Director of Stewardship Reporting

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Stewardship Reporting provides strategic leadership for designing and delivering a comprehensive impact reporting program in a higher education advancement environment. The role ensures that alumni, parents, foundations, corporations, and other benefactors receive compelling, accurate, data-driven reports demonstrating the measurable effects of philanthropic investments across scholarships, faculty support, research, capital projects, and student success initiatives. Reporting to the Executive Director of Stewardship and Donor Engagement, the Director partners with Advancement, Academic Affairs, Institutional Research, Finance, and Communications to turn institutional outcomes into meaningful narratives that deepen donor engagement, strengthen stewardship, and support long-term philanthropic growth.

The Director develops donor impact reporting strategy and standards; oversees reports for endowed funds, scholarships, research, and capital projects; and advises advancement leadership on impact storytelling and stewardship. The role manages complex and customized reporting projects, aligns reports with gift agreements and donor intent, and integrates stories, outcomes, and financial information into donor-centered materials. It also leads and develops the reporting team, manages resources and workflows, and supports campaigns and institutional initiatives through impact summaries, milestone reports, and public-facing narratives.

This is a hybrid position requiring at least two days per week in the office, with additional in-person presence as operational needs or peak seasons require. The position is scheduled for 40 hours per week and occasionally requires night and weekend work, including events and campus activities. Local, regional, or national travel may be required, along with standing and walking for extended periods at events and occasional handling of materials weighing up to 15–20 pounds.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 10 or more years of experience in higher education advancement, donor relations, stewardship, or institutional research.
• 8–10 or more years in a leadership or supervisory role.
• Demonstrated expertise in donor stewardship reporting, impact measurement, and higher education metrics such as retention, graduation rates, research funding, and student outcomes.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate academic and financial data into compelling narratives.
• Experience managing reporting for endowed funds and restricted gifts.
• Occasional night and weekend work is required.
• Ability to travel locally, regionally, or nationally.
• Ability to stand and walk for multiple hours during large-scale donor recognition events.
• Ability to occasionally move or transport event materials, signage, or donor gifts weighing up to 15–20 pounds.
• Ability to build, develop, and manage high-performing teams and influence and build relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Attention to detail and strong written, data collection, and oral communication skills.
• Ability to contribute ideas and process improvements using available resources.
• Ability to prioritize work to maximize department resources.
• Ability to use data, analytics, emerging technologies, and AI-enabled tools to enhance operational effectiveness and personalization.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of academic units and current affairs in higher education.
• Well-developed project management skills, including experience initiating and implementing a new program or project.
• Ability to communicate frequently in person, by phone, video conference, and email with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Executive communication skills and a donor-centric mindset.
• Must meet Harvard work-location sponsorship requirements; hybrid employees working away from Harvard-designated locations must work in a Harvard-registered state.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with advancement CRM systems such as Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge or Salesforce Education Cloud.
• Familiarity with endowment management and foundation reporting.
• Experience working with volunteers and donors.
• Experience supporting comprehensive capital campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a donor impact reporting strategy aligned with institutional priorities and campaign goals.
• Establish reporting standards, frameworks, and templates for endowed funds, current-use gifts, capital projects, and restricted grants.
• Advise advancement leadership on impact storytelling, transparency, and stewardship strategy.
• Contribute to comprehensive campaign reporting and board-level impact communications.
• Oversee annual endowed fund reports, scholarship impact reports, research updates, and capital project summaries.
• Analyze reporting volume and determine cadence, complexity, and customization, including which reports should be delivered through a digital platform.
• Ensure reports align with gift agreements, donor intent, and compliance requirements.
• Project-manage donor impact reports and special impact reporting projects; develop customized concepts for principal and major gift donors, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Integrate student and faculty stories, outcome data, and financial reporting into cohesive donor-centered materials.
• Partner with gift officers to support donor cultivation, renewal, and upgrade strategies through stewardship materials.
• Coordinate with DCASO and DRE Managing Directors on high-level donor strategy with the Executive Director.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing donor reporting team.
• Allocate staff time and other resources to manage reporting volume and complexity.
• Establish quality assurance processes, timelines, and workflows for timely report delivery.
• Foster collaboration among Advancement Services, Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Principal Gifts, and Communications.
• Identify and implement process improvements that streamline reporting cycles and improve scalability.
• Support comprehensive fundraising campaigns with impact summaries, milestone reports, and public-facing narratives.
• Partner with academic units, deans, and program directors to capture stories and measurable outcomes.
• Contribute to donor recognition publications and annual impact reports.
• Attend required events and campus activities, including spring reunions, and participate in on-campus department retreats.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, including parental leave.
• Medical, dental, and vision 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: Director