How to hire a director of alumni relations

How to hire a director of alumni relations, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of alumni relations hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a director of alumni relations job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new director of alumni relations
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a director of alumni relations do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your director of alumni relations job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a director of alumni relations for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a director of alumni relations to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a director of alumni relations that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of director of alumni relations salaries for various roles:

   Type of Director Of Alumni Relations	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Alumni Relations	Public relations managers plan and direct the creation of material that will maintain or enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.	$32-79
   Campaign Manager	Campaign managers are responsible for developing, executing, and managing marketing campaigns for events, products, and services targeting consumers or organizations. These professionals typically collaborate with external agencies in the preparation and execution of campaigns... Show more	$26-52
   Grant Manager	A grant manager is responsible for granting financial assistance and support to various sector programs, evaluating grant applications, and implementing policies from its conceptualization to utilization. Grant managers review the grant documents, ensuring its adherence to internal guidelines and state regulations... Show more	$22-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Alumni Relations
   • Alumni Engagement
   • Alumni Association
   • Alumni Events
   • Event Planning
   • Alumni Programs
   • Strategic Plan
   • Event Management
   • Alumni Community
   • Alumni Participation
   • Alumni Board
   • Professional Development
   • Regular Communication
   • Career Services

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work cross functionally to write and manage multi-million dollar budgets, alliances and ROI analytics.
   • Supervise the creation of mailing of annual fund announcements, appeals and thank you's to achieve annual fund goals.
   • Program development includes managing and building strong relationships with corporate and affinity partners to secure sponsorship and career enhancement for alumni
   • Design performance review process and share oversight with route sales leadership.
   • Design, management, and oversight of administrative budget ($ 2,000,000) & employee benefits, including 401k.
   • Assist in identifying appropriate market segments to develop effective annual fund solicitations and/or appeals for print, electronic and social media.

   More director of alumni relations duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your director of alumni relations job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A director of alumni relations salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, directors of alumni relations' average salary in hawaii is 43% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of alumni relations earn 59% less than senior-level directors of alumni relations.
   • Certifications. A director of alumni relations with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a director of alumni relations's salary.

   Average director of alumni relations salary

   $106,332yearly

   $51.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of alumni relations salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 12, 2025

   Average director of alumni relations salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$139,399	$67
   2	Pennsylvania	$122,329	$59
   3	Connecticut	$121,941	$59
   4	Massachusetts	$114,862	$55
   5	District of Columbia	$110,655	$53
   6	New York	$107,790	$52
   7	North Carolina	$105,790	$51
   8	Illinois	$104,308	$50
   9	Rhode Island	$101,015	$49
   10	Virginia	$99,560	$48
   11	Indiana	$97,175	$47
   12	Michigan	$94,762	$46
   13	Maryland	$91,581	$44
   14	Ohio	$91,361	$44
   15	Iowa	$89,998	$43
   16	Texas	$88,110	$42
   17	West Virginia	$87,315	$42
   18	Oregon	$86,616	$42
   19	Washington	$84,912	$41
   20	Missouri	$82,737	$40

   Average director of alumni relations salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Marshall University	$169,412	$81.45
   2	Re/max Signature Daytona Beach Shores, Florida	$154,586	$74.32
   3	GradyHealth	$139,889	$67.25
   4	CVS Health	$129,124	$62.08	33
   5	Providence College	$128,316	$61.69
   6	Suffolk University	$124,709	$59.96
   7	Middlesex Community College	$124,261	$59.74
   8	Splunk	$123,998	$59.61
   9	NTT Europe Ltd	$122,607	$58.95	49
   10	Loma Linda University Health	$115,251	$55.41
   11	Reed College	$113,931	$54.77
   12	Stanford University	$113,401	$54.52	17
   13	CSG	$110,890	$53.31
   14	HCSC	$110,342	$53.05
   15	West Coast University	$110,123	$52.94
   16	University Health System Inc	$109,444	$52.62	1
   17	New York University	$108,009	$51.93	2
   18	Harvard University	$105,795	$50.86
   19	Tanium	$102,162	$49.12	11
   20	Singlewire Software	$101,642	$48.87

4. Writing a director of alumni relations job description

   A director of alumni relations job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a director of alumni relations job description:

   Director of alumni relations job description example

   + Department: Alumni Association
   
   + School Area: Alumni Association
   
   + Employment Type: Full-time (Hybrid)
   
   + Employment Category: Exempt
   
   + Visa Sponsorship Available: No
   
   + Schedule:
   
   Email a Friend Save Save Apply Now
   
   Information on MIT's COVID-19 vaccination requirement can be found at the bottom of this posting.
   
   ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, EVENTS, Alumni Association (MITAA)-Office of Alumni Relations, to plan and implement a wide variety of MITAA events--from conceptualization through evaluation--ranging from small volunteer dinners to large endeavors for hundreds of alumni. Will develop strategic plans and manage the tactical and logistical details, e.g., event budgets, collateral, venues, etc.; interact with senior officers, volunteer leaders, and major donors and prospects; collaborate with Alumni Association staff, vendors and service providers; manage online registration systems; and handle budget and financial work.
   
   Job Requirements
   
   REQUIRED: bachelor's degree; two years' event planning experience, preferably in higher education or a nonprofit; ability to execute all aspects of virtual and live programs and events; experience supervising volunteers and vendors; excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work collegially/collaboratively as part of a cohesive team in a diverse service-oriented environment; meticulous attention to detail; and excellent customer service, problem-solving, planning, time management, project management, analytical, presentation, and written and oral communication skills; tact and good judgment with confidential information; flexible approach to the working environment, especially during peak work periods before and during events; proficiency with standard computer applications, especially MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint; and FileMaker; and expertise with or willingness to learn Encompass suite of online event tools. Seek a self-starter who can work with minimal supervision and develop and manage project timelines and budgets; anticipate consequences of actions, potential problems, or opportunities for change; independently organize, prioritize, and manage several projects simultaneously in a fast-paced and ever-evolving work environment; and work effectively under pressure and with minimal supervision. PREFERRED: familiarity with MIT and experience working in higher education advancement and with marketing teams. Job #20665-6
   
   Must be able and willing to work irregular hours, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends. Some travel will also be required. This position will be hybrid, with a combination of on-campus and remote work. reposted 6/16/22

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right director of alumni relations for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director of alumni relations job on Zippia to find and recruit director of alumni relations candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with director of alumni relations candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new director of alumni relations

   Once you have selected a candidate for the director of alumni relations position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new director of alumni relations. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a director of alumni relations?