Head of Alumni Relations

The School

The King’s School, Gloucester has a rich academic tradition dating back to its founding in 1541. It houses the longest serving classroom in Europe and is held in high esteem amongst the local and wider community, winning Gloucestershire Independent School of the Year in 2020. The School strives for excellence in all areas: the academic results are strong with the pupil value-added score being equivalent to half a grade at GCSE; there is a wide-ranging sport provision and pupils reach national levels every year; in Music, our links with Gloucester Cathedral provide an ideal location for high quality orchestral and choral music; finally, the creative arts enjoy much success with DT and Art having their own dynamic and well-facilitated design space.

 Role

To take responsibility for activities and publications directed towards the King’s School alumni community, Club 1541. The aim of the role is to build excellent relations with alumni and encourage their engagement with the School in a variety of ways. 

The Head of Alumni Relations (HAR) will work within the Development Office, liaising with colleagues as required and providing support in all areas of School development. The HAR will play a leading role in building and strengthening relationships with the School's key constituencies (primarily alumni, past and present parents, staff and governors) through organising and managing events, instigating communications and running lower level fundraising programmes. It is essential that the HAR is a team player able to initiate projects and ideas, as well as take direction.

Main Duties

Strategic:

• To work with the Headmaster and Senior Management Team (SMT) to develop a long term strategic plan for the Foundation and alumni.

Event Planning and Management:

• Responsible for designing, planning, publicising and executing an annual programme of alumni events which maximises attendance by alumni and generates goodwill towards the School; 

• Responsible for producing invitations and organising catering and all other elements necessary for the successful running of alumni events;

• Responsible for seeking regular feedback from alumni and recording lessons learned to constantly improve the School’s events; 

• Encourage alumni to visit the School in order to strengthen ties with the School.

Relationship Development / Communications: 

• Responsible for writing and compiling the Club 1541 digital newsletter, including sourcing stories, photographs and writing features;

• Responsible for developing ideas to maximise readership across all demographics; 

• Responsible for developing and maintaining a digital marketing strategy to ensure the effective use of the School’s online alumni social networks (currently: Toucan Tech, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn); 

• To drive up participation across all platforms through creation of regular, engaging content; 

• Responsible for engaging with former pupils to develop a thriving Club 1541;

• Responsible for the development of the alumni area on the School website;

• Responsible for writing press releases relating to the School’s alumni activities for use across different media; 

• Responsible for corresponding with, and managing requests and queries from, alumni;

• Responsible for managing all alumni communications, including organising mailings and running mail merges for alumni;

• Ensure that current pupils are kept informed of Development Office projects and achievements.

Careers:

• Working with the Head of Careers and relevant teachers to welcome alumni to the School for events such as talks, lunches, or career-focused seminars;

• Communicating with alumni to request that they support diverse careers areas such as work experience, apprenticeships or Gap year placements.

Data Management: 

• Designing and implementing a strategy to re-establish contact with a significant proportion of the School’s missing alumni and record their data; 

• Following best practice in GDPR to keep alumni data and records up to date;

• Maintaining, amending, and ensuring the integrity of the School’s alumni records on the Toucan Tech database. 

New Alumni:

• Informing each year’s School leavers about the alumni relations programme of events, publications, online media and services, and ensuring their contact details are collected for future engagement.

 Fundraising: 

• The role is specifically not about fund-raising for the School. However, when liaison is required with alumni regarding donations of time or money, the HAR would be expected to lead that process.

• Undertake research to increase knowledge of potential donors and ensure recording on the database to be used for future promotional work;

• Responsible for ensuring the Headmaster is kept informed of any major gift or donor potential and assist with follow up as directed.

General: 

• Work effectively with the Development Office, Director of Marketing & Admissions, Bursar, Archivist and Events Co-Ordinator;

• Occasional attendance or support for events outside of the HAR role may be required and would be returned in kind;

• Carry out any other duties appropriate to the position as directed by the Headmaster, Director of Marketing & Admissions or Bursar.

Applications

Candidates should apply by completing the application form and a letter of application.  A CV is not required. Applications should be addressed to: 

The Headmaster, The King’s School, Gloucester, GL1 2BG.  

Closing date is Friday 21st May at 12 noon with interviews taking place on Tuesday 8th June.

For further information, please contact Miss Laura Wilson on 01452 337315 or via email e-mail: recruitment@thekingsschool.co.uk