Manager, Alumni and Community Engagement

Manager, Alumni and Community Engagement

Permanent Full Time

Pickering College is an independent day and boarding school in Newmarket, Ontario. We are a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 school, and our co-educational environment and holistic approach ensure that each student’s unique talents—academic, artistic, athletic, and altruistic—are nurtured. Pickering College is not just a school; it is a community.

The Manager, Alumni and Community Engagement plays a key role in strengthening relationships with Pickering College’s alumni, parents, and broader community. Reporting to the Executive Director, Development, this position is responsible for creating and executing purposeful engagement strategies that deepen connections and foster lifelong involvement with the school. The Manager, Alumni and Community Engagement oversees the planning, delivery, and evaluation of engagement programs, events, and volunteer initiatives that align with institutional priorities. The central focus of this role is building pipelines that nurture alumni and parent participation, ultimately developing these relationships into meaningful roles as donors, volunteers, and ambassadors. The Manager provides direct supervision, mentorship, and support to engagement staff.

Given the dynamic and collaborative nature of our school environment, this role is on-site, five days a week with some evening or weekend work as required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Engagement and Program Development:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive engagement strategy for alumni, parents, and community partners that aligns with the school’s strategic priorities.
• Create engagement journeys that build stronger relationships with key constituent groups, leading to purposeful outcomes (e.g., giving, volunteering, advocacy).
• Evaluate all current engagement activities and events to determine impact, return on investment, and alignment with institutional goals; recommend changes as appropriate.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Development, to set annual engagement goals, benchmarks, and success metrics for alumni and parent participation.
• Partner with the Communications team to ensure consistent messaging and alignment across all engagement touchpoints.

Alumni and Parent Relations:

• Develop and lead strategies to increase alumni participation through targeted communications, events, and volunteer opportunities that inspire ongoing connection to Pickering College.
• Enhance parent engagement opportunities and strengthen relationships through multiple vehicles, including oversight of the Pickering College Association, ensuring the association’s activities are meaningful, inclusive, and aligned with school priorities.
• Create and implement programs that connect alumni and parents with each other and with students, fostering a vibrant community network.
• Support the integration of alumni and parent engagement efforts into the school’s overall philanthropic pipeline.

Event Management and Evaluation:

• Lead engagement staff and volunteers in the planning and execution of engagement events (e.g., reunions, Homecoming, networking receptions, and PCA events), ensuring each initiative serves a defined strategic purpose.
• Work collaboratively across departments to ensure events enhance school spirit, strengthen relationships, and provide value to participants.
• Evaluate event outcomes using qualitative and quantitative data to inform future planning.

Leadership and Team Development

• Provide guidance, mentorship, and professional development to team members within the engagement portfolio, ensuring skill growth, accountability, and alignment with goals.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement within the Development team.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the school to enhance the visibility and impact of engagement efforts.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS:

• Demonstrated track record of building and sustaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including alumni, parents, volunteers, and colleagues.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to align engagement initiatives with institutional goals.
• Strong mentorship and coaching skills, with the ability to support and develop emerging talent.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proven organizational and project management abilities, including event planning and execution.
• Analytical mindset to assess data and measure program effectiveness.
• Ability to reach out to and engage alumni with a broad range of ages and diverse backgrounds.
• Sound knowledge of how technology can best support integrated advancement strategies.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in alumni relations, community engagement, event management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing engagement strategies for diverse constituent groups.
• Experience working with alumni and/or parent associations in an independent school or post- secondary environment is a strong asset.
• Proven ability to manage events from concept through to completion and post event analysis.
• Supervisory experience and a commitment to mentorship and team development.
• Strong understanding of how engagement contributes to philanthropy and organizational advancement.
• Familiarity with Raiser’s Edge NXT or similar CRM database.
• University degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strategic thinker who can communicate and implement the school’s vision for growth.
• Strong commitment to Pickering College’s vision, mission and values.

As a condition of employment, the successful candidate(s) must provide a current Vulnerable Sector Screening Police Report. Suitable accommodations are available for applicants with accessibility needs due to disability upon request.

If you would like to be considered for this exciting opportunity, please submit your cover letter and resume to:

humanresources@pickeringcollege.on.ca