Administrative Assistant IV
About The Position
The University Major Gifts team within Cornell's Alumni Affairs & Development division advances the university's philanthropic mission by cultivating and securing major charitable gifts. The Administrative Assistant supports 3–4 Major Gift Officers who manage portfolios of donors and prospective donors with the capacity to contribute between $250,000 and $10 million. The role helps ensure efficient donor engagement and administrative operations that support successful fundraising efforts. The Administrative Coordinator, University Major Gifts provides comprehensive support to 4–6 University Major Gift Officers (MGOs) who manage donor portfolios with the potential for gifts of $250,000 or more. Key responsibilities include MGO data coordination, presidential acknowledgements, work-plan processing, and travel and expense support. This role also assists with data analysis for the University Major Gifts team—gathering, synthesizing, and formatting information into reports for department leadership and individual MGOs. The incumbent will serve as the team's data integrity lead, training administrative assistants on data standards and systems and conducting regular data quality reviews. The role also provides event and meeting logistics support and requires strong technical proficiency with a variety of software applications.
Requirements
- Associate's degree and 2–4 years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Strong interpersonal and customer service skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with diverse stakeholders, including donors, alumni, faculty, and staff.
- Exceptional attention to detail with strong organizational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
- Effective time-management skills with the ability to meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, and work collaboratively across teams.
- Highly self-motivated with strong problem-solving skills; demonstrates initiative and the ability to anticipate needs and act independently.
- Proven ability to thrive in a complex, dynamic environment; adaptable to changing priorities while maintaining a positive, can-do attitude.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including strong proofreading abilities and attention to tone and detail.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and demonstrated ability to learn new software platforms quickly; experience with database management and CRM systems is a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
- Experience providing logistical support for meetings and events, both in-person and virtual, with an understanding of AV/technical equipment setup.
- Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
- Experience working in fundraising or related field.
- Advanced Excel, Zoom, Concur, and PowerPoint skills.
- Basic HTML skills.
- Knowledge of fundraising principles and systems, including PeopleSoft, OBIEE, Tableau.
Responsibilities
- Perform comprehensive data entry and management for Major Gift prospects using PeopleSoft, including solicitations, visits, stewardship, nominations, and events; support OBIEE and Tableau reporting, prospect tracking, and work-plan data entry processes.
- Serve as the team's data integrity lead — identifying data patterns, developing and leading training on data entry standards for administrative assistants, guiding onboarding, and conducting regular data quality reviews in collaboration with the support team lead.
- Serve as a reference on division data entry policies and procedures for Major Gift Officers, administrative assistants, and leadership.
- Assist with gift tracking and resolve accounting-related questions in coordination with Advancement Services.
- Provide travel coordination support for Major Gift Officers using Concur, including itineraries, account codes, travel profiles, and logistics consultation.
- Deliver administrative and technical support for Microsoft Office applications, including correspondence, invitation lists, stewardship mailings, and proofreading donor-related materials such as proposals and reports.
- Support event planning and logistics for on- and off-campus events, including invitation design, RSVP tracking, reporting, and coordination of catering and supplies.
- Manage calendaring in Outlook, schedule Zoom meetings, and coordinate daily mail distribution, filing, and processing of gift checks and documents; maintain accurate routing and distribution of electronic and paper records.
- Provide coverage for colleagues, contribute to team effectiveness by attending meetings and sharing ideas, and assist with department-wide projects and initiatives as needed.
- Participate in ongoing training and professional development, ensure compliance with university policies and required trainings, and take on additional assigned duties as needed.
Benefits
- Comprehensive health care options
- Generous retirement contributions
- Access to wellness programs
- Employee discounts with local and national retail brands
- Health and personal leave
- Three weeks of vacation
- 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.
- Two additional floating holidays
- Tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program
- Tuition aid for external education
- Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Associate degree
