At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day.

Learn more about our recruitment process.

Job Requisition ID:

2026-00208

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Group:

Staff

Job Category:

Advancement and Alumni Engagement

Employment Type:

Permanent

Department:

Advancement and External Relations - Engagement

Hiring Range:

$93,117.25 - $116,396.56

Posting Information:

Internal posting expires Thursday March 6th

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Associate Director, Alumni and Donor Experience, is responsible for developing and implementing an integrated strategy for the university’s alumni and giving programs. The goal of this activity is to ensure a strong foundation of donors and philanthropic dollars raised at this level for the University of Waterloo. The Associate Director, Alumni and Donor Experience has a critical role to play in developing and evaluating strategies to encourage engagement from important constituencies including alumni, students, parents, staff, faculty, retirees and friends. The Associate Director must work cooperatively with colleagues across Advancement and with numerous stakeholders across campus to ensure that programs are implemented successfully.

Key Accountabilities

Fundraising and Program Development

· Formulates, recommends, and implements qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to secure gifts from current donors, alumni, faculty, staff, retirees, and friends.

· Achieves a high volume of donor contact annually as determined by performance metrics.

· Utilizes digital engagement tools through automated touchpoints (videos, emails, texts, etc.) to maintain engagement with all donors.

· Develops and implements engagement strategies for alumni and donors between the $0 and $24,999 range by utilizing telephone, direct mail, and electronic solicitations of select financial and engagement appeals

· Strategically identifies prospective donors to move through Annual Giving pipeline to Circle level, and from Circle to Leadership; develops and implements strategies to improve donor renewal and reduce donor attrition and default rates

Relationship Management and Collaboration

· Leads the Alumni and Donor Experience team in working closely and cooperatively with Faculty, AFIW and ASU advancement teams, Marcomm, and the rest of the Engagement team including Planned Giving, Alumni Relations, and Annual Giving to ensure cross-program coordination and effectiveness

· Collaborates with the Annual Giving team to ensure that ADX programs are properly integrated with annual giving appeals and broader pipeline development strategies and activities

· Ensures regular, open communication with the Advancement Services team with respect to internal processes and data issues to ensure the smooth operation of all annual giving programs

· Assists with volunteer management strategies and management of key volunteer relationships

· Will personally manage and solicit a select group of prospects and donors

· Prepares contact notes for prospect tracking and clearance systems

Management

· Recruits, trains, manages and evaluates permanent and temporary team members

· Develops, manages and monitors an annual budget in collaboration with the AVP, Engagement

· Will

Other

· Special projects

· Serves as ADX advocate during software migrations/launches, including new customer relationship management (CRM) software

· Researches best practice and innovation in fundraising programs, platforms and strategies

· Will have a combination of a frontline portfolio and a management portfolio

· Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

Education

· University degree or equivalent combination of education and/or experience

Experience

· 5+ years of experience in annual fundraising, telemarketing, frontline fundraising and volunteer management in a complex environment

· Demonstrated management/supervisory experience in an Alumni Relations/Fundraising environment including the recruitment, training and motivation of staff

· Experience in developing strategic plans, gaining endorsement of plans from various stakeholders, and providing evaluative reports and recommendations to drive strategy

· Experience collaborating with diverse teams, preferably in a decentralized organization and influencing project outcomes without direct supervisory experience

· Experience with frontline fundraising is an asset

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

· Demonstrated planning, teamwork and project management abilities

· Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills

· Sound judgment, tact, and diplomacy is essential

· Familiarity with various gift types and vehicles

· High degree of personal initiative and motivation

· Knowledge of alumni engagement strategies, trends, and best-practices

· Willingness to travel; work some evenings and weekends during peak periods

· Proficiency working with complex relational databases, familiarity with alumni and donor databases an asset (e.g. Raiser’s Edge, Blackbaud CRM, iModules Encompass)

· The ability to be a self-starter and calculated risk taker is necessary

· Resourceful and independent while remaining comfortable working within the framework of a team-oriented environment

· A flexible schedule which allows for occasional after-hours events and meetings

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.