Program Manager, Board & Volunteer Engagement

Working at Yale means contributing to a better tomorrow. Whether you are a current resident of our New Haven-based community, eligible for opportunities through the New Haven Hiring Initiative, or a newcomer, interested in exploring all that Yale has to offer, your talents and contributions are welcome. Discover your opportunities at Yale!

Overview

The Yale Alumni Association (YAA) is responsible for university-wide alumni relations and for events, programs, initiatives, and other opportunities to strengthen alumni relationships with Yale. Reporting to the Senior Associate Director for Board and Volunteer Engagement, the Program Manager fosters alumni engagement by planning and implementing events and programs related to the YAA Board of Governors and YAA Assembly. 

• Provide program management for the YAA Assembly / Yale Alumni Fund Convocation event, including developing and tracking planning team agendas, timelines, and assignments using Monday.com. Manage event promotions and attendee registration process, including audience segmentation, online schedule & registration setup, and customer service oversight. Collaborate with YAA’s marketing & communications team and external graphic designers on branding, print materials, and related assets. Manage program elements as assigned, such as faculty panels or volunteer best practices sessions, in collaboration with staff or alumni volunteer stakeholders. Develop event metrics and reports, including attendee analysis and post-event survey results.

• Manage YAA delegate program, including communications with alumni volunteers and staff, tracking vacancies and appointments, developing recruitment strategies, and supporting YAA Board activities for delegate engagement. Oversee delegate data integrity in Yale’s CRM alumni database (Hopper). With the Senior Associate Director, support the YAA Board committee responsible for at-large delegate appointments, including outreach, software configuration, candidate communications, and Hopper coding.

• Provide project management support for election and appointment of new YAA Board members and officers, as well as volunteer recognition programs (Excellence Awards and Yale Medal). Responsibilities include outreach to eligible candidates or nominators, tracking and reporting on candidate pools, managing committee’s process via technology platform, orienting and training volunteers, tracking timelines and assignments, and communicating outcomes to stakeholders and candidates.

• With the Deputy Executive Director and Senior Associate Director, support YAA Board of Governors activities, including planning plenary meeting agendas, creating report and presentation templates, and overseeing logistics. Contribute to support for staff and volunteer leadership of YAA Board committees and working groups.

• Contribute to YAA Board and Volunteer Engagement team responsibilities, including training, tools, and systems support for YAA teams working with volunteer-led alumni organizations; and development and implementation of department-wide volunteer lifecycle programming and stewardship. Coordinate post-event follow up, including attendance data, participant communications, speaker stewardship, and collection and sharing of program materials. 

• May perform other duties, including staffing alumni association programs such as Yale College Reunions. Some evenings and weekends required.

The following principal responsibilities are generic in nature.  Applicants will find the information in the Overview section to be most relevant to the needs of the position.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Demonstrated ability to innovate and to manage projects from conception to completion with exceptional attention to detail. Sound judgment regarding need for consultation vs. independent decision-making. Ability to serve as the key decision maker while meeting the needs of stakeholders. 

2. Skilled in both live and virtual event planning, program development, and logistics, and ability to prioritize and meet multiple, competing responsibilities. Willingness to assume responsibility for all aspects of specific programs, including travel and irregular hours.

3. Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to build productive relationships with staff and volunteers to contribute to YAA’s mission. Ability to keep priorities aligned while maintaining professionalism and a sense of humor. Commitment to an inclusive workplace. 

4. Outstanding verbal and written communications skills. Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain strict confidentiality.

5. Demonstrated flexibility and agility in responding to changing demands and priorities such as technology landscape and external policy requirements. Facility with technology and data management; willingness to learn new systems and ability to onboard both colleagues and volunteers. 

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Experience in alumni relations, event planning, project management, nonprofit organizations, or related fields.

2. Experience working with volunteers in a nonprofit or higher education setting. Knowledge of the University and its academic programs. 

Principal Responsibilities

1. Oversees the advancement and growth of the program. Gives direction and leadership supporting the philosophy, mission, strategy, and annual goals and objectives. Assumes primary accountability for disseminating and publishing all program information to create public awareness and support of the program. 2. Works closely with leadership, internal and external colleagues, and community residents to further develop and implement strategic plans. 3. Identifies, solicits, and cultivates community partnerships and collaborations to assist in the development and growth of the program. Develops the metrics to identify and measure the success of the program. Responsible for measurements of grant success and related evaluation. 4. Assists in identifying and evaluating potential future funding sources, and contributes to the submission of grants and contracts supporting the program, including the annual submission and writing of all content areas and budgetary sections of grant applications. Develops and manages the program’s operating budget. 5. Develops the administrative infrastructure of the program. Manages human resource and administrative functions of the program, including staffing and hiring, supervision, performance development, counseling and discipline, if warranted. Oversees and manages information systems, facilities, and space needs. 6. Investigates, identifies, implements, and oversees the maintenance of systems to gather, track, and report information to support the initiatives of the program. Tracks all program activities and regularly informs leadership of progress on each initiative. Recommends structural or programmatic adjustments, changes or additions based on full knowledge of missions, goals, and objectives. 7. Initiates, designs, and manages the compilation of program communications; identifying outreach potential, and promoting philanthropic and collaborative support of the program. Contributes to the development and assists in the management of content on the program’s website and monitors all changes and additions to the editorial content. 8. May perform other duties as assigned. Required Education and Experience Bachelor's degree in a related field and four years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Job Posting Date

08/26/2026

Job Category

Professional

Bargaining Unit

NON

Compensation Grade

Administration & Operations

Compensation Grade Profile

Supervisor; Senior Associate (P5)

Salary Range

$68,000.00 - $120,500.00

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Staff

Work Model

Hybrid

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

Health Requirements

Certain positions have associated health requirements based on specific job responsibilities. These may include vaccinations, tests, or examinations, as required by law, regulation, or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

Salary offers are determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education in relation to the position requirements, along with the role’s grade profile and current internal and external market conditions.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through  their hiring department.

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale's Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus.