Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Athletics & Sports Partnerships

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Athletics & Sports Partnerships

FLSA Status : Nonexempt

Months Per Year : 12

Hours Per Week : 37.5

Employment Status : Full-Time

Work Model:  Hybrid Eligible*

Seattle University will be one of the most innovative and progressive Jesuit and Catholic universities in the world, educating with excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. We embrace an intersectional framework for defining diversity in its broadest sense, including differences in gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, generational history, culture, socioeconomic class, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, political perspectives, geographic origin and physical ability. Seattle University strives to be a welcome, open and safe campus climate for all who learn, live and work at Seattle University.

Seattle University's Core Competencies

Effective Team Collaboration : Works harmoniously with others towards a common goal, leveraging individual strengths to achieve shared objectives. 

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Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, Athletics & Sports Partnerships

FLSA Status : Nonexempt

Months Per Year : 12

Hours Per Week : 37.5

Employment Status : Full-Time

Work Model:  Hybrid Eligible*

Seattle University will be one of the most innovative and progressive Jesuit and Catholic universities in the world, educating with excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. We embrace an intersectional framework for defining diversity in its broadest sense, including differences in gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, generational history, culture, socioeconomic class, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, political perspectives, geographic origin and physical ability. Seattle University strives to be a welcome, open and safe campus climate for all who learn, live and work at Seattle University.

Seattle University's Core Competencies

Effective Team Collaboration : Works harmoniously with others towards a common goal, leveraging individual strengths to achieve shared objectives. 

Emotionally Intelligent Communication : Engages in a skillful exchange of information, thoughts, and feelings, verbally and non-verbally.

Ethics and Integrity : Demonstrates an unwavering commitment to honesty, professionalism, and alignment with our Jesuit mission in all actions and decisions. 

Flexibility and Innovation : Embraces change, approaching problems with curiosity adaptability, and is committed to making a positive impact. 

Mindful Inclusion : Fosters mindful inclusion by consciously creating a workplace that celebrates differences, embraces cultural humility, and empowers uniqueness.  

Outcomes-Driven Orientation : Sets clear objectives, pursues excellence, and delivers measurable outcomes while upholding Jesuit Catholic values.  

Position Description

This Assistant Director will be the key engagement team liaison guiding alumni participation in Athletics & Sports Partnerships. The role collaborates closely with campus partners in athletics, development directors, and university advancement colleagues to implement, and assess programs that foster belonging, professional formation, mentorship, volunteerism, and philanthropic awareness. The Assistant Director will steward relationships, support athletic based-programming, and use data and best practices to inform engagement strategies that expand alumni participation and connect athletics affiliated alumni with central Alumni Engagement efforts.

In addition to acting as the key liaison to athletics, this member of the engagement team will lead university wide alumni engagement initiatives connected to intercollegiate athletics, professional sports partnerships, and conference-related engagement to foster community, school pride, and long-term alumni connection. This role oversees alumni-facing Sports Nights, athletics-aligned programming, and engagement connected to the West Coast Conference (WCC).

This role reports directly to the Director of Alumni Engagement and maintains a dotted-line relationship with the Development Partners in Athletics. The dotted-line relationship reflects close collaboration and partnership in support of unit-specific alumni initiatives and does not involve direct supervision or performance management.

Primary Responsibilities

Athletics Partnership & Liaison

• Participate in select Athletics Division meetings to understand departmental priorities, opportunities, campaign goals, and engagement needs. 
• Maintain working knowledge of teams, schedules, programs, alumni demographics, and professional networks.
• Partner with Alumni Engagement colleagues to integrate athletics-based engagement into the broader alumni lifecycle strategy.
• Support alumni-facing athletics initiatives and programs that enhance alumni participation, strengthen school spirit, and strengthen visibility and connection to the university.
• Track and identify opportunities for engagement and volunteer involvement.

Sports Nights & Partnerships

• Collaborate with athletics partners to support coordination and execution of intercollegiate sports activities involving alumni. Activities may involve coordinating ticketing, group experiences, and on-site engagement.

• Lead coordination and execution of alumni Sports Nights with professional organizations including but not limited to:

• Seattle Mariners

  • Seattle Kraken
    
  • Seattle Seahawks
    
  • Seattle Sounders FC

• Ensure Sports Nights are inclusive, mission-aligned, and designed to maximize alumni participation and satisfaction.

