Assistant Director of Development, Fundraiser Support Management

Assistant Director

The Assistant Director oversees a cohort of FAS Development Support Staff (grades 53–54), ensuring frontline officers receive top-tier support and that support staff experience an equitable, positive work environment.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director of Development, Fundraiser Support Management, the Assistant Director helps build a cohesive management structure for all frontline development assistants, including goal and performance management, workflow oversight, learning and development, coverage planning, and hiring and onboarding.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

• Lead the day to day management of a cohort of development assistants, including recruitment and hiring, onboarding, workload and schedule oversight, and ensuring they have the tools, processes, and information needed to support frontline fundraisers effectively.
• Own the full year performance management cycle for the assigned cohort, in consultation with frontline officers and the Senior Associate Director of Development, Fundraiser Support Management, including setting expectations, providing ongoing feedback, and delivering formal evaluations.
• Conduct regular one on one check ins with each development assistant to review workload, training needs, position satisfaction, and performance, and to address questions or concerns in a timely, supportive manner.
• Partner with frontline officers to assess the effectiveness of support, gather feedback on development assistant performance, and adjust responsibilities or priorities to align with evolving fundraising needs.
• Oversee long term and interim staffing and project assignments for the development assistant cohort, balancing coverage and workload to ensure consistent, high quality support for all assigned fundraising teams.
• Collaborate with Human Resources and the Senior Associate Director of Development, Fundraiser Support Management on performance concerns, employee relations matters, compensation topics, and policy interpretation to ensure fair, consistent, and compliant people practices.
• Help coordinate a cohesive approach to Group Leader management and engagement across both FAS Group Leader cohorts (Harvard College Fund and Donor Development), in partnership with the Senior Associate Director and peer Assistant Director, to ensure consistent standards, communication, and support.
• Work closely with Talent Management, the Senior Associate Director, and frontline leaders to identify skills gaps and professional growth opportunities, and to design and implement onboarding, training, and development plans that support both immediate job success and longer term career progression.
• Co plan and execute monthly development assistant cohort meetings with the Senior Associate Director and peer Assistant Director, including identifying themes, scheduling guest speakers, and curating content that enhances frontline support capabilities.
• Assign and oversee special projects and process improvement initiatives for development assistants, encouraging innovation and collaboration to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of fundraising operations.
• May supervise additional development assistants or assume expanded responsibilities as organizational structure, fundraising priorities, or staffing needs evolve.

Basic Qualifications:

• 4+ years of related administrative experience
• Previous experience in project/relationship management
• Required to work onsite in the Cambridge, MA office on assigned days weekly and may be asked to also come in for additional meetings outside of the assigned days.
• You will be expected to work certain events/campus activities, such as reunions each Spring, and participate in department retreats that take place on campus in Cambridge, MA.

Additional

Qualifications and Skills:

• Prior experience supervising staff, including coaching, providing feedback, and managing day to day workload and priorities; management experience within a development or similarly complex environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and support staff sensitively through periods of change and ambiguity, using sound judgment and creative problem solving to navigate evolving priorities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present information clearly and confidently in group settings and to tailor messages to different audiences.
• Proven ability to build collaborative relationships and work effectively across departments and levels of the organization, exercising tact, discretion, and diplomacy.
• Skilled in handling sensitive and confidential information and situations with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Demonstrated negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to align diverse stakeholders around shared goals and solutions.
• Proven initiative and follow through, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a fast paced, evolving environment.
• Solid knowledge of office operations and comfort with modern office and…