Executive Director Strategic Engagement

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, United States

Updated: 21 days ago
Location: La Crosse, WISCONSIN
Deadline: ;

Posting Details 
Position Information


Recruitment Number 1508
Number of Vacancies 1
Working Title Executive Director Strategic Engagement
Classification Title Executive Director of Strategic Engagement
Proposed Salary to be Offered $82,000 commensurate with experience
Appointment Percentage (Budget) 100
Position Summary
The Executive Director of Strategic Engagement (EDSE) will report to the Vice Chancellor for Advancement and President of the UWL Alumni & Friends Foundation. The Executive Director will serve as a member of the unit’s leadership team, collaborating and partnering with a group of high-functioning professionals in the areas of alumni, prospect, and donor engagement, donor stewardship, and scholarship awards management. The primary goal is to build a culture of engagement and philanthropy among UWL alumni and friends, as well as the campus community.
This role is designed to be a thought-partner and trusted colleague to the Vice Chancellor, leading strategies that result in measured and effective collaborations between academic partners, university leadership, and donors. The EDSE will work closely with the Executive Director of Development (EDD) to develop and implement a fundraising strategy that will generate transformational philanthropic support for the university. In addition, the EDSE will collaborate with the Community Engagement Coordinator to maximize the university’s presence in the community and the region.
In collaboration with the Strategic Engagement team, the EDSE will lead the advancement of the following:
  • A comprehensive local, regional, and national constituent engagement plan.
  • Programming that engages alumni, friends, and donors with the university resulting in strategic and measurable outcomes.
  • Donor stewardship efforts that celebrate donor generosity and serve as cultivation for increased and continued giving by the donor.
  • Scholarship management efforts that efficiently meet the needs of student applicants, review committees and donors.
Position Type Staff/Administrative
Pay Basis Annual
FLSA Exempt
Contingent Upon Funding No
Is this position eligible for employment sponsorship, (H1B or PERM)? No
Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree.
Experience: Background in higher education, philanthropy, alumni relations, non-profits, event planning, marketing/communications, or comparable field.
Skills:
  • An ability to relate well to, and understand the needs and interests of, the entire UWL community to strengthen their engagement with the university.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills, problem solving and reasoning skills, and an ability to communicate professional views and skills to colleagues and volunteers.
  • Ability to evaluate staff and program performance.
  • Strong organizational management skills.
  • Ability to understand diverse perspectives and build relationships with individuals from a variety of cultures and backgrounds.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Proficiency with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge.
  • UWL alumnus


Experience: Five years of non-profit or higher education development experience.
Physical Demands
Candidate must be able to travel via all modes of transportation. Must have a valid Driver’s License. Position requires significant time using telephones and computers.
Working conditions and environment
Local, regional, and national travel required (up to 25%). Some evenings and weekends required as well.
Miscellaneous Information
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR BENEFITS
Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financial package from the university.
Highlights include:
  • paid vacation for 12-month positions.
  • excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and good coverage.
  • paid holidays and sick days. after 5 years of employment, you become vested in our retirement system which ensures income post-career.
  • benefits at UWL are highly competitive with local industry and some of the strongest in state and nation.


Benefit eligibility is determined at the point of hire. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefits are also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage.
Information about UWL and the Surrounding Region
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW–La Crosse) provides a challenging, dynamic, and diverse learning environment in which the entire university community is fully engaged in supporting student success. Grounded in the liberal arts, UW-La Crosse fosters curiosity and life-long learning through collaboration, innovation, and the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge. Acknowledging and respecting the contributions of all, UW-La Crosse is a regional academic and cultural center that prepares students to take their place in a constantly changing world community.
For more than a decade UW-La Crosse has been named one of Kiplinger’s 100 Best Values in Public Universities and has appeared prominently on the U.S. News & World Report list of “America’s Best Colleges” for more than 15 years, and is ranked #4 on its list of the Best Regional Public Universities in the Midwest.
With a student population of roughly 10,500, the university offers 91 undergraduate programs, 21 graduate programs, and 2 doctoral programs through the following three colleges, the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Science and Health, as well as the School of Education. There are over 600 full-time faculty and instructional academic staff, 75 percent of whom hold terminal degrees. UW-La Crosse boasts a retention rate (freshmen returning as sophomores) of 84 percent, graduation rate (degree within six years) of 70 percent, and is among only 12 institutions cited nationally by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for its success in linking campus culture and university leadership to outstanding graduation rates.
UW-La Crosse’s strategic plan Sustaining Excellence continues to move our community forward through its four pillars: increasing community engagement, achieving excellence through equity and diversity, investing in our people, and advancing transformational education. More information about the ongoing work of Sustaining Excellence is available at www.uwlax.edu/info/strategic-plan .
The UW-La Crosse campus is in southwestern Wisconsin, nestled in a residential area of the City of La Crosse and positioned as part of a larger metro area with a population close to 140,000. The area, known as the 7 Rivers Region, is famous for its exceptional natural beauty which includes the Mississippi River on one side, majestic bluffs on the other, and views of rolling farmland and forested valleys in between. Abundant water, woodlands and varying terrain provide ample opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation. Only a couple of hours from Minneapolis or Madison, La Crosse enjoys the affordability and charm of small town living with larger city benefits. Three colleges, two world-class medical institutions, the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, a restored nineteenth century downtown business district, and a number of galleries and art centers have made La Crosse a regional center for culture, entertainment, medical care, shopping, sports and recreation. More information about the La Crosse metro area can be found here: Choose La Crosse .
Learn more about UW-La Crosse here: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/talent-acquisition-and-employment/finalist-welcome/
AA/EO Statement
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. We strongly encourage women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans to apply. UWL, in compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or protected veteran status.
DEI Statement
UW-La Crosse’s diversity and inclusion efforts are guided by our adherence to Inclusive Excellence. We define Inclusive Excellence as “… our active, intentional and ongoing commitment to bridge differences with understanding and respect so all can thrive." The goals of Inclusive Excellence are to increase the retention of diverse faculty, staff and students while encouraging a campus climate that is inviting and welcoming to all. UW-La Crosse strives to promote acceptance of all facets of diversity from racial/ethnic diversity to diversity of thought and experience. UW-La Crosse ranks 6th nationally among the Top LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges for 2018-19 by AffordableCollegesOnline.org (ACO).
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)
For the UWL Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see https://www.uwlax.edu/police/annual-security-report/ or contact the University Police Department at 608.785.9000.
Redbook Position Yes
Division/College Advancement and External Relations Division
Description of College / Department / Program / Division / Unit
The mission of the UWL University Advancement Division is to strengthen relationships with University stakeholders and manage engagement and fundraising activities to secure resources and support for the University’s mission and vision. Advancement is an integrated function of strategic engagement, fundraising and communications, which coordinates images, messages and constituency engagement activities to disseminate critical information, create powerful experiences, and offer essential services to key constituencies.
The UWL Alumni & Friends Foundation works to create a lifetime connection with UWL by building and maintaining relationships among students, alumni, friends and the University. In addition, the Development Program, serves to maximize private gift support for the University. We strive for philanthropic results through donor-centered service and student-focused opportunities in order to enhance the academic activities in instruction, research, education and public service.
University Communications’ mission is to serve UWL by setting the highest standards for its creative work using the power of words and images to advance its educational mission. The office provides campus news bureau and publication services, web design and development, and social media support. Its primary responsibility is to share information about the UWL with the publics who influence our success including the campus community, alumni and friends, current and prospective donors, and the local and global community our campus serves

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