West Coast Conference (WCC) Engagement

• Support alumni engagement connected to Seattle University’s participation in the West Coast Conference.
• Collaborate with Athletics and Alumni Engagement colleagues on WCC-related alumni events, pre-receptions, watch parties, and travel opportunities.
• Leverage conference matchups and rivalries to strengthen alumni affinity and regional engagement.
• Align WCC-related engagement with broader alumni participation and campaign strategies.

Volunteer Engagement & Leadership Development

• Recruit, train, and steward alumni volunteers who support athletics-related events and engagement activities.
• Develop clear volunteer roles, leadership pathways, and expectations to support sustainable mission aligned volunteer engagement at the unit and university level.
• Ensure coordination between athletics leadership and regional alumni volunteers and networks to encourage alumni participation as ambassadors, hosts, and advocates at sports-related events and gatherings.
• Collaborate with development and university advancement colleagues to activate volunteers in support of alumni facing events, programs, and campaign initiatives.

Event Coordination & Signature Programs

• Collaborate with the University Events team and Alumni Engagement colleagues to support planning, logistics, outreach, and evaluation for athletics-related engagement activities.

• Support and contribute to execution of university-wide signature events, including but not limited to:

• Homecoming & Family Weekend

  • Reunions
    
  • Alumni Awards
    
  • SU Gives

• Collaborate with development partners to support alumni-facing campaign engagement initiatives, including ambassador roles, regional leadership activation, and participation-focused efforts.

Operations, Data Management & Assessment

• Track, document, and assess alumni participation in athletics-related events and initiatives using NXT Raiser's Edge.
  Collaborate with Advancement Services to ensure accurate data entry, reporting, and analysis.
• Assist with budget development, monitoring, vendor coordination, and expense tracking related to assigned programs.
• Evaluate athletics engagement strategies annually and provide recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Maintain strong working relationships with alumni, Athletics staff, campus partners, and external sports organizations.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Director of Alumni Engagement.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated professional experience in alumni relations, advancement, higher education, nonprofit engagement, customer service, or a related field.
• Strong customer service orientation with the ability to create positive, responsive, and professional experiences for alumni, students, donors, and university partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to represent the university in a professional and engaging manner.
• Demonstrated project management skills, including the ability to plan, coordinate, and execute programs, events, or engagement initiatives from concept through completion.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-starter with strong organizational and time-management skills and the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with colleagues across the university.
• Comfort working with databases, CRM systems, or engagement platforms to support outreach and track participation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Experience working in higher education, alumni relations, advancement, or volunteer management.
• Experience supporting alumni boards, volunteer committees, affinity groups, or regional networks.
• Familiarity with alumni or donor databases (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or similar CRM systems).
• Demonstrated ability to use engagement data or feedback to improve programs and strengthen alumni relationships.

Application Instructions

Please attach a cover letter with your resume when applying. Job postings are open until filled, unless otherwise specified. 

Compensation at a Glance

Salary Range: $60,000 - $66,000

Seattle University has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, and not based on a candidate’s gender or any other protected status.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. Seattle University provides generous leave, health plans, and retirement contributions that add to your total compensation package.

Benefits at a Glance

Consistent with its fundamental Jesuit values, Seattle University offers a wide range of benefits designed to care for the whole person. Choose from three different medical plans, a dental, and vision insurance programs. Protect your income with life, short & long-term disability coverage. Plan for your future with up to a 10% employer contribution for retirement benefits, comprised of a 5% nonelective employer contribution and an additional dollar-for-dollar match of your voluntary contributions up to a maximum of 5%. You may also take advantage of 100% paid tuition benefits for the employee and dependents, a subsidized transportation benefit, a wellness program with free access to an onsite fitness facility, and a wide variety of campus events. Enjoy a generous holiday schedule, including a paid Holiday break closure in December, vacation and paid sick leave, and paid community service leave. For more information explore the Benefits website at: https://www.seattleu.edu/hr/benefits/ 

Hybrid Eligible

This position may be eligible for a hybrid schedule after successful completion of an introductory work period of 3-6 months. This may mean that a hybrid eligible role will begin on-campus initially and then will transition to hybrid format following onboarding and training. Flexible work plans are subject to periodic review and may be changed or terminated at any time for any reason at the university’s discretion. 

All employment offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.

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