Senior Director of Alumni and Advancement Initiatives

Cornell College invites applications for a full-time senior director of alumni and advancement initiatives.

The director provides leadership and strategic oversight for the areas of annual giving, alumni engagement, donor relations/communication, and operations.

This individual drives the overall success of the functional teams through action-oriented leadership, collaboration, and targeted process improvements to achieve departmental goals.

Duties & Responsibilities


* Oversees strategy and execution of the Annual Giving program in collaboration with the Director of Annual Giving and the Associate Director of Annual Giving.

Focuses team on meeting/exceeding annual revenue targets for annual fund contributions and increasing donor participation more broadly.


* Oversees strategy and execution of the Alumni Engagement program in collaboration with the Director of Alumni Engagement and the Associate Director of Alumni Engagement.

Sets specific goals to improve alumni engagement metrics and expand participation in alumni programs.


* Oversees strategy and execution of donor relations and communications in collaboration with the Director of Donor Relations and Communication, ensuring consistent engagement and stewardship strategies to enhance donor retention and satisfaction.


* Leads and collaborates on a variety of strategic and operational initiatives, including reporting, data analysis, process documentation, and cross-training.

Focuses on driving process improvements, such as optimizing data integration across Raiser’s Edge and auxiliary systems to improve efficiency and accuracy.


* Oversees the integrity, accuracy, and organization of alumni and donor data; collaborates with the IT department to optimize Raiser’s Edge and auxiliary software systems.

Maintains Blackbaud certification in core products, serving as the department’s expert in database management and data-driven decision-making.


* Oversees gift administration processes, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with document retention, audit requirements, and IRS regulations.

Collaborates with Business Services on gift and pledge administration matters.


* Ensures compliance with CASE Management and Reporting Standards, UPMIFA, and the Donor Bill of Rights while providing training and support for staff on relevant compliance areas.


* Serves as a senior leader on the Advancement leadership team, working closely with the head of advancement in strategic decision-making.


* Other duties as assigned.

Because Cornell College values diversity and strives to create a welcoming community in which all individuals are respected and included, the entire campus community is called upon to engage in dialogue around issues of difference, identity, and ideology.

The college is committed to fostering a faculty and staff community that reflects our diverse student body.

We encourage applications from candidates who share our vision for a campus th...