Development Assistant, Priorities and Initiatives

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.

Why join Harvard University Central Administration?

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

Alumni Affairs and Development is a dedicated team supporting Harvard’s advancement activity through front-line fundraising, alumni and volunteer engagement, technology, prospect management and research, business process, events, communications, and many other areas.

Our goal is to create an environment of respect that leverages the many talents, perspectives, and experiences of our employees; to deliver the strongest possible results by incorporating diverse perspectives into our daily work; and to make AA&D a great place to work for everyone. We strive to live our values of respect, inclusion, trust, collaboration, continuous improvement and innovation; and open communication and effective information sharing in our daily interactions and our work.

AA&D is comprised of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Development, Advancement Communications, Events & Donor Relations (ACEDR), University Development and Advancement Solutions (UDAS), the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA), and Office of Talent, Administration and Policy (OTAP).

Reporting to the Senior Director of Priorities and Initiatives,this full-time non-exempt position in the University Development Office supports the work of the Senior Director and Senior Associate Director. The Development Assistant serves as principal administrative contact and liaison for external and internal constituencies including donors, alumni, faculty, senior academic leaders, and Harvard University colleagues.

• Provide general administrative support, efficiently responding to phone and email inquiries. Assist managers with managing projects, tasks and workflow.
• Schedule meetings and update managers on all schedule changes and progress frequently.
  
  Anticipate and resolve scheduling conflicts and proactively review calendars with managers to ensure key deadlines can be met. Anticipate agenda needs and initiate their development and distribution.
• Draft a high volume of correspondence, contact reports, meeting agendas, and memos. Manage correspondence, memos, and reports using Harvard’s donor database, Advance.
  
  Provide general internet research and data gathering.
• Create and format reports from database utilizing Microsoft excel. Take notes and capture action items in meetings.
• Support managers with frontline duties as needed by scheduling meetings and appointments, drafting external correspondence, briefing preparation, and managing next steps.
• Create system for managing tasks and confirm their priority and status with manager regularly.
• Make travel arrangements for managers or others as needed, including booking travel and accommodations, managing trip itineraries and scheduling appointments, confirming meetings and locations, assisting with briefing preparation and troubleshooting during days of travel or with appointments as needed. Prepare detailed expense reports and ensure trip/prospect meeting follow up is completed, including preparing debriefs and updating the…