$143K – $175KSeniorFull Time
Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Director of Leadership Gifts in our Alumni Affairs and Development division, based in Ithaca, NY. This role presents an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the university's advancement efforts.
The Director of Leadership Gifts provides strategic leadership and day-to-day management for Cornell’s Leadership Gift Officer team within Annual and Leadership Giving (ALG). This role is responsible for driving Annual Fund growth through donor retention, upgrading, and pipeline development, while coaching and developing frontline fundraisers to achieve ambitious fundraising goals. As a member of the ALG leadership team, the Director partners collaboratively across Alumni Affairs and Development to advance university priorities and strengthen donor engagement.
Key Responsibilities
Lead, coach, and develop a team of Leadership Gift Officers to achieve fundraising and donor engagement goals.
Establish team and individual performance metrics focused on Annual Fund growth, retention, and donor pipeline development.
Oversee portfolio management and ensure strong data integrity and prospect strategy execution.
Personally manage a small portfolio of leadership giving prospects through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture aligned with Cornell’s values.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree and 7–10 years of fundraising or development experience in a complex organization.
Demonstrated success managing fundraising staff and driving results.
Strong communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to analyze data, set goals, and identify opportunities for improvement.
High level of initiative, integrity, and sound judgment in a fast-paced environment.
Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and wellbeing.
Cornell's Alumni Affairs and Development division, widely regarded as one of the top-performing advancement organizations in higher education, connects alumni, parents and friends with opportunities to advance the university's mission through philanthropy and engagement. As part of our team, you'll help cultivate meaningful relationships while working alongside dedicated professionals who share your commitment to excellence and educational advancement.
This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely 3 days per week and on-campus 2 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Rewards and Benefits
Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.
University Job Title:
AAD Development Director
Job Family:
Alumni Affairs Development
Level:
H
Pay Rate Type:
Salary
Pay Range:
$143,390.00 - $175,254.00
Remote Option Availability:
Hybrid
Company:
Endowed
Contact Name:
Rachel Colunio
Contact Email:
rg50@cornell.edu
Job Titles and Pay Ranges:
Non-Union Positions
Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
Prior relevant work or industry experience
Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
Unique applicable skills
Academic Discipline
To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.
Union Positions
The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.
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2026-05-15
