK Universities
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