About the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University (Cornell AAP) is home to nearly 1000 students, 120 faculty, and 65 staff members who come together from around the world to take up some of today's most urgent challenges and advance research, inquiry, and design to build a more just and sustainable future. A vital college at one of the nation's foremost research universities, Cornell AAP bridges fields and faculty with five departments, 20 degree programs, 18 faculty-led labs, and the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities, a platform for building partnerships that make positive impact in our cities and communities nationally and internationally. Cornell AAP's departments include Architecture, Art, and Planning, as well as the new multicollege Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate, jointly led by the S.C. Johnson College of Business, and the multicollege Department of Design Tech, administered by Cornell AAP in partnership with Cornell Bowers CIS, Cornell Engineering, the College of Human Ecology, and Cornell Tech. The college is housed across three locations (Ithaca, NY, New York City, and Rome, Italy) each with world-class facilities and cutting-edge technologies. Cornell AAP is about acts of transformation. We are committed to building a caring, inclusive, and rigorous community around our shared priorities — Creative + Critical Practices; Sustainability + Social Impact; Design + Emerging Technologies; and the Future of Cities + Development — that enable us to reimagine and reshape the world in radically new ways, every day.

The Opportunity

Are you a highly organized, detail-oriented professional with a passion for making a difference? Do you thrive in a dynamic environment where collaboration and communication are key? Join the Alumni Affairs and Development (AAD) team at Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning as the Assistant to the Assistant Dean, where you will play a crucial role in supporting the college’s fundraising and engagement efforts.

As the Assistant to the Assistant Dean, you will be at the heart of the AAD team, providing essential administrative support to the Assistant Dean and contributing to the smooth operation of events, alumni engagement, and donor stewardship activities. In this role, you’ll manage complex travel logistics, coordinate high-level events, and handle donor communications, all while ensuring that the Assistant Dean’s calendar and office runs efficiently. Your contributions will directly impact the college’s ability to engage alumni, donors, and students, fostering connections that support the AAP’s mission.

Key Responsibilities:

Administrative Support: Manage the Assistant Dean’s calendar, coordinate travel arrangements, and prepare meeting agendas, briefings, and expense reports. Serve as the primary point of contact for inquiries related to the AAD office and the dissemination of the AAP Alumni newsletter.

Event and Stewardship Support: Lead the coordination of donor events, high-level meetings, and alumni engagement activities, handling logistics such as venues, catering, invitations, and registration. Support donor acknowledgment processes and assist with prospective student visits.

Advisory Council Support: Assist in managing the AAP Advisory Council by coordinating meetings/venues, maintaining membership information, and ensuring effective communication with Council members.

Office Operations: Oversee day-to-day office operations, monitor and prepare budgets, and process travel reimbursements and payments. Collaborate with the Assistant Dean and colleagues to manage office space and equipment needs. Act as the primary point of contact for the AAD office at the college of AAP. This includes interfacing with alumni, donors, advisory council members, gift officers, and others, both inside and outside of the university.

Professional Development and Special Projects: Engage in professional development opportunities and contribute to special projects and initiatives.

Success Factors:

A proactive, resourceful individual with excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

A strong, diplomatic communicator, both in writing and in person, capable of building effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Detail-oriented, with a knack for coordinating complex logistics, from travel arrangements to high-profile events.

Adept at managing budgets and financial processes, with a commitment to accuracy and efficiency.

Collaborative, flexible, and committed to contributing to a positive team environment.

Steady demeanor with a solution orientation.

At Cornell University, we value diversity and inclusion, and we are committed to creating a supportive and welcoming environment for all members of our community. As part of the AAD team, you will have the opportunity to work with a dynamic group of professionals who are passionate about making a positive impact on the AAP’s alumni and donor community.

If you are excited about being part of a team that drives engagement and fundraising success, we encourage you to apply for the Assistant to the Assistant Dean position today with your resume and cover letter!

What We Need

All applications must require a resume and cover letter for full consideration.

Associate’s degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.

Experience incorporating the perspectives of multiple communities, including communities of color.

Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Ability to work collaboratively, proactively, and maintain a high level of professionalism.

If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it’s ok if you don’t.

Prior administrative experience in higher education or nonprofit settings.

Rewards and Benefits

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely 2 days per week and on-campus 3 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke, or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.

Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning 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: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.

Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.

Our 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 25-January 1.

Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

No visa sponsorship or relocation assistance is available for this position.

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information.

University Job Title: Administrative Asst IV

Administration Level: D

Hourly Pay Range: $25.52 - $29.66

Remote Option Availability: Hybrid

Non-Union 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

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email mycareer@cornell.edu.

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Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

About Us

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.

Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning jobs

Assistant to the Assistant Dean