Development Coordinator

Company Description

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.

The John

F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is one of 12 graduate and professional schools at the university. Harvard Kennedy School’s mission is to improve public policy and leadership so people can live in societies that are more safe, free, just, and sustainably prosperous. By combining cutting‑edge research, the teaching of outstanding students, and direct interaction with practitioners, we have an impact on solving public problems that no other institution can match.

When you work at Harvard Kennedy School, you make a difference.

The Development Coordinator, Principal and Major Gifts (PMG) works in partnership with and provides administrative support to two Principal Major Gift fundraisers who are charged with raising funds and planning and executing prospect strategy, cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation for Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). Working independently and as part of a team in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment, the Development Coordinator is responsible for day‑to‑day administrative support such as updating prospect activity, tracking progress, calendaring, making travel arrangements, drafting and proofreading prospect briefings and materials, report generation, database maintenance, and assisting with projects related to assigned HKS research centers and regional‑based fundraising portfolios.

The Development Coordinator may also coordinate selected department‑wide resources, workflows and strategies, in addition to providing customer service to Alumni Relations and Resource Development staff members, the HKS Dean’s Office, HKS faculty, staff, research centers, donors, and alumni.

• Provides general office support including responding to phone and email inquiries, maintaining calendars, filing, and managing updates in the development database.
• Pulls, reviews with fundraiser, and updates the fundraiser’s detailed prospect list and monthly activity reports to track conversion, visit and solicitation targets.
• Calendars donor and faculty meetings.
• Coordinates travel arrangements, including international travel for supervisors and others as required, and drafts detailed itineraries.
• Updates weekly next steps on prospects in each fundraiser’s portfolio.
• Drafts contract reports from donor visits and enters data into the database.
• Creates shell briefings for HKS leadership and faculty visits with the designated prospects.
• Creates and revises curated prospect lists with staging and next steps for fundraisers working with Centers and Dean’s priorities.
• Liaises within ARRD and across the School with non‑frontline teams on donor‑related items, such as stewardship and event preparation.
• Prepares materials for fundraiser’s standing meetings with Centers.
• Provides first‑look research and vetting for new prospects to determine capacity and philanthropic intent.
• Researches prospects and program information; performs routine data pulls, reporting, and data analysis using Advance, Qlik View, MS Word, and/or Excel.
• Assumes critical project work such as fundraising project planning, staffing development committee meetings or events, drafting reports and presentations.

The above covers the most significant responsibilities of this position. It does not exclude other duties or cover all aspects of the PMG group as needed.

Primary work takes place in an office environment. Some tasks may require being on campus or off‑site for a period of time, sitting or standing for extended periods, and performing repetitive motion.

• 2 or more years of administrative and customer service support experience.
• Prior experience managing complex calendar, expense, and travel itinerary schedules.
• Application must include a cover letter.

• Excellen…