Associate Director

Job Description Summary The Associate Director, Law Alumni Engagement provides oversight for all alumni engagement initiatives at Wake Forest University School of Law. Charged with deepening alumni involvement and positioning alumni as essential partners in the School’s mission, the Director designs and executes a comprehensive strategic engagement plan that emphasizes community-building, volunteerism, professional development, lifelong learning, and philanthropy. Serving as a partner within Advancement, the Associate Director fosters meaningful collaboration across internal and external stakeholders to strengthen alumni affinity, increase philanthropic engagement, and expand the donor pipeline. This role works in close partnership with the WAKECommunities and Philanthropic Engagement teams to design and deliver elevated regional and signature experiences that advance donor cultivation, stewardship, and long-term relationship building. The Associate Director is responsible for launching and sustaining new alumni communities—including identity-, affinity-, and industry-based groups—and creating a full lifecycle engagement model that intentionally connects student involvement with alumni participation. The role supports institutional goals related to diversity, inclusion, student success, and external reputation and serves as a thought partner to Law School and Advancement teams. *This position is not eligible for sponsorship of non-immigrant or immigrant visa status through Wake Forest University. All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply. *Applications for this position will be accepted through 11:59 PM EST, September 3, 2026. Job Description Essential Functions: Leadership and Vision Develops and leads a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy aligned with Wake Forest Law's mission, strategic framework, and advancement priorities. Partners with the WAKECommunities team to develop and execute elevated regional engagement experiences designed to strengthen alumni connections, enhance donor cultivation and stewardship efforts, and increase pipeline development opportunities. Represents the Law School on University-wide committees and initiatives and advise the Dean's Leadership Cabinet on alumni-related matters, contributing to long-term planning and institutional positioning. Leads cross-functional collaboration and partnerships with Admissions, Career Development, Student Affairs, and Advancement colleagues to integrate alumni into student-facing programming, mentoring efforts, and philanthropic initiatives. Program & Initiative Expansion Plans, executes, and assesses signature engagement experiences such as Law Alumni Weekend/Homecoming, regional events, and donor-focused engagement opportunities in close collaboration with the Philanthropic Engagement team, ensuring seamless constituent experiences and strategic follow-up that advance cultivation, stewardship, and engagement goals. Leads planning and execution of the School of Law's biennial U.S. Supreme Court Admission and Swearing-In program, leveraging this premier alumni experience to deepen engagement, strengthen donor and volunteer relationships, and enhance the national reputation of Wake Forest Law. Launches 1-3 identity-, affinity-, or career-based alumni communities with a multi-year phased strategy for expansion leading toward future campaign alignment. Develops and implements a comprehensive alumni lifecycle engagement strategy that intentionally connects student organizations and experiences with corresponding alumni communities (e.g., BLSA,VALOR, Law Review, Moot Court, journals, affinity groups, etc.). Partners with faculty, current students, alumni leaders, and external experts to develop lifelong learning opportunities such as alumni webinars, CLEs, and thought-leadership series. Innovates alumni programming across regional, virtual, and digital platforms to ensure inclusivity, accessibility, and broad constituent engagement. Volunteer Engagement & Community Building Expands and diversifies the Wake Forest Law volunteer network with clear pathways for alumni involvement—as mentors, speakers, admissions ambassadors, reunion class volunteers, or event hosts. In partnership with the Assistant Dean of Development and Assistant Director of Development, supports the Law Board of Visitors and Rose Council advisory boards with meeting planning, recruitment, marketing, and giving society solicitations. Supports alumni-driven community service initiatives in collaboration with student organizations and external nonprofits to reinforce Wake Forest's Pro Humanitate values. Strengthen Wake Forest Law's alumni presence in legal communities, affinity organizations, and professional associations nationwide. Alumni Communications & Storytelling Oversees a dynamic alumni communications and storytelling strategy that includes regular email communications, newsletters, annual magazine content, and digital engagement efforts that highlight alumni achievements and demonstrate the impact of alumni philanthropy on students, the profession, and society. Works with internal partners to develop an alumni brand narrative that celebrates inclusive excellence, alumni achievement, and the transformative impact of philanthropy. Collaborates closely with the Law School's Marketing and Communications team to develop and amplify alumni and donor-focused content across print and digital channels, including the annual alumni magazine, social media storytelling and campaigns, news features, and other strategic communications that elevate alumni and donor achievements and strengthen engagement with the Law School. Operational Excellence, Data Strategy & Assessment Partners with Advancement Services to maintain accurate alumni engagement data and generate actionable insights through regular reporting and analysis. Manages budgets, timelines, and impact assessments for all engagement initiatives. Establishes measurable annual goals and key performance indicators related to alumni engagement, volunteer participation, donor pipeline development, and event effectiveness, regularly assessing results and recommending improvements based on constituent feedback, analytics, and industry best practices. Ensures all alumni engagement efforts align with the University's commitment to equity, inclusion, and community transformation. Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Bachelor’s degree required with three to five years of relevant experience in alumni relations, event management, advancement, development, higher education, constituent engagement, or related fields. Demonstrated success designing and scaling programs that support a broad range of constituencies and advance organizational goals. Strong leadership skills and a collaborative, proactive, partnership-oriented, and strategic work style. Experience managing or advising boards, volunteer groups, and alumni networks. Excellent communication, presentation, relationship-building, and interpersonal skills. Ability to interpret and leverage data to drive decision-making, measure impact, and communicate outcomes. Tech-savvy with experience using CRM systems, social platforms, and engagement tools (Blackbaud preferred). High emotional intelligence, cultural fluency, and demonstrated success working across diverse constituencies. Ability to work evenings and weekends as required. Ability to travel locally and nationally as necessary. Ability to meet the requirements of the University’s automobile insurance policy. Respect for the dignity and abilities of all people. Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and building community across lines of difference. Entrepreneurial and innovative mindset with strong project management skills. Ability to lead through influence, foster collaboration, and build consensus across stakeholders. Strategic thinker with demonstrated ability to translate vision into measurable outcomes. Strong sense of purpose and alignment with the mission of Wake Forest University and Wake Forest Law. Accountabilities: Responsible for own work. #J-18808-Ljbffr