Director of Development, Major Gifts, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Job Summary:

The Director, a full-time exempt position on the Faculty of Arts (FAS) and Sciences Major Gifts team, will report to, and work in partnership with the Senior Executive Director of Development to lead, mentor, and manage a team of gift officers in the Growth Markets. As a member of the Major Gifts leadership team, the Director will be responsible for determining overall strategy for the regions along with internal and external execution of an engagement plan. This role will also be responsible for coordinating a portfolio of internal leadership activities such as staff training, fundraiser goal setting, review of regional prospect assignments, strategic planning, donor engagement strategy, and other activities as assigned. This position informs decision making and is responsible for carrying out policies and strategies, and modeling best practices as a leader, fundraiser, and colleague.

The Director’s experience and knowledge will be critical in expanding the ability of fundraisers to form creative strategy development as they combine the FAS’ priority needs with donor interests and desire to make an impact. The position’s formal reporting line will be focused on an assigned region and securing gifts across the major gifts scale. This includes gifts that are in the range of $500K - $24.9M, with a keen eye toward blended solicitations involving flexible support, gift planning vehicles, and the potential for complicated asset involvement. The Director will be expected to develop and implement an annual regional plan that impacts FAS Development and expands philanthropic support across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The Director will lead a small team of fundraisers that play a critical role in the FAS’ ability to raise six-, seven- and eight-figure gifts to support the priorities of the FAS Dean of Arts and Sciences and the region.   

While the focus of this position is regional leadership, the director will work with a small group of prospects to raise gifts. The incumbent will coordinate the development and maintenance of relationships with these prospects and will be expected to ensure that relevant University Alumni Affairs and Development and FAS colleagues are involved and/or informed when appropriate.  

This position requires a command of advanced fundraising principles and the ability to collaborate and communicate across FAS and Alumni Affairs and Development (AA&D). Additionally, the Director must possess a bias for clear decision making, developing strategy and making the ask, a high level of organization, professionalism, and a broad familiarity with the objectives of capital, endowment and annual current-use fundraising. The Director must demonstrate management characteristics while balancing the demands of management, leadership, and prospect work to achieve strong results while nurturing and developing frontline development talent.  

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

• In consultation with the Senior Executive Director, create, socialize, and finalize annual strategic plan for the assigned regions. This includes: 

• Creation of concise written plan including yearly analysis of activity.  

• Execution of meeting series to convene fundraisers and key organizational partners. 

• Focus on strategy for top prospects in the regions and serve as decision maker in developing prospect pipelines for travel, engagement plan for leadership and faculty, and ensuring solicitation plan. 

• Communicate and strategize regularly with key partners including Principal Gifts, Programs and Events, Priorities and Proposals, Stewardship and Donor Engagement, the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA), and the Harvard College Fund to ensure collaboration that leads to results. 

• Effectively leverage relationship with Principal Gift Officer who will be acting as a consultant in the regions. Serve as the final decision maker in all planning matters. As such, communicate and present effectively and intentionally with the Principal Gift partner and across the organization. 

• Collaborate with colleagues in Research and Prospect Management to determine appropriate portfolios for direct reports and appropriate prospect transitions between Leadership Giving and Major Gifts.  

• Develop efforts and supporting activities that focus on prospect strategy development across the Major Gifts team and the AA&D in consultation with the Senior Executive Director and in partnership with the Major Gifts leadership team, FAS Management team, Leadership and Principal Gift officers, and the Harvard College Fund officers. 

• Recruit, hire, onboard, train, and manage a team of Major Giving officers responsible for securing gifts in the assigned regions. Mentor, counsel, and motivate the staff to set annual goals and raise aspirational philanthropic support in a professional, ethical, and mission-informed manner.    

• Ensure officers are progressing to goals and adhering to prospect management procedures. Responsible for training, coaching, and shadowing officers. 

• Provide encouragement, support, and motivation with a focus on consistent and constructive feedback. 

• Contribute to the organization through participation in university-wide and FAS committees and work on special projects as needed.   

• Manage a small portfolio of prospects. Travel expectations require approximately 10% of time spent on the road, not including preparation for, execution of, or follow-up on, external visits.   

• Embrace new ideas, be flexible, open to change, and think innovatively.  Must be confidential, honest, and trustworthy person and possess ability to gain stakeholder buy in. Must have an even disposition and be able to deal effectively and politely with people from all types of backgrounds and experience and in all types of difficult or challenging situations. Must be able to evaluate problems accurately and display good, sound judgment. 

• Consistently reflect and embrace the values and culture of AA&D. Commit to an organizational culture of collaboration and respect.  Possess a supportive and accessible leadership style which inspires individuals to hold themselves to the highest expectations. Ability to lead and motivate direct reports and to lead with influence across different departments.