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Position Overview Organization: McMaster University Title: Associate Vice President, Alumni Engagement Reports To: Vice President, Advancement Key Internal Relationships: President, Deans, Senate and Alumni Association Board of Directors Key External Relationships: 220,000 (and growing) McMaster alumni, worldwide Team: Nine direct Location: McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario. Three Four days per week on site in Hamilton. Compensation:$177,000 $221,000 plus fulsome benefits (details below) Is This You? You are a strategic, collaborative and high impact leader. You have deep experience leading and developing high performing teams and are known for your inclusive co-creation approach. You have high standards and are known for creating a culture of excellence and innovation. You are an excellent communicator and dont operate in a silo. Through your approachable nature and commitment to excellence you attract a following people want to work with and for you because of how you treat others you arent transactional, you are the ultimate people person. You have a natural ability to connect with all types and are genuinely interested in learning about others. You are an able connector, an excellent conversationalist, and you enjoy developing deep and meaningful relationships. You are thoughtful, genuine and sincere. You know how to work a room and are comfortable speaking in front of large audiences. Nothing brings you more joy than bringing a community together. You would be energized to step into a vital leadership role at Canadas most innovative University, leading their alumni engagement strategy as they embark on a historic campaign that will shape the future of the University and its community for years to come. If this sounds like you, read on. About McMaster University Founded in 1887, McMaster University is a research-intensive public university. McMaster is dedicated to advancing human and societal health and well-being. McMaster is ranked in the worlds Top 80 publicly funded universities by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. With a total student population of more than 37,000, McMaster welcomes students from 120 countries as well as Canada. Home to more than 70 research centres and institutes, McMaster University is comprised of the six faculties of Business (DeGroote School of Business), Engineering, Health Science, Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences. McMasters 30-acre main campus, located in the Westdale neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario, is comprised of 300 acres of scenic property at the western end of Lake Ontario, between Toronto and Niagara Falls. McMaster University also has three other regional campuses: Burlington, Kitchener- Waterloo, and Niagara. Advancement & Alumni Engagement at McMaster University McMasters vibrant student experience, world-class research, and community engagement are empowered by the support of thousands of alumni and donors who also believe strongly in McMaster. Together, McMasters donors and alumni help make the university what it is today and help nurture the next generation of leaders in our world. The Advancement leadership team provides overall strategic leadership and direction in the areas of fundraising; developing and building partnerships; and engaging with donors, alumni and stakeholders. The Advancement team also plays a critically important role in advancing McMasters strategy, in support of McMasters ambitious vision, in partnership with the academic and administrative leaders across the University. The Advancement team has a centralized/decentralized structure, with strategies established and coordinated centrally, along with some programs and services (e.g. Annual Giving, Leadership Giving, Principal Giving, Corporate Giving, Estate Giving & Legacy Planning, Stewardship, overarching Alumni programs, Research & Prospect Analytics, and Gift Processing services), whereas other programs and services are delivered locally through decentralized, dedicated Development and Alumni staff embedded within the faculties and units. You can learn more about the alumni program by clicking here. Leadership Lili Litwin, Vice President, University Advancement Lili Litwin joined McMaster on June 1, 2023, as McMasters new Vice-President, University Advancement. As a leading Canadian advancement expert, Litwin has worked across the research, hospital, charitable and university sectors. In addition to serving as executive director of Advancement at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, she spent five years as president of the St. Michaels Foundation at St. Michaels Hospital and Providence Healthcare, Unity Health Toronto. In both roles, she led fundraising campaigns that surpassed their goals, developed strong and diverse advancement teams, and liaised with academic partners on governance and donor stewardship. Lili graduated from York University with a B.Ed. Her earlier work experience includes time as Vice- President of Development at the Canadian Centre for Diversity and with ONEXONE, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in health and education. The Position The Associate Vice President, Alumni Engagement is a senior strategic leader and will provide a vision to foster lifelong relationships between the University and its alumni, and friends. This role is responsible for developing and implementing McMaster Universitys comprehensive institutionwide alumni engagement strategy that supports institutional goals in alumni relations, volunteerism, and philanthropy. This role comes at a defining moment for the University, as it prepares to launch its most ambitious philanthropic campaign and reimagines how alumni can shape the future of McMaster through advocacy, insight, and support. As the alumni population grows in size, diversity, and global reach, this role is critical to ensuring alumni are seen and engaged as vital partners in the Universitys success. The incumbent will provide strategic planning for, and integration of, complex subfunctions across Advancement and the wider University. This includes directing annual planning cycles, aligning alumni engagement with competing institutional priorities, and contributing to strategic policy development with longterm and