Cornell College invites applications for a full-time development officer. The development officer plays a central role in advancing the College’s mission and priorities. Reporting to the Director of Development, the Development Officer will manage relationships with alumni, parents, friends, and other stakeholders in designated geographic regions to secure gifts, pledges, and planned giving commitments.

Responsibilities:

• Portfolio Management: Oversee a portfolio of 150-200 prospects capable of significant contributions. Build and maintain long-term relationships through personal and virtual engagement.
• Prospect Engagement: Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, secure, and steward donors for outright gifts, pledges, and planned gifts. Meet annual metrics for prospect engagement, including face-to-face meetings, gifts solicited and closed, dollars raised, and newly identified prospects.
• Donor Meetings: Conduct approximately 12 in-person or virtual prospect meetings monthly. Arrange and manage travel and follow-up activities, ensuring timely stewardship for all prospects and donors.
• Documentation and Reporting: Document all interactions in contact reports within 10 days of each visit. Contribute actively to prospect management meetings, discussing strategies and solutions to advance prospective donors.
• Event Participation: Support alumni events, including class reunions, campaign gatherings, and Homecoming weekend, as well as cultivation and solicitation events for Presidents Society members and other major donors.

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 required, with 2-5 years of relevant experience.
• Experience in face-to-face fundraising or sales is preferred.
• Additional Requirements: Valid driver’s license and insurability for travel.

Preferred Skills

• Fundraising Expertise: Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop sound fundraising strategies. Familiarity with liberal arts education and the College’s programs and priorities is essential.
• Professional Presence: Demonstrates professionalism and poise in engaging a diverse range of stakeholders, serving as an articulate spokesperson for Cornell College, both in person and over the phone.
• Commitment to Confidentiality: High regard for discretion and confidentiality.
• Team-Oriented: Ability to work independently and as part of a team, contributing to a collaborative environment.

Work Location & Conditions

Work is performed primarily while seated. Extensive travel is required as well as the ability to work hours outside the normal working day (i.e. nights and weekends). Employees may be required to perform other job-related duties as assigned. 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 $60, 000 - $68, 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.

Application Process

To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of at least three professional references. Questions regarding the position or search can be directed to Lisa White, Director of Development, at lwhite@cornellcollege.edu.

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.