Leadership Gifts Officer

Cornell University•Ithaca, NY

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Leadership Gifts Officer 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. The Leadership Gifts Officer (LGO) is an important member of the Annual and Leadership Giving Team. Reporting to the Director of Leadership Gifts, this role is responsible for raising Annual Fund dollars through donor retention, upgrading, and pipeline development. The LGO will carry a portfolio of prospects and donors with loyal giving histories and/or the potential to support the Annual Fund at a higher level.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 3 to 5 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
Demonstrated success in relationship‑based work, preferably including solicitation, closing, or negotiations in a metric-driven environment.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft multi‑tier asks and adapt messaging to diverse audiences.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to synthesize information to assess donor capacity, inclination, and appropriate next steps.
Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Ability to maintain a valid driver’s license, travel domestically and abroad, and work evenings and weekends as needed.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of 160–180 prospects with giving capacity of $25K–$249K.
Conduct a minimum of 200 meetings annually, with at least 150 dedicated to Annual Fund solicitations.
Regularly solicits and closes annual gifts or multi-year commitments totaling $25K to $249K.
Maintain accurate contact reports, strategy updates, and donor intelligence into CRM by month‑end deadlines.
Partner with major gift services staff to support acknowledgments, briefings, and presidential correspondence.