Chief Advancement Officer

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) seeks a seasoned and inspirational fundraising professional to serve as the next chief advancement officer (CAO) for the College of Engineering. Joining Dean Burcu Akinci at the outset of her tenure and serving as an integral member of the Dean’s senior management team, the CAO will provide bold strategic vision, leadership, and direction for all fundraising, alumni engagement, and stewardship activities for COE. This is a unique opportunity for a proven development professional to partner with a dynamic and energetic dean to further advance and deliver on the College’s mission. 

Recognized for the excellence and societal impact of its programs, the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon consistently ranks as one of the top engineering colleges in the country, currently ranked #10 in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report ranking of graduate engineering programs. Approximately 900 faculty and staff members span ten academic degree-granting departments and institutes, and the College’s global reach includes degree-granting locations in Rwanda and Silicon Valley in addition to the main campus in Pittsburgh. With a student enrollment of more than 4,700, the College of Engineering constitutes the largest of Carnegie Mellon’s schools and colleges. It offers 11 undergraduate majors across seven departments, 20 master’s programs, and 11 doctoral programs.

The CAO will benefit from Dean Akinci’s commitment to development-related activities, serving as her chief strategist on all fundraising matters, and will work in partnership with the Dean and department chairs to identify fundraising priorities and opportunities for the College. With a dotted line report to the associate vice president for development in the Office of University Advancement, the CAO will further develop and refine the overall strategy for COE in conjunction with University Advancement colleagues.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a high-performing, energetic, collaborative, imaginative, well-organized, and accomplished leader to further elevate COE’s development program through expansion of the current prospect base to include unaffiliated donors, the implementation of best practices, team and capacity building, calculated risk-taking, and the application of data-driven strategies that will create a philanthropic enterprise of unsurpassed effectiveness. With at least 10 years of leadership experience in successful development operations, preferably in complex research university environments, the ideal candidate must possess strong strategic planning, managerial, and motivational skills; a keen understanding of best practices in fundraising and a comprehensive knowledge of all major development functions, including a depth of campaign experience; and a track record of significant personal success in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship at major and principal gift levels.

The CAO must possess high levels of integrity, credibility, and drive; be good-natured, flexible, and open-minded; and be able to adapt in a dynamic environment. The candidate must possess very well-developed interpersonal and negotiation skills, and the desire and ability to build bridges and strong collaborative relationships with all members of an operation across a university, ideally approaching their work with enthusiasm and a sense of humor. A bachelor’s degree is required.

Carnegie Mellon University offers a competitive salary and a wide variety of benefits and programs designed to meet the needs of its faculty and staff members. From its health and welfare plan offerings to tuition benefits and competitive retirement plans, CMU is committed to providing benefits that support its staff through every stage of their career at CMU. You may learn more about CMU benefits here.

Jack Gorman is leading this search with with Elizabeth Neustaedter and Ryan Cheung.

Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, ancestry, belief, veteran status or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state or local laws or executive orders.