precedentsetting impact. Drawing on strong foundations, the Associate Vice President (AVP), Alumni Engagement will lead the evolution of alumni engagement from a wellregarded programme to a transformative force that enhances McMasters global reputation, student recruitment, graduate employability, and philanthropic success. The role brings to life the new Presidents vision of a community that remains meaningfully connected for life one where alumni are integral to McMasters societal impact and mission delivery. As a member of the senior leadership of the Advancement portfolio, the AVP, Alumni Engagement will lead a highperforming team, they will collaborate across faculties and functions, and champion innovation in alumni engagement. Key Accountabilities Strategic Leadership and Institutional Alignment - Develop and communicate the longterm strategic direction for alumni engagement, aligned with McMasters institutional goals and campaign ambitions ensuring that engagement is deepened and aligned with McMasters institutional priorities and upcoming campaign - Deliver a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy that advances the Universitys reputation, research strengths, student recruitment, and graduate employability. - Lead the creation and implementation of divisional policies and objectives that support longterm impact, equity, and innovation. - Guide institutionallevel strategic initiatives, ensuring alumni engagement informs policy development, campaign readiness, and societal outcomes. - Advise senior leaders including the President, Provost, Deans, and VicePresidents on the strategic value of alumni engagement and its integration across University priorities. - Regularly present to Board committees, and provide strategic counsel to governance bodies, and contribute to decisions with longterm institutional impact. Advancement Integration and Campaign Leadership - As part of the AVP team within Advancement, the role works in partnership with peer AVPs to shape a coherent, PanUniversity strategy for engagement and philanthropy. - Serve as a core member of the Advancement leadership team, working closely with colleagues across fundraising, donor relations, and communications. - Lead the integration of alumni engagement with fundraising, including annual giving, major gifts, and legacy giving, ensuring alignment with supporter journeys. - Lead Alumni function in a complex environment with both centrally and faculty embedded Alumni roles, ensuring McMasters Alumni vision and strategy is consistent across the institution and influencing a complex network of stakeholders. - Play a key leadership role in McMasters upcoming campaign, crafting a compelling case for engagement that complements the case for support and invites alumni contributions of time, talent, and philanthropy. Alumni Experience and Community Engagement - Alongside the team, design and deliver inclusive alumni programmes that foster pride, belonging, and lifelong connection. - Champion innovative forms of engagement through networks, digital platforms, and volunteering. - Ensure alumni engagement contributes to McMasters goals in student success, equity, recruitment, and employability. - Provide advice, guidance and organizational support to the McMaster Alumni Association including guidance to the President, Executive and Board of Directors of the McMaster Alumni Association. - Represent the University at alumni events locally, nationally, and internationally. Organizational Leadership and Team Development - Lead and mentor a multitiered team of directors, managers, and staff, fostering a highperformance culture of collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and continuous learning. - Mentor senior managers and build leadership capacity through succession planning, coaching, and career development. - Guide the evolution of facultybased alumni roles to ensure strategic alignment and consistent practice across the University. - Provide inspiration and feedback to alumni professionals across McMaster, supporting local engagement while advancing central objectives. Digital Transformation and InsightLed Practice - Lead the digital transformation of alumni engagement, including CRM use, digital communications, and AIsupported analytics to assess engagement effectiveness and inform strategic data driven decisions. - Promote datadriven approaches to segmentation, supporter journeys, and impact measurement. - Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for alumni engagement. - Leverage technology to deliver scalable, personalised, and hybrid engagement experiences. Oversight and Resource Stewardship - Oversee daytoday and longterm operations within alumni engagement, ensuring alignment with institutional standards and Advancement best practice. - Drive continuous improvement and innovation through insightled and adaptive leadership. - Manage a multimilliondollar budget, ensuring responsible resource use, return on investment, and alignment with campaign priorities. Governance, Policy, and Institutional Engagement - Act as executive lead to the McMaster Alumni Association Board, supporting effective governance and alignment with University strategy. - Contribute actively to UniversityWide policy development and represent alumni engagement at executive forums. - Advise and support PVP (President Vice President) and Board committees on alumnirelated matters. - Develop and uphold UniversityWide policies and standards for alumni engagement. The Ideal Candidate Key Qualifications - Completion of a Bachelor degree at minimum. A Masters degree would be considered desirable. - CFRE designation desirable. - 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in alumni relations, advancement, or related sectors, including executivelevel accountability. - Experience working closely with a President, VicePresident, Dean, or senior executive leader is required. - Strong knowledge of the postsecondary sector and current trends in North American Advancement is considered an asset. - Ability to think creatively, strategic thinking and experience in developing and executing strategic plans, annual plans in a complex organization. - Demonstrated success in leading and executing change. - Extensive people and relationship management skills and demonstrated through past responsibilities. - Deeply familiar with and