Assistant Director of Development, Harvard College Fund, Leadership Giving

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.

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).

This full‑time, exempt position is a frontline fundraising role on the Harvard College Fund (HCF) team, reporting to the Director of Development, Leadership Giving, Harvard College Fund. The Assistant Director manages a portfolio of approximately 75+ qualified leadership prospects and actively qualifies new prospects, while securing four‑, five‑, and six‑figure commitments for the HCF and other critical FAS priorities. The Assistant Director will partner with colleagues across the Harvard College Fund, Donor Development, Gift Planning, other AA&D teams, as well as with volunteers, to encourage leadership level support at $5,000 annually or through multi‑year pledges of $25,000 or more.

At maturity, this role will generate $1 million+ per year.

• Manage, cultivate, solicit, and steward a targeted portfolio of 75+ qualified leadership prospects.
• Utilize knowledge of prospects’ interests to develop and execute robust, multi‑step prospect strategies that leverage programmatic and stewardship engagement opportunities, HCF volunteer involvement, academic leadership, faculty, and other members of the Harvard community to cultivate and secure four‑, five‑, and six‑figure leadership gifts.
• Actively identify and qualify new prospects with the capacity and inclination to support Harvard at a leadership, major, or principal gift level; add them to the appropriate assignment pipeline through thorough qualification, referrals from prospects, list reviews, and other methods in consultation with Prospect Management and Research partners.
• Use thoughtful prospect strategies and intentional prioritization to meet and exceed revenue goals, with particular emphasis on upgrading donors and maintaining an active presence in assigned regions/territories, and with a focus on securing new leadership‑level commitments for the Harvard College Fund and other FAS priorities.
• In partnership with the Office of Gift Planning, incorporate gift planning elements into donor conversations to identify and confirm John Harvard Society households, and to structure proposals that incorporate gift planning opportunities wherever they may help leverage a larger gift.
• Adhere to all prospect management processes and policies including accurate and timely contact reports, proposals, moves management etc. to ensure…