Senior Director of Alumni and Advancement Initiatives - Cornell College

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 that embraces differing backgrounds, viewpoints, and identities, and who will excel at mentoring students who are broadly diverse. (See our diversity statement here.)

About Cornell College

Cornell College is a selective liberal arts college distinguished by our Ingenuity curriculum that builds on the strengths of our One Course At A Time schedule. This combination encourages the qualities of being thoughtful, original, and inventive, using the strengths of a liberal arts education to apply ideas to solve problems and meet challenges through hands-on experience in learning. Academic immersion, Division III NCAA athletic teams, and unparalleled flexibility attract an ambitious student body from across the U.S. and worldwide. We are located in Mount Vernon, Iowa, an urban fringe community located in the heart of the ICR Iowa region.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of related experience, including three years of supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience in nonprofit and/or higher education fundraising, annual giving, and alumni engagement.
• Proven experience in managing others, prioritizing projects, and driving team collaboration.

Preferred Skills

• Proficiency in fundraising best practices and compliance, particularly in a higher education setting.
• Leadership experience in managing functional teams and multiple simultaneous initiatives.
• Experience with process improvement, particularly in streamlining data management and cross-functional collaboration.
• Expertise in Blackbaud systems, with certification in Raiser’s Edge or similar systems highly preferred.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills within a collaborative structure.
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications, Google Suite, and relevant organizational software.

Work Location & Conditions

Work is performed primarily while seated in an office environment. Cornell College complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and/or receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact human_resources@cornellcollege.edu. 

The hiring pay range for this position is $75,000 - $85,000. Cornell College offers a fantastic benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, HSA & FSA accounts, a TIAA 403(b) retirement account, and tuition remission and exchange for employees and dependents. We also offer life insurance, disability insurance, travel insurance, and accident insurance.  And, all full-time staff begin with a 4-week vacation accrual along with 14.5 paid holidays per year.  This position works on campus with the possibility of some regular remote work.

Application Process

To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of at least three professional references. 

Cornell is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages applications from underrepresented groups. Cornell complies with Iowa's Smoke-free Air Act. Cornell utilizes E-Verify and requires the satisfactory completion of a background check.