Major Gifts Officer

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Major Gifts Officer, Cornell Law School 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.

Position Summary

Cornell Law School seeks an experienced, collaborative, and results-oriented Major Gift Officer to join its Office of Alumni Affairs and Development. The Major Gift Officer will play a critical role in advancing the Law School’s academic mission by identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individuals capable of making significant philanthropic investments in Cornell Law School.

Founded in 1887, Cornell Law School is a top-tier law school offering JD, LLM, and JSD programs and educating a diverse community of students from across the United States and around the world. The Law School combines rigorous theoretical and doctrinal teaching with innovative experiential education. Its faculty is consistently recognized among the nation’s leaders in scholarly productivity and influence, with strengths in areas including empirical legal studies, international and comparative law, and core areas of legal scholarship.

The Major Gift Officer will manage a portfolio of alumni, parents, and friends and develop strategic relationships that connect their interests and philanthropic goals with the Law School’s highest priorities. The position will work closely with the Dean, senior academic leaders, faculty, volunteers, and colleagues across Alumni Affairs and Development to develop compelling opportunities that support faculty excellence, student financial aid, experiential learning, research, and other priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 100–120 high-capacity prospects and develop strategic, personalized engagement plans to cultivate relationships and secure major gifts of $250,000 or more, with a focus on $1M+ opportunities and annual fundraising of $1M–$3M+.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with alumni, parents, and friends by understanding their interests and philanthropic motivations and connecting them with compelling Law School and University priorities.

• Develop and execute comprehensive prospect strategies , including qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, using research, data, and sound judgment to maximize philanthropic potential.

• Maintain a deep knowledge of Cornell Law School and University priorities and effectively communicate the impact and importance of philanthropic opportunities to donors and internal partners.

• Contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture while demonstrating integrity, resilience, accountability, and a strong commitment to higher education and Cornell’s mission; significant travel and occasional evening/weekend work are required.

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.

Required Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree and 5–7 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination.

• Proven ability to build strategic relationships and influence outcomes.

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills; ability to craft compelling proposals and presentations.

• Strong analytical and planning skills to develop data-driven strategies.

• Demonstrated collaboration and teamwork across diverse stakeholders.

• Results-oriented, proactive, and resilient in achieving ambitious goals.

Work Location

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely 2 days per week and on-campus 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._

University Job Title:

Major Gifts Ofcr III

Job Family:

Alumni Affairs Development

Level:

G

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Pay Range:

$104,037.00 - $127,157.00

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid

Company:

Endowed

Contact Name:

Rachel Colunio

Contact Email:

View email address on click.appcast.io

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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Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [View email address on click.appcast.io](mailto:View email address on click.appcast.io).

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice View phone number on click.appcast.io, or email at [View email address on click.appcast.io](mailto:View email address on click.appcast.io).

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [View email address on click.appcast.io](mailto:View email address on click.appcast.io).

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EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes 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 seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage 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.

2026-09-01