The Kansas State University Alumni Association invites nominations and applications for the position of President and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association. Established in 1874, the alumni association is dedicated to providing lifelong connections, programs and services for its members and all K-State alumni in a way palpable, yet only described as “Purple” to those that graduated from, dedicated their careers to K-State and/or have been influenced by this remarkable R1 university.

The Association seeks an experienced and bold president and CEO to lead one of the premier alumni associations in the nation. The association is a stand-alone 501(c)(3) with an independent board of directors; however, it works in close partnership with the university and campus partners dedicated to increasing meaningful engagement activities with more than 203,000 degree-holding alumni around the world. The President and CEO reports directly to the K-State Alumni Association Board of Directors. They will hold a standing director seat as secretary on the board, will be an ex officio member of the KSU Foundation board of directors and will also sit on the University President’s cabinet.

This is the perfect time for a new leader to join the university as it welcomes a new university president and has had a record fundraising year. Additionally, the university anticipates the completion of an institution-wide branding campaign and strategic plan in 2023, making this an ideal time for the next leader to launch a new Alumni Association strategic plan.

The next president and CEO will ensure that K-State students, prospective and current, and alumni are receiving an inspiring “Purple experience” and support as they chart personal pathways and have the full support of their association and an “alumni family” that extends across the globe. The president and CEO will be the ultimate convener of those networks.

The president and CEO will oversee a staff of 32, creating a forward-thinking alumni relations office by implementing strategies that show alumni the full value of their experience. The president and CEO will lead a team to think nimbly about engaging alumni in multiple platforms, settings, and formats to keep affinity strong and ensure alumni have social and professional resources on campus, off campus and quite literally, at their fingertips through digital and social media engagement.

The president and CEO will have a vision for a highly integrated agenda across all facets of a modern alumni engagement enterprise, working closely with the senior leadership team in setting association wide goals and priorities, and participating in strategic resourcing decisions. The Alumni Association will work collaboratively to increase affinity and inclination, reinforcing the principle that building long-term relationships is a team sport. The president and CEO will inspire and grow the capacity, reach and success of the program with tremendous energy and an eye towards bridge building and collaboration across the enterprise.

The incoming president and CEO will be a fully engaged colleague on campus and in the community of Manhattan. They will resonate with and speak passionately on behalf of the university, and will completely embrace what it means to be a K-Stater. The candidate will have a proven record of success leading an advancement, alumni relations or similar engagement program of similar size, diversity and complexity. Higher education experience is not a requirement. The president and CEO will be an experienced manager of people and programs. The candidate must be well versed in best practices leading to engagement and membership activities, particularly related to data-driven approaches to measure engagement through business intelligence tools, scorecards and analytics. 

WittKieffer is assisting the Kansas State University Alumni Association with this search. Applications should include, as separate documents, a resume and letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile.

Application materials should be submitted to WittKieffer’s candidate portal. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to WittKieffer consultants, Mercedes Chacón Vance, Melissa Fincher and Jenna Brumleve, at: KStateAlumniAssocCEO@wittkieffer.com