Assistant Director, Reunion and Leadership Giving

Harvard University • Boston, MA

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director is a frontline fundraising position responsible for managing class-based reunion fundraising campaigns and securing leadership gifts from alumni. Directly oversees reunion fundraising activity, including volunteer management, for a portfolio of classes to primarily raise support from alumni for the HBS Fund. Cultivates, solicits, and stewards gifts of five-, six-, and seven-figures from a portfolio of class-based prospects. Identifies, enlists, and manages volunteer leadership who serve as partners in driving class fundraising activities and leads class fundraising committee meetings and calls. Develops and/or collaborates on class campaign and individual prospect strategies. This position requires a strong command of fundraising principles, a familiarity with the objectives of reunion and leadership giving fundraising, a high level of organization and professionalism, and the ability to work with a sophisticated and high-level alumni constituency.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum five years of experience in fundraising and administration and/or related transferable experience.
• Strong command of fundraising principles
• High level of organization
• Professionalism
• Familiarity with the objectives of reunion, annual, and unrestricted-gift fundraising.
• Demonstrated success in reunion and/or leadership giving, devising cultivation and solicitation strategies, volunteer management, and event management.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative working style are essential.
• Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced and goal-oriented environment.
• Must have the ability to innovate, think strategically and conceptually, manage multiple projects, and handle difficult situations.
• Must be able to listen as well as to influence and persuade others.
• A self-starter who can work effectively as a team member and promote collaboration in an environment of accountability.
• Must be motivated to learn and flexible to change.
• Proven ability to motivate, engage, and work with alumni and members of the Harvard University community, including high-level donors and leadership volunteers.
• Superior written and verbal communications skills.
• Computer literacy required; must have experience with Windows and databases.

Responsibilities

• Oversees a portfolio of reunion and non-reunion classes and is responsible for the development and management of class gift committees.
• Identifies and recruits class leadership and fundraising volunteers, sets goals, develops and implements class fundraising plans as well as collaborates with class leaders and colleagues on individual prospect strategies.
• Manages a portfolio of leadership gift prospects (reunion and non-reunion).
• Cultivates, solicits, and stewards alumni; coordinate with Gift Opportunities team on proposals and gift agreements; partners with Donor Relations team on stewardship of named funds.
• Determines and executes fundraising strategies to increase reunion class giving, including personal cultivation and solicitations, management of peer-to-peer solicitations, appeals, events, stewardship activities, and strategic visits by School leadership.
• Analyzes fundraising activity to identify ideas for improvement in both dollars raised and participation.
• Advises on class fundraising strategies, participates in class leadership conference calls, surveys class leadership and donor prospects, and determines solicitation strategies for leadership gift prospects.
• Works to increase dollars, educate volunteers, and drive donor retention and acquisition in both reunion and non-reunion classes.
• Collaborates regularly across HBS Development and External Relations to promote strategies to move prospects through the gift cycle and to further the case for HBS Fund support.
• Conducts approximately 75 personal visits annually for recruitment, volunteer management, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship purposes.
• Solicitation activity focused on Investors Society gifts of $25,000 and above.
• Identifies prospects for longer-term institutional engagement and giving.
• Partners with Direct Marketing colleagues on development of reunion appeals strategy.
• Strategically plans events and programs in support of fundraising activities and partners closely with Alumni Relations to ensure partnership between Reunion fundraising and Reunion program committees and activities.
• In collaboration with Reunion and Leadership Giving leadership, works on special projects to advance overall fundraising objectives.
• Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents.
• This role is responsible for other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level