Director of Alumni Relations & Career Services

At Summer Search, we believe our world is better off when everyone can discover their purpose. Yet, for too many bright young people, our society creates unjust obstacles that unfairly block their search.

Through a combination of year-round mentoring and transformative summer experiences, Summer Search aims to unleash the potential of young people while also building a toolkit for navigating and challenging systemic barriers to higher education and career opportunities. Since our founding in 1990, Summer Search has reached more than 7,500 young people and currently serves more than 3,800 high school and college students in five regions across the country – San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle.

Our alumni become the kind of leaders our country needs -- civic leaders, advocates, industry leaders, teachers, mothers and fathers. Their collective leadership ripples out into the community and future generations and contributes to a more equitable society. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Summer Search Bay Area is seeking a Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services to oversee programming that creates meaningful ways for alumni to engage with Summer Search. Reporting to the Executive Director, this hire will serve on the Bay Area leadership team and join a regional staff that centers relationships, well-being, learning, personal growth, and equity at its core. Specifically, the Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services will:

Develop and drive a comprehensive strategy for alumni engagement

  • Lead engagement programming for 2,000+ Bay Area alums and create opportunities to grow alumni board leadership, philanthropic giving, volunteerism, networking, and career support.
  • Manage a donor portfolio of 75-125 alums. Achieve and grow fundraising goals of raising $250K annually.
  • Manage the Bay Area Alumni Board and cultivate and steward volunteer leadership.
  • Develop tools, processes, and metrics to support ongoing strategic efforts to grow alumni engagement.
  • Oversee the alumni relations budget; raise funds for select special projects or events, in collaboration with development colleagues.
  • Ensure accurate and complete alumni database records; capture contact, biographical and career information of alumni via surveys, correspondence, and individual meeting call reports.
  • Work collaboratively across the Bay Area team, partnering closely with development, high school program, and post-secondary program teams.
  • As a member of the Bay Area senior leadership team, help to set a vision and culture that centers students/alumni and infuses diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the program.

Ensure the high-quality delivery of the career services program

  • Provide direct supervision and support to the Career Navigator and Internship Manager, a newly created position designed to support alumni’s career pathways and professional development.
  • In partnership with the Career Navigator and Internship Manager, manage and grow internship partners and serve as a contact and trusted advisor to corporate recruiters and hiring managers. Partner closely with the Associate Director of Institutional Partnerships to maximize employer engagement opportunities.
  • Oversee engagement with university/college career services departments to support alumni in their career exploration.
  • Create and deliver content for career-based workshops such as resume workshops, networking, and/or interviewing best practices.
  • Organize alumni social events throughout the Bay Area region with a particular emphasis on diverse programming and continued engagement for all Bay Area alums.

WHO YOU ARE

  • You are committed to Summer Search’s mission and values You believe that all young people should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. You thrive in an organization that values authenticity, relationships, well-being, learning, personal growth, and an unwavering commitment to racial equity and inclusion.
  • You bring knowledge and experience in university/college alumni relations. You possess 8+ years of professional experience, including 2+ years in a leadership role with relevant experience in alumni programming, fundraising, career services and/or employer partnership management. Experience with first-generation college graduates is required.
  • You are an emotionally astute relationship builder. You bring empathy and an ability to connect with a range of internal and external stakeholders. You are a deep listener and hold space for others to express themselves.
  • You are a strong team leader and people manager. You bring ease to coaching and guiding direct reports, as well as leading with influence with those who do not report to you. You build positive and collaborative team cultures wherever you work.
  • You are a strategic thinker and tactical implementer. You see the big picture and form plans for where to go/how to get there. You set sets goals and objectives, execute strategies, and evaluate performance using data and insights.
  • You are an adaptive, flexible, and creative problem solver. You possess sound judgement and responsiveness in addressing problems and unexpected challenges. You bring a curious and proactive mindset to pursuing new opportunities.
  • You are committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism. You are energized to join an organization that is on a journey toward becoming an anti-racist organization. You are committed to dismantling racism within yourself and your colleagues. You have experience helping teams engage around equity, diversity, and inclusion.  

OUR BENEFITS

  • Competitive salaries. The salary range for this position is $94,000 - $103,500.
  • Medical insurance with up to 90% employer contribution
  • Dental, vision, FSA, life and disability insurance plans
  • 401 (K) and Employer Match up to $2,000 annually
  • Generous time off including 15 vacation days, 10 sick days, and 18 holidays (2 floating holidays of your choice, a birthday day-off, 10 company-wide holidays, and a 1-week December closure).
  • Individual, local, regional and national training;
  • A commitment to developing leaders from within the organization
  • An organizational culture that supports staff well-being and holistic self-care/community care
  • Ample opportunities to connect with the students and communities we serve

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is at the root of everything we do. Our vision is that Summer Search students become critically conscious leaders who increasingly invest in themselves and their communities. We support this vision through programmatic, operational, and talent practices centered in critical consciousness and cultural humility.

We commit to anti-oppression at all levels in the organization. We effectively hire, retain and promote People of Color so that all staff have equitable opportunity to advance to their fullest potential. Program staff are skillful in discussing race, identity, social/cultural context with students and supporting the development of their critical consciousness.

All staff and boards hold equity work as a crucial priority, are willing and able to navigate conversations about race and identity, and increasingly reflect the racial and other identities of the students we serve. We reflect critically on key organization decisions and actions to ensure we create increasingly equitable and just outcomes, especially for our students and staff of color. 

HOW TO APPLY

Click here to submit your resume and targeted cover letter, addressed Kris Leja, Bay Area Executive Director, that answers the question, “Why are you interested in the Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services opportunity at Summer Search?”