Associate Dean of Alumni Affairs and Development, Cornell Law School

   

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Associate Dean of Alumni Affairs and Development in our Alumni Affairs and Development division, based in Ithaca, NY. This role presents an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the university's development efforts.

 

Position Summary

The Associate Dean of Alumni Affairs and Development serves as the chief development officer for Cornell Law School and leads the school's comprehensive development and alumni engagement strategy and serves as a critical bridge between the Law School and the university's Alumni Affairs and Development division. The Associate Dean will partner with a highly engaged dean who is deeply committed to philanthropy and alumni engagement while building on the momentum of Cornell's recently completed record-setting campaign. Leading a talented team of fundraising professionals, this individual will advance ambitious philanthropic priorities, deepen alumni engagement, and help shape the future of Cornell Law School.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the chief development officer for Cornell Law School, leading overall fundraising and alumni affairs strategy.
• Partner with the Dean to establish fundraising priorities, advance strategic initiatives, and manage donor and alumni engagement activities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of nine alumni affairs and development professionals.
• Collaborate with academic and program leaders to identify and advance compelling funding opportunities and priorities.
• Maintain a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects capable of making transformational contributions.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Cornell Law School and university advancement leadership, including Principal Gifts teams and senior Alumni Affairs and Development leaders.

About Cornell Law School

Founded in 1887, Cornell Law School is a top-tier law school. We offer a 3-year JD program for approximately 200 students per class, a one-year LLM program for approximately 120 students from countries throughout the world, and a doctoral (JSD) program for 2-3 new students per year. Cornell Law School has 41 tenured and tenure-track faculty, including 20 with chaired faculty positions; and 15 clinical professors in the legal research and writing program and in clinics at the local, national, and international level. Our faculty is consistently ranked among the top in the country for scholarly productivity and influence, and has pre-eminence in many areas, including quantitative and qualitative empirical legal studies, international and comparative law, and robust doctrinal scholarship in core fields. Our school is committed to being recognized as the leader among law schools at combining inspiring theoretical, doctrinal, and experiential teaching with cutting-edge scholarship in a supportive, intellectually rich community, so that our graduates can achieve excellence in all facets of the legal profession.

 

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 Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or 7-10 years of progressive experience in development, advancement, fundraising, or related fields or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Integrity, strong verbal and written communication, and sound judgment are a must. 

 Work Location

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely up to 3 days per week and on campus at least 2 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:

AAD Program Director II

   

Job Family:

Alumni Affairs Development

   

Level:

I

   

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

   

Pay Range:

$210,912.00 - $257,782.00

   

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid

   

Company:

Endowed

   

Contact Name:

Laura Clark

   

Contact Email:

[email protected]

   

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.

Current Employees:

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Online Submission Guidelines:

Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter.  You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website.

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].

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 (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected].

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 [email protected].

Notice to Applicants:

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

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.

2026-10-02