Director of Development, Major Gifts, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

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.

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 member of the FAS Major Gifts team and reports to the Senior Director of Development, FAS Major Gifts, West Coast. The incumbent will be charged with developing and executing sophisticated cultivation and solicitation strategies leading to the realization of seven- and eight- figure major gifts from an assigned portfolio of alumni and parent prospect households inthe West Coast region.

The Director will partner with colleagues in the Principal Gifts, Major Gifts, Gift Planning, and Harvard College Fund teams, and with volunteers and others throughout AA&D to encourage major gift level support across the FAS. At maturity, this role will generate $15 million+ per year.

• Manage a targeted portfolio of households. Responsible for meeting or exceeding assigned goals, including, but not limited to, goals for prospect visits, solicitations, successful gift closures, and dollars raised.
• Acquire a deep understanding of assigned prospects' philanthropic interests, capacity, and inclination through face-to-face and virtual meetings.
• Utilize knowledge of prospects' interests to develop and execute robust, multi-step prospect strategies that strategically leverage academic leadership, faculty, and other members of the Harvard community, leading to successful solicitation and closure of six- and seven- and eight - figure gifts.
• Foster relationships between prospective donors and academic leadership, faculty, and other members of the Harvard community to deepen a prospect's engagement with Harvard.
• Travel frequently with senior academic and administrative leaders. Responsible for securing anchor visits for all leaders and for constructing meetings to effectively leverage each senior leader's time to advance prospect strategies. Responsible for communicating meeting strategies through written briefings and pre-visit briefing meetings or calls.
• Work closely with senior fundraising leaders within FAS Development, the University Development Office, and other Harvard Schools to coordinate strategies for prospects with multi-school affiliations and/or interests. Embrace collaboration with these partners to deepen each prospect's relationship with the University to maximize giving potential through broad interests.
• Serve as a leader, resource, and mentor for other fundraisers in the organization by leveraging their fundraising experience, as well as their knowledge of FAS content acquired through their prospect work, to inform prospect strategies. Will be expected to contribute productively to prospect strategy reviews and trainings.
• The incumbent may be asked to take on programmatic responsibilities such as focusing on discrete fundraising initiatives or priorities. Programmatic responsibilities may shift portfolio composition.
• Responsible for timely entry of contact reports and the accurate upkeep of prospect stage and solicitation records in the alumni databases.
• Other responsibilities as required.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in university fundraising or relevant…