Director, Alumni Relations

**Job Description**:
**About MRU**:
Founded in 1910 and located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Mount Royal University grew into a vibrant college in the 1930s and became a mid-sized university in 2009. A student-focused undergraduate university built on teaching excellence, Mount Royal University is known for our top-calibre programs, high-quality teaching and learning experience, robust delivery of liberal education, scholarly teaching, experiential learning and undergraduate research. Currently, more than 15,000 credit students choose from 14 bachelor degrees and 38 majors. Learn more at mru.ca/AcademicPlan.

Mount Royal University is situated on an ancient and storied land that is steeped in ceremony and history that, until recently, was occupied exclusively by people indigenous to this place. With gratitude and reciprocity, Mount Royal acknowledges the relationships to the land and all beings, and the songs, stories and teachings of the Siksika Nation, the Piikani Nation, the Kainai Nation, the Îethka Stoney Nakoda Nation (consisting of the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Goodstoney Nations), the people of the Tsuut’ina Nation, and the Métis. Learn more about MRU's Land Acknowledgement.

**About the Office of Alumni Relations**:
Mount Royal has enjoyed a rich history of transformational student experiences, exceptional teaching, and meaningful community partnerships through its more than 100 year history. Serving more than 115,000 alumni, the Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) is responsible for providing similarly top-quality alumni experiences. Over the past few years, the University has expanded its alumni engagement efforts and is committed to maintaining this momentum by engaging alumni with the university and each other in high-value activities.

**About the Role**:
Mount Royal‘s 115,000 alumni are the University’s truest ambassadors. They have experienced our transformative education firsthand, and they are contributing to their communities all over the world.

Mount Royal University is embarking on a new direction and community engagement is the strategic area of focus for the division of University Advancement. The office of Alumni Relations is a vital part of our focus. MRU alumni make up one of our largest and most important communities. When it comes to engaging our alumni community, we’re just getting started.

We need a thoughtful, strategic and creative Director of Alumni Relations to lead a team of skilled professionals in our pursuit of meaningful alumni engagement. This remarkable and self motivated leader will bring alumni back to Mount Royal, and will bring Mount Royal to them.

**Responsibilities**:

- Working closely with leaders in the division and across the University, the Director will seek opportunities to promote MRU’s brand story with alumni audiences in new and creative ways.
- Also in collaboration with leaders in the division, the Director will develop shared projects that benefit myriad audiences, including alumni. The Director will work closely with colleagues across University Advancement to engage with alumni and donors in a seamless, integrated fashion.
- With a discerning eye, the Director will assess current alumni programs and identify new initiatives that most efficiently and effectively connect alumni back to MRU. The Director will harness opportunities to engage with the institution’s alumni, bringing a strategic view to building a holistic relationship for alumni with the institution.
- Recognizing that many of the closest relationships with alumni exist in all corners of the University, the Director will build collegial relationships with MRU faculty and leaders to capitalize on these connections.
- The Director will join the division’s leadership team in our external relations work, actively participating in Calgary events and brokering community partnerships.
- Most importantly, it’s about relationships. We seek a leader who can find the best ways to connect with alumni one-to-one, one-to-many, and one-to-all.

Our alumni are proud of their alma mater, and they are waiting to be engaged in new ways that are meaningful to their lives and their work. This engagement will strengthen our connections to them, and by association, will connect us to their respective communities to make Mount Royal even better.

We welcome diversely-skilled applicants: leaders trained in the art and science of alumni relations are invited to apply, as well as leaders who can demonstrate transferability of professional expertise from other sectors. If you can successfully lead us in our new direction, we want to meet you.

**Qualifications**:

- Bachelor’s degree in a related field
- 10 - 15 years of increasingly responsible public or alumni relations, or similar transferable experience
- Exceptional judgment and problem solving skills
- Proven experience working successfully within a highly collaborative environment
- High energy, with a comfort juggling many competing priori