Director, Principal & Major Gifts

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 Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) has a demonstrated track record of training the world’s leaders and public servants. Since its founding in 1936, the Harvard Kennedy School has evolved from a graduate school of public administration to a global institution that brings together powerful research, students from over 100 countries, and practitioners from across the public sector to solve the major problems of our time.

Established with a gift of $2 million, the Kennedy School also has a long tradition of philanthropy, and of exceeding targets in revenue dollars, the number of alumni donors and the percent of revenue that comes from non‑alumni donors who choose the Kennedy School as their partner for impact.

The office of Alumni Relations & Resource Development (ARRD) at HKS seeks an experienced, ambitious and mission‑driven Director, Principal & Major Gifts. The Director, Principal & Major Gifts, works within an entrepreneurial and dynamic School environment and closely collaborates with faculty, senior administration, and University officials to independently manage their portfolio of prospects with a focus on securing gifts of $500k+.

The incumbent will secure funding for School and Center priorities, and lead strategies for assigned regions, Centers, priorities and projects, and achieve ambitious activity and revenue goals. The Director, Principal & Major Gifts is responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding a portfolio of principal and major gift prospects at various stages of their relationship with the Harvard Kennedy School.

They will also partner closely with faculty and staff at the school’s research centers to embed fundraising best practices and identify opportunities for donor cultivation/solicitation.

Job‑Specific Responsibilities:

• Manages a portfolio of 75-100 principal and major gifts prospects and donors.
• Achieves monthly visit and annual solicitation and revenue goals.
• Develops appropriate cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to consistently deepen engagement of entire portfolio and grow philanthropic revenue aligned with School and Center priorities.
• Qualifies, progresses, and cultivates newly identified prospects, and actively identifies and works with volunteers to tap into new networks of support.
• Partners closely with faculty and administrators at School‑based research centers to provide guidance on and help implement fundraising strategy, recruit donors and board members, and raise funds for the center or program.
• Develops subject‑matter expertise and persuasive visions for areas staffed, and educates and informs ARRD colleagues to maximize revenue to those areas.
• Develops annual operating plan for own fundraising in partnership with the Executive Director, Principal and Major Gifts, and Senior Associate Dean, ARRD.
• Staffs faculty and/or senior administrators in meetings with donors and represents ARRD at events, meetings, and 1:1 visits. Drafts strategy briefings, follow‑up correspondence, and contact reports.
• Partners with ARRD teams as appropriate, including Engagement, Development Communications, Alumni Relations, Pipeline & Operations, and Development Administration to maximize engagement of prospects, including…