Parent Major Gifts Officer

Alumni Affairs and Development | Cornell University

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Parent Major Gift Officer in our Alumni Affairs and Development division. This role offers an opportunity to advance Cornell's mission by building meaningful relationships with parents and families of current students and alumni, in support of university priorities.

Position Summary

The Parent Major Gift Officer is a front-line fundraising professional responsible for managing a portfolio of donor households with significant giving capacity and securing major gifts in support of Cornell University. This role focuses on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding relationships with parents and families, with an emphasis on prospects capable of making gifts of $250,000 or more.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and grow a portfolio of approximately 100-120 prospect households with major gift capacity.

• Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies informed by data analysis and donor interests.

• Secure significant financial support through annual, multi-year, and transformational gifts (typically raising $1M-$3M+ annually).

• Conduct a minimum of 120 in-person or significant donor engagements per year, including discovery meetings.

• Partner with faculty, volunteers, and Advancement colleagues to align donor interests with institutional priorities.

• Represent Cornell at on-campus and off-campus engagement events, including parent and family programs.

• Maintain accurate and timely documentation in compliance with University fundraising policies.

About Alumni Affairs and Development

Cornell's Alumni Affairs and Development division, widely regarded as one of the top-performing advancement organizations in higher education, connects alumni, parents and friends with opportunities to advance the university's mission through philanthropy and engagement. As part of our team, you'll help cultivate meaningful relationships while working alongside dedicated professionals who share your commitment to excellence and educational advancement.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5-7 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination.

• Demonstrated success building strategic relationships and influencing philanthropic outcomes.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including proposal and presentation development.

• Experience managing complex projects and executing data-informed strategies.

• Proven collaboration skills across diverse stakeholders.

• Willingness to travel domestically (up to ~40%) and work occasional evenings/weekends.

Work Location

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely three days per week and in our Alumni Affairs and Development office 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.

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