Board Liaison & Donor Relations Officer (Relocation Assistance Available!)

Whitehead Institute•Cambridge, MA

1d•$80,000 - $100,000•Onsite

About The Position

Responsible for the operational coordination and administration of the Board of Directors and its committees. Reporting directly to the Vice President, External Relations, this role executes board governance processes in alignment with direction from the Vice President and Board Chair. The position ensures the timely preparation of board materials, minutes, and governance documentation, including bylaws and committee charters. Serving as a liaison to the Board Chair and members, this individual ensures compliance with governance requirements and supports the integrity and effectiveness of board operations. In addition, this role provides operational support for donor engagement and stewardship activities, ensuring coordination, documentation, and continuity across key relationships. In this capacity, the position will report to the Senior Manager, Constituent Engagement & Experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
Minimum 7–10 years of progressively responsible administrative, governance, or executive-level support experience, preferably in a nonprofit, academic, or research environment.
Demonstrated knowledge of corporate governance principles and Board administration practices.
Ability to interpret and apply By-laws and governance documents with sound judgment.
Experience working with legal counsel and senior leadership on governance matters.
High level of discretion and ability to manage confidential and sensitive information.
Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple timelines and stakeholders simultaneously required.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word) with the ability to create clear, professional presentations, charts, graphs, and briefing materials for internal and external audiences.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build effective working relationships with Board members, senior leadership, faculty, and staff.

Nice To Haves

advanced degree in business administration, public administration, law, or related field preferred.
Proficiency with Board management software platforms (e.g., Diligent) and standard office technologies preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and manage detailed timelines for all Board and committee meetings.
Coordinate internal deadlines and send structured reminders to presenters and contributors.
Oversee compilation, review coordination, and timely dissemination of Board and committee materials.
Maintain distribution lists and secure access through the Board management platform (Diligent).
Verify quorum in accordance with By-laws prior to meetings.
Draft and refine Board and committee minutes.
Ensure minutes are reviewed by the Board Chair and formally circulated within established timelines.
In coordination with the Events staff, prepare materials and logistics for the Annual Meeting and Dinner, as well as quarterly board dinners, including travel arrangements.
Maintain working knowledge of the Institute’s By-laws, committee charters, and governance documents.
Ensure governance processes are executed in accordance with governing documents.
Maintain version control of By-laws, charters, resolutions, and related governance records.
Execute governance processes in alignment with direction from the Vice President, President and Board Chair via check-ins as needed.
Escalate governance interpretation questions, sensitive board matters, and procedural exceptions to the Vice President as appropriate.
Coordinate with legal counsel when directed by the Vice President on matters requiring formal interpretation or revision.
Maintain custody of official corporate records through Diligent, ensuring archival accuracy and secure document retention.
Maintain custody of the corporate seal and review requests for authorized use.
Maintain and manage an annual governance calendar, including: Board and committee meeting schedules, Director term tracking and rotation schedules, Committee assignments, Conflict-of-interest disclosures, Required governance documentation cycles.
Manage and track the annual Board budget and expenses.
Track and coordinate all Board member onboarding and off-boarding processes, ensuring timely preparation and distribution of orientation materials, coordination of orientation meetings, completion of required disclosures, and accurate documentation of term transitions.
Track and coordinate annual Conflict of Interest disclosure forms.
In coordination with the Controller, disseminate the Institute’s Form 990 on an annual basis.
Prepare formal resolutions for departing Board members.
Maintain and update Board-related website content as part of onboarding/off-boarding processes.
Serve as administrative liaison to the Board and Committee Chairs and members regarding meeting logistics, documentation, governance procedures, action items and reporting and measures as it relates to agreed upon board roles and responsibilities and support coordination of Board member engagement as it relates to donor and institutional activities.
Respond to routine governance inquiries and escalate matters requiring interpretation or policy guidance to the Vice President.
Coordinate faculty speaker invitations and scheduling in collaboration with the President and senior leadership.
Coordinate and support donor engagement activities beyond the Board, including: Donor visits and meetings, Institutional briefings and presentations, Small-scale cultivation and stewardship touchpoints.
Prepare and organize donor briefing materials in collaboration with Development and Institutional Narrative.
Track donor interactions, meeting notes, and follow-up actions in coordination with Advancement staff.
Support execution of stewardship activities, including: Acknowledgments, Reporting coordination, Follow-up communications logistics.
Maintain organized records of donor engagement activity and assist with tracking key relationships and touchpoints.
Coordinate logistics for donor visits, including scheduling, materials preparation, and on-site support.
Support preparation of leadership (VP, President, faculty) for donor interactions by coordinating materials and briefing documents.
Other Duties, as Assigned.