Senior Director for Advancement, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR ADVANCEMENT

CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY

SAPSUCKER WOODS SANCTUARY, ITHACA, NEW YORK

Founded more than 100 years ago by pioneering Cornell University ornithologist Dr. Arthur A. Allen, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Lab) is an independent administrative unit of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Dedicated to advancing the understanding and protection of the natural world, the Lab joins with people from all walks of life to make new scientific discoveries, share insights, and galvanize conservation action. It brings together world-class science, teaching, and public engagement with the agility and real-world impact of a nonprofit organization to meet its mission of interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds.

The Lab’s Imogene Powers Johnson Center for Birds and Biodiversity is home to a community of 250+ faculty, scientists, postdocs, students, and staff members, including professionals in ornithology, animal behavior, bioacoustics, citizen science, conservation science, data science and statistics, ecology, evolutionary biology, community engagement, fundraising, marketing, multimedia productions, online and K-12 education, science communication, technical hardware and software engineering, and app development.

Dedicated to science, service, and impact, the Lab is an expert and trusted voice and partner for communities around the globe. The Lab leverages the benefits of being part of a top research university and the freedom to pursue its mission-driven goals through a nimble, entrepreneurial culture of innovation, discovery, and service. It maintains close academic and collaborative relationships with many individuals and departments across Cornell University, both at the Main Campus in Ithaca and at the Cornell Tech Campus in New York City, as well as with hundreds of other academic and nonprofit institutions worldwide. Its engaged Administrative Board consists of local, national, and international civic leaders, business executives, marketers, philanthropists, and scientists, linked by their shared passion for nature, science, and the inspirational roles birds can play in conservation.

The Cornell Lab engages millions of people around the world in learning about birds, contributing citizen-science data, and supporting conservation. The Lab serves communities of nature lovers, birdwatchers, citizen-science participants, K-12 teachers, underserved communities, and lifelong learners united by its mission to celebrate and protect birds. The Lab also serves academics, conservationists, policy makers, and corporate partners who help advance scientific discoveries and conservation impact. The Lab has reached 45 million visitors on its digital platforms (AllAboutBirds.org and Birds.Cornell.edu), and the Merlin Bird ID mobile app has been downloaded 17 million times. More than 983,000 citizen-science participants from every country in the world have contributed over 1.7 billion observations to eBird.org and to other citizen-science projects powering groundbreaking science and conservation initiatives. More than 350,000 lifelong learners have enrolled in the Lab’s Bird Academy classes, and more than 190,000 members and donors financially support its mission, 97% of whom are not Cornell alumni or parents. The Lab has already exceeded the $250 million goal for its “Spark Campaign,” securing $271 million as of April 2024 (well in advance of the campaign’s anticipated close in 2026) and an average of $58.2 million in new gifts and commitments each year over the last three fiscal years. The campaign is part of Cornell University’s broader five-year, $5 billion campaign, “To Do the Greatest Good.”

The Lab is seeking a Senior Director for Advancement to provide overall leadership and direction for fundraising, branding, marketing, and communications. The Senior Director works with the Lab’s dynamic, multidisciplinary teams as well as with partners in the central Division of Alumni Affairs and Development and in University Relations to advance the Lab’s global-scale mission at a time of tremendous urgency and consequence for public engagement and conservation action. The Lab’s strategic plan calls for the organization to broaden its audiences and donor base to include and engage people of diverse cultures and lifestyles in learning and scientific di