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

About the Role

The Director, a full-time exempt position on the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) 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 Boston region. As a member of the Major Gifts leadership team, the Director will determine overall strategy for the region, execute an engagement plan, and coordinate a portfolio of internal leadership activities such as staff training, fundraiser goal setting, regional prospect assignments, strategic planning, and donor engagement strategy.

This role informs decision-making, carries out policies and strategies, and models best practices as a leader, fundraiser, and colleague. The Director will expand the ability of fundraisers to develop creative strategies aligning FAS’ priority needs with donor interests. The position focuses on securing gifts ranging from $500K to $24.9M, including blended solicitations involving flexible support, gift planning vehicles, and complex assets.

The Director will lead a small team of fundraisers critical to raising six-, seven-, and eight-figure gifts supporting FAS priorities. While the primary focus is regional leadership, the Director will also manage a small group of prospects, ensuring coordination with University Alumni Affairs and Development (AA&D) and FAS colleagues.

This position requires advanced fundraising principles, collaboration across FAS and AA&D, clear decision-making, strategic thinking, and a high level of organization and professionalism. The Director must balance management, leadership, and prospect work to achieve results while nurturing frontline development talent.

Responsibilities

• In consultation with the Senior Executive Director, create, socialize, and finalize an annual strategic plan for the assigned region, including:
  • Yearly analysis of activity and concise written plan.
  • Execution of meeting series to convene fundraisers and key organizational partners.
  • Strategy development for top prospects, including prospect pipelines, engagement plans, and solicitation strategies.
• 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 collaborative results.
• Serve as the final decision-maker in planning matters, effectively communicating and presenting with Principal Gift partners and across the organization.
• Collaborate with Research and Prospect Management to determine appropriate portfolios for direct reports and manage prospect transitions between Leadership Giving and Major Gifts.
• Develop prospect strategy efforts across the Major Gifts team and AA&D in partnership with leadership.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, train, and manage a team of Major Giving officers, mentoring and motivating them to set and achieve annual goals.
• Ensure officers progress toward goals and adhere to prospect management procedures, providing training, coaching, and shadowing.
• Manage a small portfolio of prospects, with travel expectations of approximately 10% of time spent on the road.
• Contribute to the organization through participation in university-wide and FAS committees and special projects.
• Embrace innovation, flexibility, and change while maintaining confidentiality, honesty, and trustworthiness.
• Demonstrate an even disposition, effective problem-solving, and sound judgment in challenging situations.
• Reflect and uphold the values and culture of AA&D, fostering collaboration and respect.
• Lead and motivate direct reports and influence across departments with a supportive and accessible leadership style.

Qualifications

• Basic Qualifications:
  • A bachelor’s degree is required.
  • Minimum of 10 years of experience in development or related transferable skills.
  • Previous management experience of frontline fundraisers required.
  • Ability to attend meetings, events, campus activities (e.g., reunions), and department retreats in Cambridge, MA.
• Additional Qualifications and Skills:
  • Strong ability to earn trust from staff and prospects quickly.
  • Demonstrated experience engaging prospects in thoughtful, personal conversations with tact and diplomacy.
  • Mission-driven, intellectually curious, and collaborative.
  • Attention to detail, poise, and diplomacy for interactions with senior administration and faculty.
  • Superb written and oral communication skills, flexibility, and ability to multi-task.
  • Computer literacy, including experience with Windows and databases.
  • Advanced knowledge of fundraising strategies and techniques preferred.
  • Proven record of moving prospects through stages of identification, cultivation, solicitation, closure, and stewardship.
  • Experience briefing and staffing high-level academic or other leaders in prospect meetings.
  • Ability to focus on management and administrative functions, such as coaching, mentoring, hiring, and evaluating staff.
  • Sophisticated understanding of major gift fundraising principles and practices.
  • High levels of professionalism, collegiality, self-motivation, and organization.
  • Familiarity with the goals and objectives of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Alumni Affairs and Development.

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.

Pay

This position is salary grade level 060. For details, visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.

Schedule

• 40 hours per week.
• Hybrid work schedule with some duties performed at a non-Harvard location. Work schedule and location will be set by the department based on operational needs.
• When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees must work in a Harvard-registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts.

Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.