Alumni Relations Manager Business School HaSS Faculty RF: B91444A Main Purpose Newcastle University Business School is part of Newcastle University, a researchintensive Russell Group University with a proud history of over 180 years, committed to delivering world-class academic excellence. We are part of an elite group of Business Schools worldwide and one of only 23 in the UK that hold triple accreditation from the three internationally recognised accreditation bodies, AMBA, QUIS and AACSB. Our vision is to be an internationally excellent business school known for our academic ambition, distinctive community and influence in building a responsible future for both business and society globally. Complementing Newcastle University s alumni provision, the Business School established its own alumni service in 2006 to provide a bespoke service to the School s global network of students and alumni. With an alumni network of over 16,000 members across more than 100 countries, we seek to appoint an outstanding Alumni Relations Manager to join the Business School to promote and strengthen the alumni network, raising the profile of the Business School globally. The post holder must have the ability to think strategically about Alumni Relations within the context of the School s strategic objectives and changing external environment. They will be responsible for the successful delivery of the Business School s Alumni Relations strategy. This involves close liaison with internal and external stakeholders and management of activities on a national and international scale. Additionally, the post holder will identify and cultivate a portfolio of senior alumni in support of the strategic priorities of the School. You will have previous relevant experience in a similar role. Main Duties and Responsibilities Strategy To develop, manage and deliver the Business School s Alumni Relations strategy in support of the School s key strategic objectives To analyse performance, present results and demonstrate return on investment to the Director of School and School xecutive Board Relationship building Actively develop and maintain proactive relationships with graduates through offering continued value to the global alumni community in their personal and professional lives 1
Develop a relevant and compelling alumni offer providing an excellent service to the global alumni community and encouraging alumni to stay in contact with the School Develop and support global alumni volunteers and committees, aligning their work to the School s strategic plan Work closely with the Business School senior management and xternal Relations team to build the School s corporate connections and contributing to the delivery of an outstanding student experience. This includes contributing to the provision of placements, guest lectures, mentoring, advisory boards, corporate projects and internship opportunities Manage a portfolio of senior alumni with potential to be significant ambassadors/contributors of the future Work closely with the MBA team to develop specific provision for MBA students and alumni with particular attention to accreditation and rankings aspirations Develop an alumni programme with global relevance to support the School s internationalisation objectives, supporting student recruitment and other partnership opportunities in key international markets Develop and manage an alumni mentoring programme to assist current Business School students from an employability perspective Build visibility of the Alumni Network with current students, promoting the benefits of the alumni network and creating a cohesive student journey from induction through to graduation and beyond Communications & vents Manage the Business School s alumni database in liaison with NU Advancement seeking to improve alumni data at all times and increase the number of contactable alumni through a planned programme of activities To develop a clear alumni offering which offers a clear benefit for alumni to remain engaged with the Business School. This should take into consideration the various alumni segments in terms of age, geography and interest Manage the portfolio of alumni communications in collaboration with the Marketing Communications team raising the profile of the alumni association to all relevant stakeholders Coordinate communications to recent graduates to positively impact the School s participation in various business education rankings and meet accreditation requirements Deliver and evaluate a comprehensive programme of events and engagement opportunities for international alumni in priority regions (China, India, urope, South ast Asia and USA). This will include developing an annual plan of activities and communications to build lifelong relationships with graduates in the region as well as travelling to these regions to facilitate core operations including student recruitment, corporate events, networking opportunities and business development through alumni participation Fundraising Work with the Director of School to develop a Case for Support to identify fundraising priorities for the School and coordinate the testing, approval and delivery of this with the central NU Advancement team 2
