Donor Relations Coordinator

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

1d • $61,894 - $70,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) educates leaders in design, research, and scholarship to make a resilient, just, and beautiful world. The GSD offers an unparalleled setting for interaction through the combination of disciplines-architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning and design, design engineering, real estate and housing, including an emerging research program and a robust public program of lectures and exhibitions. The GSD is Harvard's epicenter for scholarship and innovation related to the built environment. Our faculty and students address defining questions across architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning and design, real estate, and design engineering, advancing fields that profoundly influence the human experience. At the GSD, research and teaching drive creative solutions to the world's most urgent challenges, reimagining infrastructure, communities, and cities on a global scale. This role is an opportunity to shape and elevate donor engagement at the world’s premier design school—championing stewardship, recognition, and impact reporting for our most dedicated supporters. If you thrive on building structure, using data to drive decisions, working collaboratively, and are passionate about donor communications that convey meaningful societal impact, we encourage you to apply.

Requirements

• HS Diploma or equivalent, required
• Minimum of five years of related administrative experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint) and the ability to quickly learn new software applications and technologies.
• Must demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and be able to work competently and efficiently in a multi-faceted environment with varied work styles.
• Must be customer service-oriented and able to develop and maintain good working relationships with staff at all levels of the School.
• Ability to work independently and with sound judgment, meet deadlines, manage multiple assignments, and solve problems.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with tact and discretion.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Previous experience in a nonprofit or fundraising office, donor relations, or development data management.
• Demonstrated excellence in written communication, with the ability to compose and edit clear, compelling academic materials and donor-focused correspondence.
• Proficient in content management systems and design programs, including Salesforce Email Marketing Cloud and the Adobe Creative Suite.
• Ability to thoughtfully employ AI-assisted tools for written communications, data-driven tasks, and workflow support, while exercising strong professional judgment and ensuring outputs align with institutional standards.
• Experience with Advance CRM and QlikView reporting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Strengthen donor relationships through thoughtful, timely, and personalized communications.
• Develop and implement operational processes that improve donor stewardship and recognition efforts.
• Collaborate across teams to build a best-in-class stewardship program.
• Drives a timely and carefully crafted acknowledgment process that recognizes donors’ philanthropic support.
• Manages the full portfolio of Fellowship Reports and develops other stewardship communications.
• Coordinates recognition initiatives, including donor listings and special recognition at events.
• Ensures smooth daily operations and effective administration.
• Lead and strengthen the donor acknowledgment process, ensuring accurate, timely, and personalized donor communications grounded in clear, compelling writing and thoughtful editing.
• Plan, write, and produce Fellowship Reports and other stewardship reporting in close collaboration with gift officers, partnering with students, staff, and faculty as needed.
• Support the stewardship of Annual Fund donors and prospects in partnership with the Annual Giving Team.
• Coordinate donor recognition, maintain accurate records, track engagement, and continuously improve the donor experience.
• Assist with donor communications, including reports, email campaigns, and other stewardship content.
• Provide responsive, professional service to internal partners and external stakeholders, including donors, alumni, and vendors.
• Actively contribute to departmental and School-wide events and initiatives.
• Perform additional stewardship and administrative duties as assigned.
• Leverage reporting tools (e.g., QlikView, Salesforce) to inform recognition efforts, listings, and mailings, analyze key performance metrics, and maintain accurate donor information across reports, trackers, and the database.
• Work closely with Operations and Administration colleagues to ensure that all donor touchpoints and gift processing activities are accurately captured in the database.
• Review information for the University Honor Roll, the University Endowment Report, and other University Reporting in partnership with Gift Officers and administrative staff, serving as a liaison between the University Development Office and the GSD DevAR Office.

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
• Education Level: High school or GED