Senior Director, Principal Gifts

As a principal gifts frontline fundraiser in University Development, the Senior Director plays a leadership role in shaping Harvard’s engagement with individual principal gifts donors and prospects who have the potential to make 8- and 9-figure gifts to the University. 

The position reports to the Senior Executive Director for University Development and serves as a senior fundraiser for the University. The Senior Director will manage a principal gifts portfolio of around 50 active prospects, donors, and volunteer leaders, primarily located on the west coast, and will expand the portfolio by identifying and engaging new prospects with the capacity of giving $10 million or more.

The role will be responsible for advancing University priorities, which include School-based priorities as well as central and University-wide priorities as defined by the President and Provost. The Senior Director will work in close coordination with senior academic and development leaders, and fundraisers across Harvard Schools. 

The ideal candidate has a sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of fundraising principles and practices, and the ability to inspire confidence and trust in others, form strong relationships within the University and externally, and leverage volunteer leadership in advancing donor relationships and gift discussions. The candidate will also demonstrate an intellectual curiosity about the work of the University, an ability to translate a broad range of academic areas into inspiring visions for donors, and a high level of adaptability and flexibility as needs and priorities change. 

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

• Manage a portfolio of prospects with the capacity to give $10 million or more with the goal of securing gifts of 8- to 9- figures. Build professional relationships with prospects or their philanthropic representatives and facilitate a network of relationships between prospects and university leaders.  Match interests with institutional needs and opportunities; and work to focus on raising the highest quality dollars that directly impact the teaching, research, and education mission.  Work closely with fundraisers and fundraising service teams across Harvard to develop and implement engagement strategies, conceptualize gift opportunities, develop gift proposals, and produce timely and meaningful stewardship.  Meet expectations for moves management and other individual and team metrics. 

• Adhere to Harvard’s principles and best practices for listening to our donors, matching donor interests with core academic priorities, and operating with transparency and collegiality. The Senior Director, as a member of the University Development team, will add value not only by personally engaging potential donors and/or their representatives, but also by advising colleagues on strategies, and by serving as a member of a team where another fundraiser is driving the strategy.  For this reason, the Senior Director must exhibit the ability to work collaboratively with team goals in mind. 

• Stays abreast of content that relates to academic and programmatic priorities across the University, particularly those of interest to the prospects in the principal gifts portfolio, and overall University news.

• Travel as needed to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors. May involve international travel depending on prospect assignments.

• Plan, staff, and brief senior academic administrators and faculty for substantive, strategic prospect/donor visits and events. Inform and participate in these activities when serving as a partner to another fundraiser.

• Collaborate with colleagues on partner teams to develop impactful events, strategic communications, and meaningful stewardship needed to advance principal gifts. 

• Work with volunteer leaders to advance prospect and donor activity. 

• Represent University Development and Harvard with professionalism, collegiality, expertise, service, and grace.  Exhibit Alumni Affairs and Development (AA&D) values, such as transparency, honesty, integrity, and inclusion, in all dealings.

The above covers the most significant responsibilities of this position. It does not, however, exclude other duties, the inclusion of which would be in conformity with the level of the position.

Working Conditions:

• Candidates must be willing to have a hybrid presence in the office and flexibility for in office as needed around manager needs and donor visits.