Towson University (TU) has earned distinction as both a top-100 public university and one of the nation's great colleges to work for. Located north of Baltimore, TU currently enrolls over 19,000 students and is the second-largest university in the prestigious University System of Maryland. Towson University fosters a climate that is grounded in respect to cultivating the intellectual and personal growth of the entire university community.

The Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations (AVP) serves as a key strategic leader within Towson University’s Division of University Advancement, responsible for shaping and executing a bold vision for alumni engagement that advances the institution’s mission, reputation, and philanthropic success. Reporting directly to the Vice President for University Advancement, the AVP provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and partnership with university and alumni leaders to strengthen lifelong connections between Towson University and its more than 200,000 alumni worldwide.

Serving as Executive Director of the Towson University Alumni Association (TUAA), the AVP ensures the TUAA’s governance and efforts align with the University’s strategic priorities and the Division of University Advancement’s mission. The AVP is a senior leader within the division and plays a central role in shaping alumni engagement strategy that reflects and celebrates Towson’s diverse alumni population, fostering a lifelong Tiger community that supports alumni success, promotes institutional reputation, and strengthens philanthropic participation. Telework may be available for this position up to two days per week following the completion of 90 days of service in good standing.

Responsibilities and Duties

1. Strategic Leadership, Program Development, and Engagement — Provide vision and direction for Towson University’s alumni engagement strategy. Develop and implement a comprehensive plan that enhances alumni involvement, volunteerism, professional development, and giving. Design and deliver events, affinity and identity programs, lifelong learning opportunities, and digital engagement initiatives that reflect the needs, interests, and perspectives of Towson’s diverse alumni community. Align all engagement activities with divisional and institutional goals and the TU Alumni Engagement Strategic Plan.
2. Management and Supervision — Supervise and mentor directors and professional staff responsible for alumni engagement, communications, volunteer management, and recognition programs. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across teams.
3. Collaboration with Academic and Administrative Units — Work with deans, university leadership, and key partners to envision and build alumni programs that enhance student and alumni success. Develop strategies to engage alumni by college, program, affinity, and geography, leveraging data-driven insights for greater reach and impact.
4. Executive Director, TU Alumni Association (TUAA) — Serve as the chief administrative officer for the TUAA. Support the TUAA Board of Directors through governance, succession planning, training, and collaboration. Partner with TUAA leaders to recruit and develop alumni ambassadors and volunteer leaders who represent the diversity of the TU community. Build a pipeline of volunteers to serve in a variety of leadership roles across TU. Develop annual and multi-year goals for TUAA and implement benchmarking systems to track and celebrate progress.
5. Data, Assessment, and Continuous Improvement — Collaborate with Advancement Services to track and measure alumni engagement, assess engagement outcomes, and utilize analytics for strategic decision-making. Ensure data collection and reporting reflect participation across alumni identities and experiences.
6. Other Duties as Assigned — Serve as a key member of the University Advancement leadership team, representing the Vice President as needed and supporting divisional initiatives.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree.
• Seven, or more, years of progressively responsible experience in alumni relations, engagement, or advancement, with at least five years in higher education or a similarly complex organization.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for the position:

• Demonstrated success in building and executing alumni engagement strategies that strengthen institutional pride, volunteerism, and philanthropic participation.
• Experience developing programs that reflect and serve a diverse, inclusive, and multigenerational alumni base, including young alumni and alumni from historically underrepresented communities.
• Expertise in designing initiatives that promote lifelong learning, career development, and alumni recognition.
• Proven experience leading and motivating professional staff and volunteers in a collaborative, outcomes-based environment.
• Strong understanding of alumni data systems, communications platforms, and engagement analytics.
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills with university leaders, board members, alumni, volunteers, and community partners.
• Excellent written, verbal, and analytical communication skills.
• Maturity and the ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Commitment to inclusion and belonging in alumni programming, communications, and volunteer engagement.

Preferences:

• Experience within the University System of Maryland or similar system-based institution.
• Master’s degree in higher education administration, nonprofit management, communications, or related field.
• Demonstrated knowledge of alumni engagement technologies (e.g., Salesforce, EverTrue, Protopia, Almabase).
• Experience supporting volunteer boards and alumni affinity/identity networks.

Salary and Benefits 

Salary range at $150,000-$175,000 annually and full University benefits that include 22 days of annual leave, up to 15 holidays, personal and sick days; excellent health, life, and retirement plans; and tuition remission. To learn more about our benefits, click here. TU also offers a variety of great perks and discounts, which can be found here.

This position will be open for a minimum of 14 days. For consideration, please submit a cover letter and resume with your online application. 

About Towson University

The largest comprehensive university in the Baltimore area, Towson University is nationally recognized for its excellent programs in the arts and sciences, communications, business, health professions, education, fine arts and computer information systems. Located in suburban Towson, eight miles north of Baltimore, our beautifully landscaped, 328-acre setting offers a pleasant environment for study and a diverse campus life, as well as easy access to a wealth of university and community resources. Towson University's educational experience branches out to off-campus locations throughout Maryland, including a number of online options. Our many interdisciplinary partnerships with public and private organizations throughout Maryland provide opportunities for research, internships and jobs. Towson University is a founding member of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU).

Connections working at Towson University