Director of Annual Giving and Engagement

Job Summary:

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute (HRI) seeks a strategic, data-driven, and collaborative Director of Annual Giving to lead the Institute’s annual giving program. Reporting to the Director of Donor Engagement, this role is responsible for developing and executing multi-channel direct marketing campaigns and advancing strategies that drive donor acquisition, retention, and annual giving revenue.

The Director will lead a performance-based, data-informed annual giving program grounded in audience segmentation, analytics, and testing. A core priority of the role is sustaining and growing Radcliffe’s annual donor base by implementing a long-term audience development strategy. Key to this work will be identifying and engaging target affiliate groups in the HRI community; strengthening reporting mechanisms and developing actionable insights; and building collaborative working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders across the External Relations team, Institute, and broader University. At the same time, the Director will steward loyal donor communities and create meaningful donor experiences for members of the Institute’s giving societies.

This is a high-impact role that offers the opportunity to shape and grow a modern annual giving program with strong institutional support; lead ambitious campaigns that connect a diverse community of alumni, donors, and friends to HRI’s work at the intersection of scholarship, arts, and public engagement; and collaborate across the Institute to help sustain and expand HRI’s impact over the long term. The role is ideal for someone who enjoys combining strategy and execution, has a passion for using data and creativity to engage diverse audiences, and is energized by working collaboratively in a mission-driven academic environment.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Direct Marketing Strategy and Execution (50%)

• Develop and implement strategy for the Institute’s multi-channel direct marketing program, using a data-driven approach to drive donor acquisition, retention, and annual giving revenue.

• Drive all aspects of the annual direct marketing plan, including individual project calendars, channel mix, segmentation strategy, budget and vendor management, and goal forecasting and tracking.

• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Donor Relations and Communications and the Donor Engagement and Annual Giving Officer to ensure project schedules, appeal data, content and design, and reporting are executed in a timely manner and meet institutional standards.

Data Integrity, Analytics, and Reporting (25%)

• Partner with Harvard’s Alumni Affairs & Development University Business Solutions team and the Donor Engagement and Annual Giving Officer to ensure effective audience segmentation, testing, reporting accuracy, and continuous process improvement for direct marketing data.

• Monitor direct marketing outcomes, identify opportunities to strengthen reporting mechanisms, and provide regular reporting and updates to department and Institute leadership.

• Conduct in-depth analyses of campaign effectiveness and target audience engagement to translate data into actionable insights; develop forecasting models and scenario planning to guide annual goal setting and resource allocation.

Audience Development Strategy (15%)

• Develop a deep understanding of HRI’s affiliate groups and their respective engagement with the Institute; partner with colleagues in External Relations, Communications, and Academic Programs to map out potential target audiences, current engagement mechanisms, and opportunities to strengthen affiliation. 

• Develop annual and five-year plans to engage, educate, and cultivate target audiences; identify necessary investments and prioritize efforts to align with institutional resources and growth areas.

• Define measures of success, report out on learnings, and recommend strategic adjustments as necessary. 

Giving Society Management (10%)

• Develop targeted marketing strategies and events to increase awareness of and participation in the Institute’s giving societies (Leadership Society, Associates, and Ann Radcliffe Society). 

• Work closely with the Director of Donor Engagement and the Senior Director of Development, Major and Leadership Gifts, to build processes to ensure current and potential Leadership Society ($5K+) donors are solicited, and overall participation continues to grow. 

• Monitor, analyze, and report monthly progress for the department and, as necessary, Institute and volunteer leadership. 

Supervisory Responsibilities:  

• May provide guidance and day-to-day direction to temporary staff, student employees, matrixed team members, or colleagues assigned to specific projects or campaigns; may be assigned direct reports as organizational needs evolve. 

• Carries out supervisory responsibilities according to the Institute's / University's management policies, procedures, and applicable laws. 

• Responsibilities may include hiring and training, planning, and assigning work, conducting performance appraisals, addressing performance issues, and resolving problems.