Associate Dean for Alumni Affairs & Development

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Associate Dean for Alumni Affairs & Development for the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business in Ithaca, NY. This is a rare opportunity to serve as the College's chief development officer, partnering closely with the Dean to shape fundraising strategy, lead a high-performing team, and advance transformative philanthropic support across one of higher education's most dynamic business colleges.

Position Summary

The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business is one of the most comprehensive business schools in the nation, bringing together three top-ranked schools-the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, and the Nolan School of Hotel Administration. This unique structure creates extraordinary opportunities to engage alumni, donors, faculty, and industry partners in support of the College's ambitious vision.

As the College's chief development officer, the Associate Dean will partner closely with the Dean to establish fundraising priorities, develop compelling philanthropic opportunities, and drive a comprehensive development strategy in support of the College's ambitious goals. This role requires a trusted advisor who can provide thoughtful counsel, bring strategic focus to fundraising efforts, and help translate bold ideas into philanthropic opportunities that resonate with donors.

The Associate Dean will lead a team of approximately 15-18 development and alumni affairs professionals and play a critical role in shaping the future of the organization. This is an opportunity for a leader who enjoys bringing clarity to complexity, creating structure and accountability, establishing priorities, and ensuring resources are directed toward the areas of greatest opportunity and impact.

Key Responsibilities

Provide Strategic Leadership

• Serve as the College's chief development officer and lead fundraising and alumni engagement strategy across the SC Johnson College of Business.

• Partner closely with the Dean, school deans, faculty, and university leadership to identify priorities and advance the College's most compelling philanthropic opportunities.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Dean, providing strategic guidance on fundraising initiatives, donor engagement, and resource development.

• Align development efforts across the College's three schools while advancing broader College priorities and goals.

• Partner with university colleagues to maximize fundraising opportunities and strengthen engagement with major and principal gift prospects.

Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of approximately 15-18 development and alumni affairs professionals.

• Create structure, focus, and accountability that enables the team to achieve ambitious fundraising and engagement goals.

• Assess priorities and allocate resources strategically to drive the greatest organizational impact.

• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing culture focused on continuous improvement and professional growth.

Advance Transformational Philanthropy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy supporting the College's ambitious development goals.

• Build relationships with major, principal, and leadership-level donors capable of making significant investments in the future of the College.

• Partner with academic and university leaders to bring high-priority initiatives to market and secure transformational philanthropic support.

• Engage alumni, volunteers, advisory board members, and friends of Cornell in advancing the College's mission and impact.

About SC Johnson College of Business

Leading at the intersection of people, business, and technology, the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business is one of the most comprehensive business schools in the nation and includes many areas of expertise not found in any other leading institution. The college is comprised of the university's three accredited business schools, each of which is recognized as among the best in higher education: the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, and the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration. Our academic research; industry and community engagement; and undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs all reflect the future of business: flexible, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary. The college community includes 232 research faculty, 46,000 alumni, and nearly 3,300 undergraduate, professional, and graduate students. The SC Johnson College of Business has an unparalleled resource base from which to draw-within the college, Cornell Tech in New York City, and Cornell University broadly.

About Alumni Affairs and Development

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.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 7-10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including major and principal gift fundraising and leadership responsibilities.

• Demonstrated success developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies that achieve ambitious results.

• Significant experience leading and developing high-performing teams.

• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.

• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across a large, complex organization.

• Strong judgment, integrity, and strategic thinking capabilities.

• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Work Location

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role at minimum on site 2 days per week and remotely 3 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.

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.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

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