Alumni Development Officer

Overview:
The Alumni Development Officer, School of Optometry & Vision Science works with the of the University’s Office of Advancement and reports to the Associate Director (AD), Advancement, School of Optometry & Vision Science, within the Faculty of Science. Under the direction of the AD, the incumbent is responsible for developing new initiatives and strategies to strengthen the strategic integration of two primary advancement programs - development (fundraising) and alumni engagement with direction and support from the Senior Director, Alumni Relations.

Overall advancement and fundraising goals are met through fostering and strengthening ongoing relationships between the School, its graduates and external stakeholders. The incumbent will work with internal staff to plan, coordinate, manage, implement and evaluate strategic and successfully integrated alumni and development programs and activities. Specifically, the incumbent will develop, maintain and engage a pool of connected alumni, friends and stakeholders who assist the School through volunteerism, financial contributions and opening doors to potential supporters. The incumbent will provide oversight and peer support to co-op and work-study students involved in these activities, where applicable.

**Responsibilities**:
Alumni and Friends Engagement
- Strategically participates in the development of the annual advancement strategic plan, offering new innovative ideas and strategies for alumni engagement and fundraising activities
- Develops and maintains an excellent working knowledge of the School’s activities, priorities and needs in both teaching and research and a thorough working knowledge of priority fundraising projects
- Creates, implements and measures the development of an effective strategic plan to implement an innovative and integrated alumni and external stakeholder engagement program that aligns with major gift fundraising goals, and evaluates and adjusts tactics as required
- Supports industry engagement through implementation of sponsorship programs for Continuing Professional Development and student initiatives
- Identifies, recruits, manages and stewards volunteers (alumni, corporate volunteers, UWaterloo friends, faculty and staff) for the purpose of supporting the School’s goals and initiatives including fundraising projects and programs as required
- Maintains good working knowledge of provincial and regulatory authorities in optometry, and supports overall professional relationship strategy through engagement of board and council members of these authorities as appropriate

Development (Fundraising)
- In conjunction with the AD, develops personal annual fundraising target and goals, including size of prospect pool, number of meetings and dollars raised
- Develops, implements and evaluates fundraising strategies in conjunction with the AD for corporate, foundation, individuals and alumni sectors, including cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities
- Maintains a portfolio of prospects (alumni and friends) assessed as having the ability, or potential, to make gifts between $10,000 to $50,000
- Coordinates special projects, stewardship activities and customized plans for prospects and donors as needed
- Acts as the primary liaison and program manager of the class campaign program, including communication, reporting and recruitment of additional fundraising campaigns to support the School’s initiatives
- In coordination with Central Advancement policies and procedures, creates donor gift agreements, endowment and stewardship reports as required

Alumni Programs
- Develops, maintains, promotes and evaluates a strategic alumni plan and all associated alumni programing
- Strategically implements alumni programs including measurement against best practices, KPI’s and engagement metrics.
- Strategically creates, implements and promotes a variety of alumni outreach and engagement programs to deepen the connection of alumni with the school and support for continuing education programs
- Manages the School’s Alumni Award program from conception to successful awarding of recipients
- Engages School alumni in centrally run programing such as the Reunion, convocation and other University-wide opportunities.
- Serves as an active member of the Alumni Professionals Group and acts as the liaison for the School to Central Advancement
- Provides team support as required to School student and alumni activities and events

Data Management and Reporting
- Ensure correspondence and reporting related to relationships with alumni, prospects and donors are managed and recorded in accordance with Office of Advancement systems
- Complete follow up correspondence, briefings and updates to alumni, prospects, donors and internal stakeholders in a timely manner

Communication
- Participates in the development of the School advancement communication plan
- Supports the creation of effective alumni and friends engagement and fundraisin