Senior Director of Engagement

About North Park
Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of over 3,200 students from around the country and the world. Located for over 130 years on the land of the Miami and Potawatomi tribes in what is today Chicago’s northside, NPU is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution and is committed to serving diverse populations. Elevating North Park University’s core distinctives of Christian, city-centered, and intercultural, NPU values diversity among its Faculty and is committed to building a racially and culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages the nomination and candidacies of persons who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color regardless of gender.

North Park University is located in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. It is nine miles from downtown Chicago. The North Park campus has often been referred to as an oasis in the heart of the city – a place where students from urban, rural, and suburban backgrounds alike can call home. And all of this within the major metropolitan backdrop of Chicago: one of the world’s largest and most diversified economies, renowned for its museums and music, and voted best large city in the U.S. for four years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler.

Mission

The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

Vision

Building on our core institutional identity—Christian, city-centered, intercultural—our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Director of Engagement provides strategic leadership for North Park University’s comprehensive engagement strategy, overseeing both Alumni Engagement and Donor Engagement within the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement. This senior role develops and implements programs, communications, and relationship building initiatives that cultivate meaningful lifelong connections with alumni and supporters and deepen engagement with the University’s mission.

The Senior Director of Engagement oversees a portfolio that includes alumni engagement programs, donor stewardship and recognition, signature events, and mission‑aligned communications. This position ensures that engagement strategies support the priorities of the President’s Office and the Office of Advancement and reflect the values and commitments of North Park University.

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Develop and execute a comprehensive annual engagement strategy that unifies alumni engagement and donor engagement goals and supports institutional priorities.
• Collaborate with Career Development, Student Engagement, and Academic Affairs to expand alumni to student mentoring, internship pathways, and career outcomes storytelling.
• Establish plans, goals, and metrics to assess the effectiveness of engagement initiatives and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead cross‑campus partnerships to enhance engagement opportunities and elevate the visibility of alumni and donor impact.
• Serve on university-wide committees and strategic planning groups, offering expertise that guides sustainability and engagement strategies.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities to expand the University’s external engagement portfolio, including corporate relations, communication partnerships, and other key stakeholder relationships.

Alumni Engagement Leadership

• Cultivate relationships with alumni across generations and affinity groups, supporting their needs, celebrating their achievements, and identifying opportunities for deeper involvement.
• Develop and oversee alumni communications including newsletters, event promotions, social media strategy, website updates, and content for the North Parker alumni magazine.
• Oversee strategic planning and implementation of an annual calendar of alumni signature events, including Homecoming, Golden Circle 50th Reunion, Viking Hall of Fame, and other local/regional initiatives.
• In partnership with Advancement Operations, track and analyze alumni engagement data; develop metrics that measure participation, connection, and programmatic outcomes.

Donor Engagement & Stewardship Leadership

• Drive a strategic storytelling framework that highlights donor impact, alumni achievements, and student success, ensuring these narratives reinforce institutional priorities and philanthropic engagement.
• Provide strategic direction for a comprehensive donor engagement program that strengthens long‑term philanthropic relationships and advances institutional fundraising goals.
• Lead the vision, development, and continuous enhancement of giving societies and recognition programs, including legacy, loyalty, and cumulative giving groups, to meaningfully celebrate donor commitment and deepen affinity for the University.
• Oversee North Park’s endowed scholarship stewardship strategy, in partnership with Advancement Operations and Financial Aid, strengthening communication with donors and the delivery of personalized scholarship impact reports.

Team Management & Operational Oversight

• Serve as a senior leader within the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, fostering a culture of collaboration and alignment of engagement efforts with broader institutional priorities.
• Provide supervision, coaching, and professional development support to the Alumni Engagement Manager and Donor Engagement Senior Manager, ensuring high‑performance team outcomes.
• Oversee the Engagement budget, exercising strategic resource allocation, fiscal responsibility, and long‑term planning to maximize impact and operational efficiency.
• Implement effective workflows, timelines, and operational processes that strengthen program execution and enhance cross‑team coordination.

The salary range for this position is $95,000-100,000.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, master’s preferred
• Experience in alumni engagement, constituent relations, student engagement, or related higher education or nonprofit fields.
• Excellent presentation, organizational, and oral/written communications skills.
• Supervisory or team leadership experience, including coaching, delegation, and performance management.
• Proficiency with enterprise systems, alumni/donor databases, and analyzing data and metrics.
• High level of digital fluency, including experience using email marketing tools, event management software, social media platforms, website content management systems, and Microsoft Office. Comfort in using new technology.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective relationships with the North Park community.
• Committed to and an articulate supporter of North Park’s mission, identity, and Christian faith commitment.
• As approved by the Board of Trustees, possess a willingness and ability to support the messaging as articulated by the President as it relates to the mission and distinctives of North Park University.
• Ability and willingness to work evenings, weekends, and travel as needed for events and regional engagement.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Prescription Coverage
• Flexible Spending Account
• Commuter Benefit
• Retirement Plan (403b)
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Personal Days, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Parental Leave
• Training & Development
• Tuition Remission
• Helwig Recreation Center