Join Our Journey

creates an environment that unifies and advances Cornell's scholarship, research, and discovery through state-of-the-art core facilities, domain expertise, and partnership to enable innovation and impact. We leverage external funding and partnerships, enable interdisciplinary research, and ensure regulatory compliance. We collaborate to successfully translate and commercialize research through companies large and small, including startups launched by our entrepreneurial faculty, staff, and students. Our commitment to inclusive excellence makes this environment possible.

We are creating the future of research and innovation. We seek a creative and strategic leader to oversee our team of communications professionals and promote the pioneering work of Cornell University across local, regional, national, and global communities.

Your Mission

As the Executive Director of Research & Innovation Communications, you will utilize dynamic and entrepreneurial communications and marketing strategies to advance research, education, and outreach across disciplines to address local to global issues. Reporting jointly to the Vice President for Research & Innovation and the Vice President for University Relations, you will be responsible for ensuring alignment with university messaging and communications priorities, helping to enhance and preserve the position of Research & Innovation and Cornell as a top-tier research institution and leader in higher education. This isan exceptional opportunity to reshape and build an expanded communications team.

Your Portfolio
As Executive Director, you will be responsible for facilitating all aspects of Research & Innovation's externally focused and internally focused strategic communications, marketing, and brand strategy, working in close coordination with University Relations partners (especially Strategic Communications, News, Media Relations, New Media, and Brand Communications). You will work closely with college and university leadership on Research & Innovation strategic communications and marketing priorities that span multiple disciplines within the university. In addition, you will develop and manage communications and marketing strategies that enhance public awareness of Research & Innovation scholarly activities, disseminate critical scholarly findings, secure academic reputation, further the broadened representation and quality of students, faculty, and staff recruited to Cornell in research and innovation teams, and generate philanthropic support.

Your core responsibilities will include:

Strategic Communications Planning

• Creating and implementing an annual strategic communications plan to guide communications activities; coordinating the communications plan and editorial calendar with University Relations and other key campus partners.
• Leading collaborations with Research & Innovation leadership, researchers, and unit communications staff to create and implement a strategic marketing plan to increase internal and external awareness of Cornell's research excellence, impact, opportunities, and breakthroughs. Unit communications staff includes Communications Coordinators for Research & Innovation-affiliated interdisciplinary research centers; innovation and enterprise; and Cornell-internal communications; as well as the Creative Content Coordinator and related roles that work across those R&I sectors.
• Building an effective organizational structure with clear reporting lines to maximize efficiency, productivity, and quality.

Communications Deliverables

• Producing, promoting, and measuring the impact of comprehensive communications that advance and explain Cornell University's research, innovation, and entrepreneurship (Ithaca, AgriTech, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell Tech) to internal and external audiences.
• Conceiving and executing a robust editorial output of research storytelling across all areas of responsibility for Research & Innovation.
• Collaborating with University Relations (Brand and Creative Services Team) on visual or multimedia communications as needed.

Team Leadership and Development

• Directing and managing the Research & Innovation communications team to produce essential information that includes, but is not limited to, stories, multimedia content, social media posts, web FAQ, internal and external newsletters, print brochures, event promotion, and reports.
• In partnership with Research & Innovation HR and University Relations, recruiting staff and overseeing onboarding of new hires.
• Serving as career manager for the team and providing professional development opportunities for staff in communications expertise, networks, and career progression.
• Promoting industry standards to ensure that Research & Innovations Communications follows best practices and maintains quality control.

What We Need
Send us a cover letter and resume outlining your interest in this position and explaining how your experience and qualifications match the position requirements. We will review applications as received. Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

When evaluating your candidacy, we will look for evidence of the following:

• Bachelor's degree with 7 -10 years of progressive experience, including at least five years leading a team of communications professionals, in promoting and advancing organizational mission and goals through internal and external communications.
• Demonstrated success in communications, public relations, marketing, and/or journalism.
• Strong leadership, analytical, oral and written communication, and presentation skills and superior interpersonal skills to facilitate effective relationships, both within and outside of the university.
• Proven ability to achieve goals by building successful, collaborative, working relationships with individuals at all levels of an organization and by managing formal and informal decision-making networks in a highly decentralized and collaborative environment.
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Exceptional writing, editing, design, and creative abilities.
• Proven ability to effectively utilize current and emerging technology to advance a communication strategy to meet tactical goals and target audience needs.
• Ability to accurately analyze and effectively solve problems.
• Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and manage projects effectively, including people, timelines, budgets, and technical resources.
• Proven experience connecting diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing practices to business goals.

Additionally, we would like to see evidence of:

• Experience in a research-intensive organization.

Why Choose Us

Rewarding Benefits: Competitive compensation, generous time-off, and comprehensive benefits - because we believe in taking care of our team. 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: .

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. Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: .

Inclusive Culture: We are committed to creating a culture where every individual feels they belong, and we value psychological well-being, respect, and the contributions of all team members. Our leaders play a vital role in fostering the conditions where each person can thrive.

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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.

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