Job Description

Who We Are

Born from a bold experiment that united technical innovation with a deeper understanding of the interplay of technology with humanity, the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science continues to define the new frontier of tech.

Across the growing areas of computer science, information science, and statistics and data science — including artificial intelligence — the community pioneers emerging fields, develops the algorithms that power the information age, and is committed to creatively and thoughtfully exploring technology’s potential to advance our world. ​Cornell Bowers is home to more than 200 employees who drive our research, teaching, and innovation across campus and beyond.

Learn more about Cornell Bowers’ research and its history.

If you’re excited by the intersection of technology and humanity, you’ll find a meaningful home here.

What You Will Do

The Director of Strategic Partnerships is a senior member of the Bowers Office of Research and leads industry and foundation partnerships for the college. The Director develops and executes a comprehensive strategy to cultivate, secure, and steward external partnerships. This is a business development and fundraising role focused on creating tailored collaborations that enable high-impact research, innovation, and educational initiatives. The Director will manage an exciting portfolio of leading technology companies, philanthropies, and other institutional partners.

Reporting to the Bowers Associate Dean for Research, with a dotted-line relationship centrally to the Cornell Executive Director of Corporate Relations, the Director will work closely with college leadership, faculty, and university partners to cultivate relationships and secure support through philanthropy, sponsored research, and other collaborations. The Director will build upon and enhance many existing successful partnerships.

The successful candidate will exercise considerable independent judgment, represent Bowers with senior external leaders, and translate the college's world-class work into compelling opportunities for investment and engagement.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a 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.

What We Need

• Master's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in business development, corporate relations, foundation relations, strategic partnerships, fundraising, marketing, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success building, cultivating, and managing complex external relationships, preferably with corporations, foundations, or other institutional partners.
• Exceptional writing and presentation skills, with the ability to create persuasive proposals and briefings that lead to action.
• Ability to work effectively with senior leaders, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders in a complex, highly collaborative environment.
• Ability to travel approximately quarterly — typically to the San Francisco Bay Area or New York City — and work occasional evenings/weekends for external engagement activities.
• Demonstrated skill in understanding cultural differences.

It would be a bonus if you have any of the following:

• Knowledge of higher education partnership models, sponsored research, corporate philanthropy, workforce development, and experiential learning initiatives.
• Experience in a higher education, research, or complex nonprofit environment.
• Familiarity with corporate and foundation engagement, sponsored research administration, and university development or advancement operations.

Important Notes about Applying

• A cover letter and resume outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are required for consideration.
• There is no visa sponsorship available for this position.

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is located in Ithaca, New York. The position will typically allow for the flexibility to work remotely 1 day per week at a location of employee’s choosing within the United States. The New York Convenience of employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholdings for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working temporarily outside New York State.
• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability 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: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell. 
• Our leave provisions include 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.  To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• 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: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards

University Job Title:

External Relations Officer V

Job Family:

Administration

Level:

H

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Pay Range:

$131,184.00 - $160,336.00

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid

Company:

Endowed

Contact Name:

Daniel Hyland

Contact Email:

dbh226@cornell.edu

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

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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EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, 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.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

2026-10-09