Donor Relations Manager - Lab of Ornithology

Department Background

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is the worlds leading resource for conservation research education and citizen science focused on birds. The Lab is a vibrant unit within Cornells College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) where twelve worldclass missiondriven programs are directed by fulltime faculty and other renowned professionals. Lab staff teach undergraduate courses advise graduate students collect and disseminate worldfamous digital resources on biodiversity and engage with partner organizations and citizens around the world to conduct scientific research and conservation actions. Our management and staff are committed to the highest standards of ethics and excellence in all areas of our work and our Board leadership includes faculty from Cornell and other universities successful entrepreneurs and managers from the business and nonprofit sectors and conservationminded citizens from the United States and beyond. The Cornell Lab is committed to fostering a healthy workplace that values diverse perspectives and backgrounds as well as supporting growth and advancement opportunities. The Lab is an inclusive community and we recognize that diverse inclusive communities create more innovative and impactful work to address global challenges and benefit humanity and nature. The Lab welcomes staff who are still learning in their careers and who are motivated to take on new challenges.

Position Summary

While position responsibilities vary every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative collaborative open and welcoming; showing respect compassion and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Reporting to the Director of Gift Planning Administration and Donor Stewardship the Donor Relations Manager serves as an integral member of the Lab of Ornithologys Development team. Key responsibilities will be to: sustain positive and mutually rewarding relations between the Lab and its supporters partnering with Director MGOs faculty and staff to plan and implement personalized stewardship activities for principalgift and majorgiftlevel donors to the Lab with a particular emphasis on individualized strategies for principalgift donors; create stewardship reports acknowledgements PowerPoint videos and emails; coordinate tailored donor stewardship and recognition events and trips; and spearhead other personalized activities.

The Donor Relations Manager will collaborate with Cornells Alumni Affairs & Development (AAD) on donor/gift stewardship and accounting (resolving questions of gift crediting account establishment etc. as well as ensure timely thorough and transparent tracking of stewardship activities in the various donor databases. The position requires a keen understanding of the importance of building relationships between the Lab and its supporters and must be able to initiate and prepare sensitive and confidential correspondence and other documents with a high level of discretion.

This is a fulltime 40 hours/week) Contract College position that is based in Ithaca NY at the Lab of Ornithology approximately 3 miles from Cornells main Ithaca campus. This position follows a 3:2 inpersontohome hybrid work arrangement after a period of orientation and training. This hybrid work arrangement is subject to change at any time. Typical work hours are between 9am5pm.

What You Need (Required Qualifications)

We are seeking a team member who is organized good at relationship building and good at communicating. Additionally you will:

• Bachelors degree with at least 5 years experience or equivalent.
• Strong knowledge of fundraising and stewardship best practices.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and extreme comfort with writing proofreading and editing.
• Excellent organizational skills ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and attention to detail.
• Must take initiative and have the ability to work independently display original thinking and creativity and meet challenges with resourcefulness.
• Experience working in a fastpaced environment including working in teams to solve challenges and in situations where tasks/directions might change quickly.
• Demonstrated respect and sensitivity for cultural differences and ability to foster relationships with current and potential donors.
• Must handle situations with a high degree of confidentiality discretion judgment tact and diplomacy.
• Highly capable in working with database software spreadsheet software (such as Excel) graphing and charting software word processing software (such as Word) and presentation software (such as Power Point).
• The ability to learn and understand the Labs priorities and its accounting and financial processes is required.
• Must have demonstrated ability for working collaboratively and inclusively. Proven ability to work in a team environment where cooperation between colleagues and flexibility to different styles and approaches is required.
• Must have demonstrated ability for working collaboratively and inclusively.
• Proven ability to work in a team environment where cooperation between colleagues and flexibility to different styles and approaches is required.
• Support may be required at times throughout the 7day week and thus must be able to work weekends and evenings.

If you possess these experiences and skills this may be the role for you! There are a few other qualifications we would view as incredibly helpful in this role to include:

• Bachelors degree in marketing communications fundraising or other relevant discipline.
• Fundraising and/or volunteer management experience in a nonprofit setting.
• Events management experience.

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role
  remotely 2 day per week and inperson 3 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify suspend revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.
• This position is based in Ithaca New York. Employees who work remotely may receive
  multiple W2 Forms depending on their work location. The New York Convenience of employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholding for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working temporarily outside of New York State.
• Cornell receives national recognition as an awardwinning workplace for our health wellbeing sustainability and diversity initiatives.
• 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: 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 25January 1 and two floating holidays. Learn more about holiday and accrued time off visit: impressive educational benefits include tuitionfree Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program tuition aid for external education and Cornell Childrens Tuition Assistance Program.
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Sponsorship is not available for this position

  Relocation assistance is not available for this position

  University Job Title:

  Stewardship Ofcr II

  Job Family:

  Alumni Affairs Development

  Level:

  F

  Pay Rate Type:

  Salary

  Pay Range:

  $72124.00 $83819.00

  Remote Option Availability:

  Hybrid

  Company:

  Contract College

  Contact Name:

  Hannah Parker Carver

  Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

  NonUnion Positions

  Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

  • Prior relevant work or industry experience

  • Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

  • Unique applicable skills

  • Academic Discipline

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