Internal Collaboration To work with the School xecutive Board to deliver alumni support for key strategic initiatives To work closely with the Accreditation, Marketing and xternal Relations teams to manage the alumni related aspects of the school s submission to the various Business ducation rankings e.g. Financial Times, conomist, QS. To provide relevant information for key accreditation visits To foster a strong relationship with NU Advancement (the University s Development and Alumni team) ensuring strategies are aligned and activities complementary Other Duties Assisting with other alumni and marketing responsibilities, including recruitment fairs, networking events, advisory boards, open days, international study tours where appropriate Any other duties as required by the Director or his/her nominee xamples of activities to be delivered within general Alumni Relations: MBA alumni activities including evaluating the impact of the MBA on career Utilising alumni to enhancing current MBA students career progression Involving alumni in curricula review and enhancement Use and evaluate social media to engage alumni in Newcastle University Business School ngagement and evaluation of a wide range of alumni across all School activities Delivering alumni engagement events nationally and internationally Creating a mentor-network with alumni for MBA and then by PGT programme Securing student opportunities for volunteering with alumni Securing student internships and placements with alumni ngaging alumni in the MBA and PGT admissions cycles Utilising alumni ntrepreneurs into the School activities Utilising alumni as career coaches, sparring partners and using them for recruitment/placement Significantly contributing to accreditation, rankings, quality reports, questionnaires and related activities Supporting student recruitment in the key regions outlined in the UG, PG & MBA recruitment strategies through alumni connections 3
Internal Collaboration and Operations Dimensions Staff: Financial: Internal Customers: xternal Customers: No line management responsibilities Management of the Alumni Relations budget NU Advancement, Careers Service, xternal Relations team, marketing and Communications team, Director of School, School xecutive Board Business School alumni, corporate partners, current students, accreditation bodies, prospective students Person Specification Qualifications 1 ducated to degree level preferably with a professional / postgraduate qualification in Marketing ssential or Desirable 2 Professional / PG Marketing qualification D Knowledge 1 Proven ability to develop, manage and deliver a strategy either in Alumni Relations or a relevant relationship management role 2 Knowledge of customer relationship management databases e.g. Raiser s dge 3 Strong IT skills and working knowledge of online networking tools (e.g. social media platforms) 4 An understanding of the role of Alumni Relations and Development within an academic environment Skills 1 xcellent strategic planning skills ability to develop a vision, set clear measurable objectives and deliver against them 2 xcellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with individuals from a variety of backgrounds 3 Demonstrable ability to manage multiple projects and to work as part of a team 4 xcellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to tailor messages to a variety of audiences D 4
5 Ability to prioritise, meet deadlines, manage own workloads and use initiative to solve problems 6 Ability to empathise with the purpose and values of the University and to work effectively with staff, students and alumni 7 xperience of events management 8 Demonstrable experience of business development or personally closing sales 9 Proven ability to meet targets and exceed KPIs 10 xperience of professional networking and the ability to develop and shape relationships with partners / customers 11 xperience of managing budgets and excellent numerical skills 12 The ability and willingness to work outside normal office hours and travel nationally and internationally for up to two weeks at one time Behaviours / Success Factors 1 Planning and Organising Plan and organise own work based on the strategic objectives of the Business School to meet short, medium and long term goals. Plan workload to meet tight external deadlines. 2 Decision Making The post holder has discretion over decisions made when planning and organising their own work and when managing relationships with stakeholders. 3 Looking to the Future Thinking Strategically - has the ability to see the "big picture", to think strategically and to manage complex problems and issues. 4 Inspiring Others Communicating - Uses clear, concise and accurate communication, tailoring the approach accordingly and encouraging a two way communication process. Builds relationships with key players both internally and externally in order to gain support. 5
Thinks about the desired impact required and plans and prepares a suitable approach. 5 Working Together Developing Talent - Motivates and develops self and others to achieve high performance. Demonstrates a positive approach to developing skills and general performance. Focuses team and departmental development on wider organisational aims and objectives. 6 Taking Responsibility Planning and Organising - Manages time and resources by prioritising and organising effectively in a team and personal context. HR Office Use Only SAP Position Number: Grade: ffective Date: Click here to enter a date. 6