Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland

The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s leading university, with a turnover of $1.3bn, including research revenue of over $300m generated across eight diverse faculties and two research institutes. We employ more than 5400 academic and professional staff to support over 45,000 students, making us one of NZ’s largest employers.

Our mission and values place strong emphasis on both our student body and our scholarly community, and we work with both community and enterprise to advance the well-being of the peoples of Auckland and New Zealand, with a clear commitment to pursuing sustainability.

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

The University of Auckland Alumni team works to connect, inform, support and celebrate our global community of alumni & friends, and we’re looking for a new member of our team as an Alumni Relations Engagement Adviser to join us in our central campus Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) office on a permanent basis.

Do you have experience working with volunteers? Have you shaped programs, including events and communications, that engage members or stakeholders? Are you passionate about positively impacting society? Then come work with us and help us make positive change through our delivery of innovative and stakeholder-focused engagement and communications programmes and more.

This is a dynamic and interesting role that works on anything from helping create more student-alumni connections through things like mentoring, to engaging volunteers via alumni-led events, to supporting stories of alumni impact in communities across the world.

Our aim at ARD is to build long-term mutually-beneficial relationships with alumni and donors. These relationships will lead to contributions of expertise, advocacy and philanthropic funds that will help the University of Auckland to play its part in the developing knowledge and people for the good of Auckland, New Zealand and the global community.

Overview of Accountabilities:

• Develop and implement engagement opportunities which support the University’s strategic goals and are alumni-centric
• Create effective communications with alumni designed to promote ways to stay connected and informed, including through networking, recognition and volunteering programmes.
• Ensure activities develop, sustain, and strengthen connections between members of the University’s global network of over 200,000 alumni
• Responsible for programme timelines and budgets to ensure goals are met within budget.
• Respond to requests from alumni for information, support and lifelong learning enquiries in a timely and accurate manner.
• Be the first point of contact for alumni and their engagement with the University

For more detailed information, please refer to the Position Description. 

Mō tō mātou rōpū | About the team

The Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) office forms the University’s centralised point of contact for philanthropic partners and for alumni and friends.

Our team includes Development and Alumni Relations personnel and a range of staff to support them and external Foundations by providing: events to gather together and celebrate our alumni and donors; web management, communications, research and development writing to reach out to our constituents and hear back from them; gift processing and database services to track gifts and alumni across the globe; and governance and investment services to external Foundations to support their stewardship and investment of the endowment fund.

He kōrero mōu | About you

We are seeking someone who has a passion for connecting people and advancing our mission of positively impacting society. You will thrive in this role if you have a positive outlook, are engaging and have a sense of humor.

We are looking for someone with the willingness to help and learn from others as we all work towards the same goal, and to truly succeed you will need to be proactive, with initiative and drive to deliver and improve projects/programmes.

Capabilities

• Volunteer engagement and management experience
• Communications and digital marketing skills, including social media marketing 
• Good organisational and administrative skills, including maintaining timelines, task lists and process refinements
• Project and program planning experience, including events planning & management and working with senior-level stakeholders

Skills

• High level of Excel and Microsoft Office skills
• Comfortable using and learning communications and digital platforms like Adobe, Eventbrite, etc

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou | What we offer

The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s leading university and maintains significant computational, laboratory and analytic facilities. Auckland itself is frequently rated as one of the world’s most liveable cities. 

The University is committed to providing an excellent working environment through:

• Flexible employment practices (including working from home, flexible hours)
• Up to 6.75% company superannuation scheme
• A competitive salary with five weeks’ annual leave

In addition, we also offer career development programmes, discounted car parking, a generous parental leave allowance, childcare and a number of other discounts on internal and external services. 

For more information please visit Staff Benefits.

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply

Applications must be submitted online, by the closing date of 28 September 2021 to be considered. Please include your cover letter and CV highlighting how you can meet the skills and experiences detailed above.

Please reach out to Neil Constable @ [email protected] for a confidential conversation. Please note we are happy to answer your questions but we do not accept applications by email.

In accordance with our commitment to equitable recruitment, the University welcomes applications from all suitably qualified and experienced candidates. In response to COVID-19 the New Zealand Government has imposed a travel ban and are currently only allowing New Zealand Residents, Citizens and visa holders meeting a strict exception policy to enter the country, all of whom must currently enter Government approved quarantine for two weeks on arrival.

It is uncertain when these border restrictions will change, and this may impact the degree to which an off-shore candidate can engage in the interview process; or be available to commence in a new position. For more information and updates on the border restrictions visit the Immigration New Zealand website or the New Zealand Government’s official Covid-19 website.

The University is committed to meeting its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and achieving equity outcomes for staff and students in a safe, inclusive and equitable environment. For further information on services for Māori, Pacific, women, LGBTQITakatāpui+, people with disabilities, parenting support, flexible work and other equity issues go to equity.auckland.ac.nz.