Assistant Director, Volunteer Programs

Cornell University; Ithaca (MI); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Tuition benefits

Paid leave

Health & retirement

Employee discounts

Job summary

Cornell University seeks an Assistant Director, Volunteer Programs to lead recognition initiatives and manage the CUVolunteer platform within Alumni Affairs and Development in Ithaca, NY. The role emphasizes external communications, volunteer stewardship, and engagement with alumni communities.

The ideal candidate will be creative, deadline-driven, and an excellent communicator, capable of coordinating events and programs while handling confidential information with care.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and 2–4 years of relevant experience.
• Organized and detail-oriented with confidentiality.
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship management, and customer service skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to influence others.
• Proficient with standard business software and data systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee volunteer appreciation and recognition initiatives for alumni volunteers.
• Manage day-to-day operations of the alumni volunteer management platform (CUVolunteer).
• Provide outreach and communications support to alumni constituencies.
• Write, edit and distribute newsletters and correspondence to alumni.
• Support signature events and programs like Volunteer Summit and Alumni Trustee Elections.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Time management

Attention to detail

Technical fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Spreadsheets

Relational databases

Reporting tools

CUVolunteer or similar platform

Job description

Position Summary

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Assistant Director, Volunteer Programs 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 Volunteer Programs team is dedicated tofacilitatingflexible, lifelong journeys for alumni through volunteer engagement opportunities with Cornell. As part of our work, the Volunteer Programs team oversees all stages of the volunteer life cycle, provides volunteer management of university-wide organizations, and manages and supports key events and initiatives like Cornell Volunteer Summit and the Alumni Trustee Election.Cornell University’s volunteer program is robust, with over 6,000 alumni, parents, and friendsparticipatingannually in more than 400 volunteer communities across the university.

The Assistant Director will play an integral role within the team as the communications specialist for Volunteer Programs, manager of Cornell’s CUVolunteer platform, and as the lead for volunteer appreciation and recognition initiatives for Cornell’s alumni volunteer population. This position is a great fit for someone with an interest in volunteer community management, external communications, and who understands the value of volunteer appreciation, recognition, and stewardship. The ideal candidate is creative, detail orientated, deadline driven, and a strong communicator.

Because this role is involved with alumni programs and events, occasional evening and weekend work are required.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the implementation, oversight, and refinement of the volunteer appreciation and recognition initiatives for Cornell’s alumni volunteer population, including university-wide alumni awards, Volunteer Appreciation Week, recognition of alumni at the Cornell Volunteer Summit, and coordination of recognition for volunteers ending their terms each fiscal year.
• Serve as the direct engagement officer and volunteer manager for the volunteer committees implementing continuous volunteer engagement and off-boarding for Alumni Affairs top volunteer organizations.
• Manage day-to-day operations of Cornell’s alumni volunteer management platform, CUVolunteer, including training and customer service for alumni volunteers, training colleagues, promoting usage of the platform, and working with system vendor to implement system enhancements and upgrades.
• Serve as the Volunteer Programs team communications specialist.Write,editand distribute newsletters,letters,and other correspondence tofacilitateuseful and regular communicationwith various alumni constituencies.
• As part of the larger Engagement Initiatives, Volunteer Programs and College and Unit Partnerships team, participate in executing key alumni and volunteer initiatives and events including – Cornell Volunteer Summit, Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Awards (FHTR), Cornell’s Adult University (CAU) events, etc. Additionally, as an Alumni Affairs and Development team member, staff additional signature events including Reunion, Homecoming, and Giving Day.

Required Qualifications

• ABachelor’s Degreeand two to four years ofrelevantexperience or equivalent combination.
• Must be organized, detail-oriented, able to work with and around extremely sensitive and confidential information.
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship management,and customer service skills.
• Effectivelistening,verbal,and written communication skills; the ability tointerpret information and ideas to influence others in various situations.
• Strong technology acumen withdemonstratedfluency in standard business software such as the Microsoft Office suite andproficiencyin spreadsheets, relational databases, reporting applications, networked information systems, the internet, and communications systems.
• Strategic thinker:Understandingofthe importance of “big picture” thinking and planning and ability to apply organizational acumen toidentifyandmaintainfocus on key success factors.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced,metrics-drivenand deadline-driven environment and able to manage multiple projects and competing priorities. Must be highly self-motivated and show excellent time management skills.

Work Location

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

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 221K 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.

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:

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

University Job Title:

Alumni Engagement Ofcr I

Job Family:

Alumni Affairs Development

Level:

E

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Pay Range:

$65,447.00 - $72,994.00

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid

Company:

Endowed

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

• 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.

EEO Statement

Cornellwelcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “… any person … any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeksjob candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. Wehire based on merit, andencourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

2026-10-05