Executive Director, Constituent Relations and Development, Law School

Executive Director, Constituent Relations and Development, Law School

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Posting Details

 I. JOB OVERVIEW 

Job Description Summary:  | Established in 1865, the George Washington University Law School is the oldest law school in the nation’s capital and one of the most prestigious law schools in the country. The Law School is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools. GW Law is located on the GW campus in the downtown DC neighborhood familiarly known as Foggy Bottom.

University Advancement is responsible for leading the university’s alumni and fundraising efforts, and seeks to promote a culture of philanthropy throughout the university community, including alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, corporations and foundations, patients and other friends. Our goal is to advance the mission of excellence in education, research, scholarship, and patient care.

The landscape of alumni and constituent engagement is different today than it was in decades past. High tuition rates, along with greater competition from impactful nonprofits, have altered the way people view higher education, resulting in an increasing number of alumni abandoning the once deeply-rooted tradition of giving back to alma maters. In order to counteract this trend, schools must present a new value proposition. The Executive Director, Constituent Relations and Development at the George Washington University Law School (the School) plays a crucial role in helping to set this new path in reimagining why and how alumni, donors, volunteers, and board members are engaged. This role requires an innovative self-starter who is willing to think differently about the activity of engagement.

The Executive Director, reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Development and Constituent Engagement (AVP), provides strategy and leadership to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive program at the School that fosters relevant and meaningful engagement opportunities for alumni and non-alumni around philanthropy, volunteerism, and personal and professional development. This role is designed to be a thought-partner in leading strategies that result in measurable and effective collaborations with the School’s alumni, board members, donors, and volunteers towards the goals of enriching the alumni community, strengthening the school’s financial resources, and elevating the School in prominence and rankings. These goals will be accomplished through a data-driven and integrated approach of in-person and online events, programming, and prioritization. The Office of Advancement at the GW Law School serves as the proverbial ‘front door’ for alumni, many hiring firms and career partners, and even potential students. As such, this role is charged with creating experiences for these constituents that provide first-class customer service that results in committed and loyal donors, volunteers, and advocates of the School.

Primary Responsibilities: Supervise the Engagement team, which includes the functional areas of alumni engagement, annual giving, stewardship, reunion and events, board and council management, and volunteer management. Makes hiring decisions; manages performances, daily tasks and workflows, provides coaching, training and mentorship. Develop and execute a strategy that engages the School’s alumni, board members, donors, and volunteers locally, regionally, and nationally by leveraging relevant and meaningful initiatives, events, and communications. Evaluate the school’s effectiveness of events and programs through feedback mechanisms and data analysis, making budget and programming adjustments as necessary to enhance alumni participation and satisfaction. Collaborate with academic departments, student organizations, and other School and university units to develop meaningful programming that aligns with the interests and needs of alumni and external stakeholders, including the creation and assessment of affinity groups. In close partnership with the School’s AVP, develop and implement a robust and streamlined approach to effectively manage the School’s eight different councils and boards—which includes the GW Law School Alumni Board- that provides value-add experiences for the board members and the School. Determine the best reunion model for the school and implement, track, and evaluate it, focusing on opportunities to increase reunion attendance and reunion class fundraising. Working closely with the Dean’s Office, School’s AVP, and the School’s major gift officers, plan national travel and meetings for the School’s Dean and other School academic leadership that focus on the cultivation of key relationships. Create and implement, utilizing various platforms, including social media, newsletters, the semi-annual Law School magazine, surveys, online communities, and post-event emails to effectively communicate with alumni and constituents about School news and opportunities for engagement. Oversee and manage the School’s donor stewardship program, which involves the execution of faculty installations, customized annual endowment reports, bespoke and routine acknowledgements, and other donor stewardship activities, as well as working closely with the Director of Finance to ensure efficient funds management towards the goals of increasing the School’s retention rates and elevating existing donors to higher gift levels. Partner collaboratively with Central GW Annual Giving Office to plan, execute, and report on the School’s annual giving efforts, focusing on unrestricted revenue, donor counts, and lead generation. Continue to enhance the Law School Advancement team’s culture of collaboration and innovation by partnering with colleagues within the Law School across GW University, and at peer institutions in order to remain knowledgeable about industry best practices and trends.

Perform other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:  | Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 8 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant area of study plus 6 years of relevant professional experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications:  | Valid driver’s license Ability to work evenings and weekends Travel nationally

Preferred Qualifications:  | Progressive experience in institutional advancement (alumni engagement, donor relations, stewardship and annual giving) in higher education, preferably in complex academic & research institutions. Other non-profit related experience will be considered. Demonstrated ability to manage development and alumni relations professional staff, including goal setting, performance reviews and disciplinary action (when appropriate). Leadership skills with strategic vision, combined with ability to implement on a plan. Experience with annual giving campaigns & strategies for mailing and digital outreach is desired. Experience in managing volunteers and advisory councils, with an ability to work well with diverse constituencies, is preferred. Creativity combined with tenacity and a can-do spirit. Strong organizational, database management and project management skills, combined with an acute attention to detail, are desired. Utilization of sound judgment and experience in handling confidential information. Desire and ability to work as part of a team and willingness to collaborate with stakeholders within the law school and across campus to achieve common goals. Strong skills in Microsoft Office software products, particularly Excel and Word, as well as Google products.
Hiring Range  | $88,562.15 - $154,055.84
GW Staff Approach to Pay  | How is pay for new employees determined at GW?

 Healthcare Benefits
GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit https://hr.gwu.edu/benefits-programs.

 II. JOB DETAILS 

Campus Location:  | Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.
College/School/Department:  | GW Law School (LAW)
Family  | Dev & Alumni Relations
Sub-Family  | Alumni Relations
Stream  | Management
Level  | Level 3
Full-Time/Part-Time:  | Full-Time
Hours Per Week:  | 40
Work Schedule:  | Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Will this job require the employee to work on site?  | Yes
Employee Onsite Status  | Hybrid
Telework:  | Yes
Required Background Check:  | Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search
Special Instructions to Applicants:  | Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status
Internal Applicants Only?  | No
Posting Number:  | S013990
Job Open Date:  | 12/23/2025
Job Close Date:  |
If temporary, grant funded, Sponsored Project funded or limited term appointment, position funded until:  |
Background Screening  | Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.
EEO Statement:  | The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

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2013 H Street, NW, 3rd Floor
 Washington, DC 20006

Phone: 202-994-8500
Fax: 202-994-9680
Email: askhrmd@gwu.edu
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