Director, Engagement and Stewardship

The Center for Public Leadership (CPL) brings together esteemed faculty, distinguished leaders in practice, inspiring students, and skilled staff to advance principled and effective public leadership. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director, Engagement and Stewardship will contribute to the overall leadership of the Center. They will play a key role on the Center’s senior leadership team in setting CPL’s institutional priorities and overseeing their implementation, fostering a culture, structure, and resourcing to advance the success of the Center, and advancing operational excellence across the organization.
The Director is CPL’s lead partner with the Office of Alumni Relations and Resource Development (ARRD), crafting and implementing plans to deepen alumni engagement, supporting the Center’s top programmatic and organizational priorities, and helping to achieve fundraising targets. Externally, the Director represents CPL at events and meetings, travels to meet with prospects and donors, and helps to manage key collaborative relationships that advance CPL's mission.
The successful candidate will bring a proactive and strategic mind, along with a commitment to our mission and strong team culture.
Job-Specific Responsibilities:
Design and support an engagement, development, and stewardship strategy to support priorities of the Center for Public Leadership, in close coordination with ARRD.
Direct CPL’s alumni engagement and relationship building, including designing and building a first-rate alumni engagement program, including establishing ongoing connections with current students, engaged alumni and re-establishing contact and loyalty with disengaged alumni. CPL endeavors to establish a “full professional lifecycle” support system for CPL alumni, and this role would be responsible for designing and implementing this program.
Plan development and alumni engagement events and field experiences, working with ARRD and CPL leadership on goals and metrics.
Oversee stewardship of CPL councils, which currently include the Leadership Council and Alumni Council. Recommend adjustments and refine council strategy as needed.
In coordination with ARRD, support Faculty Director and Executive Director with development and engagement responsibilities, including joining meetings and events, preparing briefings (in conjunction with ARRD), follow-up correspondence, and reports.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of donor and alumni events and activities, using data to recommend and implement improvements. Create processes to track and share data with internal stakeholders.
Collaborate with CPL, HKS’, and ARRD’s communications teams to prioritize and create marketing and storytelling resources.
Provide strategic direction for flagship CPL programs including Hauser Leaders, the Gleitsman Award, the Gergen Summer Fellows Program, and related practitioner engagement activities.
Oversee CPL events, including panels, guest speakers, and conferences.
Build relationships with internal stakeholders including ARRD, University development teams, and OCPA. Communicate CPL’s goals and priorities and collaborate on projects and shared priorities.
Manage relationships with external vendors and internal stakeholders, including managing to budget.
Operate the Center’s engagement and stewardship work within approved budgets.
Directly manage a team, providing leadership, support, and guidance.
Perform other responsibilities and serve in additional capacities as needed.
Some work on nights, weekends, and travel required.
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Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 7 years’ relevant professional experience in development and alumni relations.
Supervisory or team lead experience.
Additional Qualifications and Skills:
Master’s degree preferred.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate in a matrixed organization.
Demonstrated experience with decision making based on sound judgment.
Proven track record with building and leading teams.
Experience building strong operations and systems.
Entrepreneurial and creative, with a track record of piloting and testing new initiatives quickly.
Experience developing, deepening, and stewarding relationships with donors and external stakeholders.
Experience with proposal writing, including grants.
Experience engaging with senior government officials, diplomats, and major donors.
Demonstrated skill in strategic planning, agenda setting, and aligning resources with priorities.
Compelling writing skills with the ability to identify target audiences and tailor messages to be effective.

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
Hybrid