Associate Director of Development, Principal & Major Gifts

Associate Director, Alumni Affairs and Development

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Harvard Medical School's mission is to nurture a diverse, inclusive community dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving health and well-being for all through excellence in teaching and learning, discovery and scholarship, and service and leadership.

You'll be at the heart of biomedical discovery, education, and innovation, working alongside world-renowned faculty and a community dedicated to improving human health. This is more than a job - it's an opportunity to shape the future of medicine.

The Office of Alumni Affairs and Development (AAD) at Harvard Medical School advances the School's mission by inspiring philanthropy, fostering lifelong engagement, and building enduring partnerships with alumni, donors, volunteers, and friends around the world. Together, AAD professionals help secure the resources that fuel transformative biomedical research, educate future physician-scientists and health care leaders, and accelerate discoveries that improve human health.

Every member of the AAD team plays an important role in strengthening the School's philanthropic and engagement efforts, ensuring that the generosity of its community translates into lasting impact for science, medicine, and society.

Job Description

The Associate Director is a frontline fundraiser focused on qualifying, engaging, and cultivating prospects with capacity in the $100K–$500K range who are not well served by existing reunion, regional, or principal gift portfolios. The Associate Director will move prospects from qualification to cultivation and, when appropriate, transition them to principal, major, or planned gift officers. The role also manages a portfolio of prospects and donors in the $100K–$500K range whose philanthropic interests are in biomedical science and disease solutions.

This position sits on the Principal & Major Gifts & Grants (PMGG) team and works closely with colleagues across Alumni Affairs and Development to design and implement targeted outreach and cultivation strategies. The role is not regionally based and includes moderate domestic travel.

Key Responsibilities:

Oversee Pipeline Building & Internal Collaboration

• Build and manage the leadership pipeline by identifying and qualifying leads including: HMS MD alumni not engaged through reunion efforts and alumni of other Harvard Schools or non-Harvard prospects with biomedical or related interests.
• Partner with Prospect Intelligence to interpret research and wealth indicators to prioritize leads, determine next steps, and streamline assignment or transfer recommendations.
• Work with Alumni Engagement and Gift Planning colleagues to identify alumni and legacy society members ready to move into the leadership pipeline.
• Collaborate with PMGG and Gift Planning officers on the transition of prospects who demonstrate confirmed capacity above the leadership band or are ready for more complex gift discussions, including dean-level engagement.
• Participate in portfolio and pipeline reviews to ensure healthy movement of prospects.

Portfolio Management & Fundraising

• Manage a portfolio of prospects and donors with capacity in the $100K–$500K range, implementing personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies that align prospect interests with institutional priorities.
• Partner with faculty and senior development colleagues to shape and advance six-figure gift solicitations.
• Serve as primary relationship manager…