responsive to the priorities / motivations of academic leaders and researchers in a university setting. - Exercises excellent diplomacy and judgment while navigating difficult situations. - Ability to listen, compile learnings from, and influence key stakeholders - Comfortable in international settings and working with a variety of cultures second language is an asset. - Superior interpersonal and communication skills, including exceptional presentation and public speaking skills comfort and ability to adapt speaking style to different sizes and types of audience. - Strong organization skills and proven track record of succeeding in managing complex and competing deadlines in a fastpaced role and environment. - Demonstrated experience shaping and executing strategy with institutionwide impact. - Proven commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigenous engagement. - Expertise in digital engagement, data analytics, and supporter experience design. Leadership Competencies - Strategic Outcome Orientation: Delivers value through systemic, longterm institutional outcomes, rather than shortterm operational outputs. - Systemic Integration: Oversees executivelevel integration of multiple subfunctions to ensure strategic alignment across Advancement and the wider University. - Strategic Governance Influence: Regularly advises and influences the President, Board, and other executive leaders; decisions are often precedentsetting and longterm in impact. - Executive Collaboration: Plays a leadership role on the Advancement leadership team and contributes strategic counsel to the Universitys most senior leaders. - Governance Stewardship: Acts as a trusted advisor and liaison to the Alumni Association Board, fostering aligned governance and impactful alumni partnership. - Strategic Vision: Shapes institutionwide engagement strategy and priorities. - Collaborative Influence: Builds trusted relationships with academic and administrative leaders. Exceptional level collaboration with stakeholders across the institution and direct and indirect reporting relationships. - Innovation and Agility: Champions digital transformation and continuous improvement. - Results Orientation: Aligns resources to institutional goals and evaluates impact rigorously. - Inclusive Leadership: Builds diverse, empowered teams and inclusive alumni communities. Knowledge and Skills Required - Advancing expertise in navigating competing strategic objectives across a large, decentralised institution. - Experience leading precedentsetting, highimpact institutional change initiatives at the executive level. - Deep understanding of alumni engagement strategy, advancement principles, and the evolving role of alumni in postsecondary institutions. - Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, policy development, and leading institutionwide initiatives. - Strong political acumen and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments with diplomacy and credibility. - Exceptional communication, influence, and relationshipbuilding skills, including the ability to brief and advise senior executive leaders and governance bodies. - Highlevel capability in data analysis, digital engagement platforms, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. - A track record of leading innovation and driving systemic change in large, complex organisations. - Strong financial management and resource allocation skills to ensure strategic alignment and ROI. - A sophisticated understanding of governance structures, board management, and alumni association leadership. Working at McMaster University At McMaster, you will find a community of talented individuals who are inspired by the Universitys Mission and the sense of purpose this mission brings. It is through these talented individuals, their creativity and drive for results that McMaster University has earned its reputation as being Canadas most innovative University. Leaders in The Senior Administrative Leader Group are vital contributors to McMasters renowned culture of creativity, innovation and excellence. They demonstrate the value they place on their leaders with a highly competitive total rewards package featuring compensation, wellbeing, growth and inclusion provisions. McMaster University strives to embody the values of integrity, quality, inclusiveness and teamwork, and has a strong commitment to employment equity. Building an inclusive community with a shared purpose is something that McMaster University prioritizes. They believe it is important for their workforce to reflect the diversity of their students and community. The diversity of their workforce is at the core of their innovation and creativity and is a key area that strengthens their research capabilities and teaching excellence. Compensation & Benefits To learn more about the total rewards available to the successful candidate, please access McMasters interactive guide with a summary of the compensation, benefits, retirement income, work life, development and career opportunities, and performance and recognition provisions offered at McMaster. To further explore the extensive total rewards program, detailed information can be accessed through the links throughout the guide. The hiring range for this position is $177,000 $221,000 plus a performance pay bonus eligibility of up to 10% of base salary, along with an excellent benefits package. Application Instructions The University seeks qualified candidates who share their commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Mtis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+. Preston Human Capital Group has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of McMaster University. If you would like to apply, please send your CV and cover letter to Lindsay Preston ([email protected]) by December 19, 2025, at 5pm ET. Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require any accommodation, please notify Lindsay Preston. McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the Dish With One Spoon wampum agreement. The diversity of their workforce is at the core of their innovation and creativity and strengthens their research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity and has a strong commitment to employment equity. We thank you in advance for your interest. Only qualified candidates will be contacted. #J-18808-Ljbffr