Regional Director, Major and Planned Gifts

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute is seeking a Regional Director of Major and Planned Gifts to join their team. This position reports directly to the Senior Director of Development, Major Gifts. The role is charged with continuing to build and refine a portfolio of approximately 100 major gift prospects, primarily in the Greater Boston and New York City Metropolitan Areas. Additionally, the position will establish and grow a planned giving portfolio of 75-100 individuals through proactive national prospecting and cultivation via email, phone calls, and virtual meetings. This is a relatively new strategic focus for HRI, and the Regional Director will play a key role in shaping and formalizing their approach to planned giving. The first 12-18 months will focus heavily on identifying, qualifying, and cultivating new prospects, and testing and refining virtual engagement strategies. This role will be charged with maximizing opportunities for donors to secure their legacy giving and be recognized for it during their lifetime. The ideal candidate will be energized by building and qualifying an early-stage portfolio, comfortable with a high volume of proactive outreach, and instrumental in devising and implementing targeted strategies to secure significant six- and seven-figure donations. They will be adept at nurturing relationships with potential and existing donors at various engagement levels, and will exhibit exceptional organizational and communication skills, a results-driven and entrepreneurial approach, proficiency with virtual engagement, and a collaborative spirit, including active participation in on-campus events and regular travel to engage donors and prospects in person. Join us in our endeavor to foster meaningful partnerships and contribute to the advancement of the Harvard Radcliffe Institute’s mission through strategic fundraising initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• At least five years of progressively responsible development experience, including:
• Ability to identify and evaluate donor prospects and to establish and maintain relationships with them.
• Demonstrated success in donor cultivation and solicitation to advance institutional priorities.
• Ability to maximize giving potential and giving inclination using all available resources, including a variety of planned giving strategies.
• Ability to move challenging and/or complex cases forward.
• Experience translating institutional priorities into compelling gift opportunities for donors.
• Collaborative problem-solving and an entrepreneurial approach to designing creative donor engagement strategies.
• Understanding of fundraising best practices and techniques.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals at all levels both verbally and in writing.
• Must be able to operate independently and display critical thinking and sound judgment.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Must be a self-starter who is organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritize and balance multiple tasks in a fast-paced complex environment.
• Must have a natural affinity for collaboration, leading through influence, and a high level of emotional intelligence. Must be drawn to a challenge and exhibit the patience necessary to advance solutions in a complex and collaborative organization. Demonstrate a personal commitment to excellence

Nice To Haves

• Experience staffing high-level academic or other leaders in prospect meetings/trips is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 150-175 prospects who can make transformative contributions at the 6- and-7-figure levels through outright and planned gifts. Prospects will be primarily located in the Greater Boston Area and New York Metropolitan Area with additional prospects in emerging secondary markets.
• In the first 12-18 months, devote a substantial portion of time to identifying, qualifying, and cultivating new major and planned giving prospects, with a particular emphasis on proactive outreach (email, phone, and virtual meetings) to build a sustainable national pipeline, with the understanding that the balance of time between qualification and portfolio management will evolve as the portfolio matures.
• Meet or exceed annual fundraising goals, consistent with the expectations for an established major gift fundraiser. These goals include, but are not limited to prospect visits, gift solicitations, successful gift closures, and overall dollars raised.
• Proactively identify and engage new donor prospects by leveraging referrals, volunteer connections, and collaborative efforts with the prospect research team, ensuring their seamless integration into the major gift and planned giving pipelines.
• Develop and execute an ongoing, proactive planned giving prospecting strategy by identifying, qualifying, and engaging planned gift prospects nationally through targeted email outreach, phone calls, and virtual meetings. Build and nurture a pipeline of prospects with significant capacity and affinity for HRI, educating them about planned giving vehicles and moving qualified prospects toward planned gift commitments.
• Complete and maintain current, accurate records of all donor interactions and progress within Harvard’s Advance fundraising database.
• Strategically evaluate and rank prospects, coordinate with key volunteers for donor assignments, prepare essential briefing materials for interactions, and ensure the follow-through of volunteer-led initiatives.
• Plan and implement 1-2 donor cultivation events annually in partnership with HRI events team, to support a robust and effective regional engagement strategy.
• Assume additional programmatic responsibilities as needed, such as leading discrete fundraising initiatives or special projects that contribute to the department’s success and enhance the long-term donor engagement strategy.
• Foster strong collaborative relationships with colleagues across External Relations and the broader Harvard community, working in tandem with leaders from HRI, FAS Development, the University Development Office, and other Harvard Schools to align strategies for donors with interests in multiple Harvard areas, optimizing their philanthropic impact on HRI.
• Manage and optimize the involvement of HRI’s dean and senior leaders in fundraising activities for assigned prospects. Prepare detailed strategic briefings for meetings and ensure thorough follow-up after donor interactions and events.
• Continually build knowledge about the mission, projects, and prospects of the Radcliffe Institute. Take part in local academic lectures and associated social functions to foster donor relationships. Act as a dedicated ambassador for HRI, effectively communicating its goals and achievements to stakeholders.

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: Senior