Job Summary
The position
As the alumni base across multiple countries and generations continues to grow and diversify, the Aga Khan Schools recognise the importance of cultivating meaningful, sustained relationships with former students. Alumni play a vital role not only as ambassadors of the school’s values but also as mentors, donors, employers and collaborators who can actively support current students and one another.
To meet the evolving needs of this dynamic and global community, the role of Alumni Relations Manager has expanded significantly. The Manager serves as the bridge between the schools and their alumni, working in close collaboration with country teams, school leaders, alumni chapters, and graduates around the world. This role supports the development of a vibrant, connected and engaged alumni network that contributes to lifelong learning, career development and a shared commitment to improving the quality of life in the societies the schools serve.
The Alumni Relations Manager is responsible for building and nurturing strong relationships with alumni of the Aga Khan Schools (AKS) globally, and fostering a culture of long-term alumni involvement by building systems that connect graduates to the schools throughout different life and career stages. This role supports the development of a thriving alumni network that contributes to the academic, professional and personal growth of current students and graduates, while fostering lifelong connections with the institutions. The Manager works closely with country offices, alumni chapters and schools to ensure consistent communication, programming and engagement across regions.
Strategy Development and Oversight
- Design and lead a global alumni engagement strategy aligned with the organisation’s mission and long-term vision.
- Identify and prioritise under-engaged regions/schools; develop tailored approaches to strengthen alumni communities.
- Collaborate with country teams to establish and support sustainable alumni chapters and leadership structures.
- Develop toolkits and frameworks for consistent engagement, communications, and operations across countries.
- Develop a strategy for promoting career development opportunities across the Alumni Network and facilitating access to internships, mentorship, and resources.
- Monitor global trends in alumni relations to inform strategic planning and continuous improvement.
Global Engagement and Communications
- Act as the primary point of contact for alumni worldwide, nurturing relationships through strategic, multi-channel communication.
- Oversee a global calendar of alumni activities, including communications, campaigns, and events.
- Lead all global-level alumni communications, including newsletter, social media, and alumni features, ensuring consistency and engagement across platforms.
- Collect and showcase alumni stories to build visibility and foster a sense of community.
- Work with the communications team to develop multimedia content and maintain regular alumni spotlight features to celebrate achievements.
AKS Alumni Connect Platform and Data Management
- Oversee the AKS Alumni Connect platform, ensuring active use through regular content updates, campaigns, and community moderation.
- Maintain and regularly update the global alumni database in collaboration with country teams, including new cohorts of alumni annually.
- Curate archives of alumni achievements and contributions.
Fundraising and Advancement
- Partner with advancement teams to identify alumni for storytelling, donor engagement, and giving initiatives, and support alumni giving strategies and donor cultivation efforts.
Events and Programming
- Support the planning of country and school-level alumni events, including reunions, career days, service initiatives, and global gatherings.
- Lead the planning of global-level alumni events.
- Manage the alumni programme budget and allocation across geographies.
Required Skills
The requirements
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
- 5-10 years of experience in alumni relations, university advancement, or related fields, with a proven track record of successful leadership and programme management.
- Strong understanding of alumni engagement best practices and fundraising strategies.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to connect with diverse alumni and university constituents.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating with diverse, multi-country teams.
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to work with confidential information and maintain discretion.
- Experience handling structured and unstructured data is preferred.
- Cultural sensitivity and understanding of the Aga Khan Schools values and mission.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in developing digital engagement strategies (e.g., virtual events, social media outreach).
- Proven success in alumni giving programmes and major gift cultivation.
- Knowledge of current trends in higher education, alumni relations, and nonprofit management.
- Ability to represent the university at events, both locally and nationally, and act as an ambassador for the institution.
“AKS recognizes the importance of safeguarding and is committed to promoting the welfare of children and staff. Thorough safeguarding checks will be conducted for all candidates. All employees and volunteers must abide by the AKS Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.”
