Assistant Dean for Alumni Affairs and Development in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Cornell University; Ithaca (MI); Hybrid; USD 157,000 - 192,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornell University is seeking an Assistant Dean for Alumni Affairs & Development in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. This role leads fundraising and alumni engagement while partnering with the Dean to advance strategic priorities through philanthropy.

The position operates within a collaborative development model with major gifts, alumni engagement, and administrative support, offering influence, strategic vision, and cross-campus collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 7–10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
• Proven success in developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies that achieve ambitious goals.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build collaborative relationships across a complex, matrixed organization.
• Proficiency with fundraising databases, CRM systems, and standard office software.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; ability to work effectively across cultural differences.
• Ability to travel regularly within the United States and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Lead a Development Program: chief development officer for the ILR School, leading fundraising and alumni engagement strategy aligned with school priorities.
• Cultivates and manages relationships with major donors, alumni, and key stakeholders to secure philanthropic support.
• Partners with the Dean, faculty, alumni, volunteers, and donors to secure philanthropic support and advance strategic initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with fundraisers situated in the central AAD operation to advance ILR’s fundraising aims.
• Inspire Transformational Philanthropy: manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects capable of making significant investments in the future of The ILR School.
• Develop and execute donor strategies that result in meaningful philanthropic support and long-term engagement.
• Build and strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, volunteers, and university partners.
• Collaboration for Impact: work closely with a dedicated team of engagement and development professionals specializing in alumni engagement, major gifts, operations, and administrative support.
• Partner with peer chief development officers from the Atkinson Center for Sustainability and the Cornell University Libraries as well as colleagues across Cornell to maximize fundraising outcomes and organizational effectiveness.
• Contribute to the continued evolution of a collaborative development support model designed for long-term success.

Skills

Fundraising experience

Communication skills

Collaborative work

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM systems

Fundraising databases

Job description

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Assistant Dean for Alumni Affairs & Development in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. This is a unique opportunity for an accomplished fundraiser to be part of a team at the world’s leading institution focused on work, employment, and labor while playing a key role in an innovative development support model designed to maximize collaboration, efficiency, and fundraising success.

As the school’s chief development officer, you will partner closely with the Dean to advance strategic priorities through philanthropy, alumni engagement, and donor stewardship. Working with faculty, alumni, donors, volunteers and university partners, you will develop and execute strategies that inspire philanthropic investment in the school’s mission and future growth.

The successful candidate will join a newly established collaborative development and engagement support model that brings together three chief development officers and a dedicated team of professionals specializing in alumni engagement, major gifts, and administrative support. Designed to maximize fundraising impact through shared expertise and resources, this collaborative structure provides the Assistant Dean the opportunity to help shape a new approach to development while focusing on relationship building, fundraising strategy, and philanthropic results.

While this position does not have direct reports, it offers significant opportunities to lead through influence, partnership, and strategic vision. The Assistant Dean will serve as a trusted advisor to the Dean and member of their leadership team a key contributor to the continued growth and success of The ILR School.

Key Responsibilities

Lead a Development Program

• Serves as the chief development officer for the ILR School, leading fundraising and alumni engagement strategy aligned with school priorities
• Cultivates and manages relationships with major donors, alumni, and key stakeholders to secure philanthropic support.
• Partners with the Dean, faculty, alumni, volunteers, and donors to secure philanthropic support and advance strategic initiatives.
• Build strong relationships with fundraisers situated in the central AAD operation to advance ILR’s fundraising aims.

Inspire Transformational Philanthropy

• Manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects capable of making significant investments in the future of The ILR School.
• Develop and execute donor strategies that result in meaningful philanthropic support and long-term engagement.
• Build and strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, volunteers, and university partners.

Collaboration for Impact

• Work closely with a dedicated team of engagement and development professionals specializing in alumni engagement, major gifts, operations, and administrative support.
• Partner with peer chief development officers from the Atkinson Center for Sustainability and the Cornell University Libraries as well as colleagues across Cornell to maximize fundraising outcomes and organizational effectiveness.
• Contribute to the continued evolution of a collaborative development support model designed for long-term success.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 7–10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
• Proven success in developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies that achieve ambitious goals.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build collaborative relationships across a complex, matrixed organization.
• Strong ability to work as a collaborative partner within a shared service model, contributing to team success and providing constructive input to support continuous improvement.
• Proficiency with fundraising databases, CRM systems, and standard office software.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; ability to work effectively across cultural differences.
• Ability to travel regularly within the United States and internationally.

About The ILR School at Cornell University

Since our founding in 1945, the ILR School has advanced the study of labor, management, and the economy nationally and internationally through teaching, research, and outreach. As the leading institution for the social sciences of work, we examine both organizational effectiveness and the human experience in the workplace, addressing the critical global challenges of our time. Our expertise spans emerging workforce issues, including arbitration and dispute resolution, collective bargaining, global labor supply chains, fair pay and equity at work, workplace safety, HR analytics, climate change and green jobs, compensation, and artificial intelligence and the future of work. Our students learn about labor-management relations, conflict resolution, labor law and policy, economics, human resource management, and organizational behavior through their undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Through multiple perspectives and cross-disciplinary collaboration, ILR connects, inspires, and challenges tomorrow’s leaders to drive positive change for people and society, preparing them to tackle the most pressing workplace issues of today and tomorrow.

About Alumni Affairs and Development

At Cornell Alumni Affairs and Development, we connect alumni, parents, and friends with opportunities to make a meaningful difference at Cornell and beyond. Our success is built on the strength of relationships, a commitment to excellence, and a culture of collaboration, innovation, inclusion, and continuous learning. As one of higher education’s leading fundraising and engagement organizations, we recently completed a record‑setting campaign that engaged more than 221,000 alumni and raised $6.7 billion. Joining our team means growing your career alongside supportive, mission‑driven, and high‑performing colleagues while helping shape Cornell’s future.

Work Location

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely three days per week and on campus two 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.

This is a contract college position.**_

University Job Title:

AAD Program Director I

Job Family:

Alumni Affairs Development

Level:

H

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Pay Range:

$157,418.00 - $192,400.00

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid

Company:

Contract College

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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