Posted: 29-Apr-26
Location: Northfield, Minnesota
Salary: $77,300- $79,900 Annually
Employment Type:
Organization Type:
Required Education:
Job Title: Communications Manager for Development and Alumni Relations
Department: Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving
Classification: Exempt
Grade: 12
FTE/Working Schedule: 1.0 FTE (40 hrs/week)
Position Overview:
The Communications Manager is a member of a successful Division of Development and Alumni Relations team, which is collectively responsible for raising more than $40 million annually from alumni, parents, friends and foundations, and working closely with alumni and parent volunteers to advance the College’s engagement and fundraising efforts.
The Manager operates in a highly collaborative environment to develop and execute communication strategies for alumni, parents, and students that drive fundraising success and deepen community engagement. In partnership with the Division of Communications, the Manager synthesizes strategy across the division to coordinate compelling, multi-channel outreach that advances the division's goals. The Manager is also responsible for leading the implementation of communications-related functionalities in the division’s new Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) system, and for some content creation.
This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) exempt, regular, benefit-eligible staff position. Some travel and evening and weekend work is expected.
Compensation:
The expected starting salary range for this position is between $77,300 and $79,900. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility.
Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities:
Facilitate communications planning across the division in support of established communications goals.
- Serve as a key consultant across the division, developing solutions that meet departmental needs while maintaining a cohesive divisional voice and facilitating the escalation of high-level strategic decisions to the division’s leadership team. Work with divisional directors to optimize audience receipt, diagnose overlap, and integrate content from across the College.
- Oversee the division’s annual communications calendar, monitoring for audience and schedule congestion. Proactively identify resource conflicts and escalate budgetary or timing concerns to divisional directors and the division’s leadership team.
- Oversee project intake and prioritization while navigating resource constraints, working in coordination with the Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving and the Marketing Strategist for Communications. Monitor project responsibilities and delegate/assign tasks to other departmental and divisional staff as appropriate.
Direct the strategic development of messaging and storytelling to ensure a unified, compelling voice for the division’s philanthropic efforts.
- Collaborate with the Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving and the Marketing Strategist for Communications to develop and implement a tiered messaging strategy across the division. Ensure that primary and secondary communication focuses are integrated into all functional areas, maintaining brand alignment and strategic clarity.
- Convene divisional stakeholders to facilitate fundraising messaging and storytelling through existing and new communications pieces. Key collaborators include the Vice President’s leadership team and staff from Alumni Relations, Annual Fund, Development Operations, Grants, Major and Planned Giving, Milestone Reunions and Stewardship departments.
- Advise divisional directors on content for e-newsletters and other external communications. Coordinate the process and touchpoints for internal communications across the division, delegating routine tasks as appropriate.
- Write copy, develop, review and approve marketing and communications materials.
Serve as liaison and primary point of contact with the Division of Communications.
- Meet regularly with Marketing Strategist for Communications to coordinate divisional communications projects and develop cross-divisional partnerships.
- With input from the Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving and divisional leadership team, coordinate with Communications staff on the design and content of campaign materials.
- Coordinate with divisional and campus partners to ensure maximum impact of social media efforts and website content, working closely with Communications staff.
- Stay current with national best practices and trends in solicitation and messaging impact.
Lead implementation of communications-related work in Slate Deliver.
Education/Experience/Skills:
Required:
- A bachelor’s degree and at least five years of full-time professional experience in fundraising, marketing, communications, or related fields, or sufficient relevant experience
- Exceptional project management and the professional confidence to delegate tasks across peer groups effectively; success working collegially and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrated expertise in writing and editing compelling fundraising communications. This role requires experience in developing content across multiple platforms that successfully meets divisional objectives and produces quantifiable outcomes
- Experience with design, communications, and website tools and platforms, and with working across all of media (electronic, social, print and oral remarks)
- Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, and Zoom
- Ability to generate novel and creative approaches to problem solving and to respond appropriately to changes in priorities and schedules
- Ability to analyze data to identify trends, issues and opportunities
- Commitment to inclusion, diversity and equity, and attentiveness to inclusive marketing and communications practices
- Interest in working in a volunteer-driven program with high alumni and parent engagement
- Interest in thinking creatively and strategically about how messaging about an organization intersects with engagement, philanthropy, and volunteerism
Preferred:
- Experience with Technolutions Slate, Asana, WordPress, Emma, GiveCampus, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, Google Analytics is a plus, as is familiarity with HTML
- Experience in a higher education or non-profit setting
Must have the ability to understand and follow written and oral work instructions, operations, safety procedures, and hazardous labels.
Note: This position description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.
Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the hire is complete. We accept only online applications.
Carleton College is an AA/EEO Employer: We are committed to developing our staff to better reflect the diversity of our student body and American society. Members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
Carleton also offers a robust suite of benefits including: A generous 403(b) retirement plan with a 10% employer contribution and 2% employee contribution. Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance. Paid time-off, including 25 annual leave days, 8 paid holidays, and extra days at the end of the calendar year to make a continuous week off before New Year’s. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees. A dependent tuition program after six years of service.
Founded in 1866, Carleton College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college of roughly 2,000 students located in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Carleton College occupies more than 1,000 scenic acres of campus, arboretum, over 100 campus buildings, and athletic fields. Located 40 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Carleton offers access to the cultural advantages of a major metropolitan area.
Education/Experience/Skills:
Required:
- A bachelor’s degree and at least five years of full-time professional experience in fundraising, marketing, communications, or related fields, or sufficient relevant experience
- Exceptional project management and the professional confidence to delegate tasks across peer groups effectively; success working collegially and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrated expertise in writing and editing compelling fundraising communications. This role requires experience in developing content across multiple platforms that successfully meets divisional objectives and produces quantifiable outcomes
- Experience with design, communications, and website tools and platforms, and with working across all of media (electronic, social, print and oral remarks)
- Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, and Zoom
- Ability to generate novel and creative approaches to problem solving and to respond appropriately to changes in priorities and schedules
- Ability to analyze data to identify trends, issues and opportunities
- Commitment to inclusion, diversity and equity, and attentiveness to inclusive marketing and communications practices
- Interest in working in a volunteer-driven program with high alumni and parent engagement
- Interest in thinking creatively and strategically about how messaging about an organization intersects with engagement, philanthropy, and volunteerism
