Major Gifts Associate, College of Human Ecology

About the role

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Major Gift Associate to join our Alumni Affairs and Development division in the College of Human Ecology, based in Ithaca, NY. This role presents an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the university's advancement efforts.

Responsibilities

• Draft correspondence for use by the Deans, faculty, and gift officers for a variety of purposes, including meeting follow-up, acknowledgement letters, notes of congratulations, etc.
• Develop briefing materials, talking points, and other supporting materials for meetings with prospective donors.
• Research and gather information as necessary to ensure accuracy of materials and information that reflects prospect’s interests and involvements.
• Clarify, synthesize, and customize information to the intended audience.
• In conjunction with MGOs, develop appropriate documents requesting philanthropic support from Human Ecology’s closest alumni and friends. This may include creation of formal proposals, letters, etc. and typically involves coordination with colleagues and administrators from across the College and campus.
• Review prospect development and stewardship strategies with MGOs and facilitate connections within the College and University to support these strategies. This may include planning campus visits and coordinating speaking engagements.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of the College’s fundraising priorities and faculty research to develop cases for support and other relevant fundraising materials for internal and external audiences.
• Collaborate with MGOs to develop and execute prospect stewardship strategies that demonstrate the impact of the donor’s generosity to Cornell.
• Oversee and manage stewardship for all endowed funds not stewarded by University Donor Relations.
• Stay informed of all Committee on Memorials and Named Facilities policies, manage submission process, and maintain accurate database of all named spaces opportunities within the College.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of work experience, or equivalent, in a relevant field.
• Strong interpersonal skills and effective communication skills, both written and oral.
• Demonstrated skill in understanding cultural differences.
• Ability to use persuasive writing is a must.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with little supervision.
• Ability to problem solve, research, evaluate and synthesize information for the intended audience.
• Must be well-organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritize assignments for completion in a timely manner.
• Must be able to exercise strong judgment, conduct oneself in a professional and ethical manner, and work with highly sensitive and confidential information.
• Able to work with multiple team members' styles in an effective and collegial manner.
• Able to work with individuals from across the university, at all levels, as well as with key alumni, donors, and volunteers.
• Demonstrated ability to use computer software applications, databases, networked informational systems, and the Internet.

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.

Pay

The starting salary range for this position is $72,209.00 - $83,447.00 annually. 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, and academic discipline.

Schedule

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.