Senior Regional Director of Development, Major Gifts

About the role

The Senior Regional Director, a full-time, exempt position on the FAS Major Gifts team, will be responsible for developing and executing sophisticated cultivation and solicitation strategies leading to the realization of six and seven-figure major gifts from an assigned portfolio of approximately 85-100 alumni and parent prospect households in the West Coast Region.

Responsibilities

• Manage a targeted portfolio of approximately 85-100 households in the West Coast Region.
• Meet or exceed assigned goals, including proactive strategies to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward College, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences alumni, parents, and friends.
• Develop and execute robust, multi-step prospect strategies which strategically leverage academic leadership, faculty, and other members of the Harvard community leading to successful solicitation and closure of six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Foster relationships between prospective donors and academic leadership, faculty, and other members of the Harvard community to deepen a prospect’s engagement with Harvard.
• Travel frequently with senior academic and administrative leaders.
• Secure anchor visits for all leaders and construct meetings to effectively leverage each senior leader’s time to advance prospect strategies.
• Communicate meeting strategies through written briefings and pre-visit briefings or calls.
• Work closely with senior fundraising leaders within FAS Development, the University Development Office, and other Harvard Schools to coordinate strategies for prospects with multi-school affiliations or interests.
• Embrace collaboration with these partners to deepen each prospect’s relationship with the university to maximize giving potential through broad interests.
• Serve as a leader, resource, and mentor for other fundraisers in the organization by leveraging their fundraising experience, as well as their knowledge of FAS content acquired through their prospect work to inform prospect strategies.

• Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree required.
  • Minimum of 8 years of experience in university fundraising or relevant transferable experience required.
  • Knowledge of complex academic institutions and experience staffing academic leaders in development work strongly preferred.
  • Highly sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of fundraising best practices.
  • Proven track record of closing six and seven figure gifts and/or relevant transferable experience strongly preferred.
  • Strong active listening skills, including an ability to ask sensitive questions with tact.
  • Demonstrated ability to uncover interests, motivations, and objections from prospective donors, clients, or others strongly preferred.
  • Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write persuasively and to quickly develop strong relationships with internal and external constituencies, to promote a positive and effective collaboration to ensure success.
  • A natural affinity for collaboration, leading through influence, and a high level of emotional intelligence.
  • Superb organizational skills and an ability to think strategically and conceptually, manage multiple projects simultaneously and handle difficult situations with patience and a sense of humor.

  Additional Qualifications and Skills

  • Ability to travel approximately 35% of working days.

  Other responsibilities as needed or required.

  Qualifications

  • Basic Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree required. Minimum of 8 years of experience in university fundraising or relevant transferable experience required.
  • Additional Qualifications and Skills: Knowledge of complex academic institutions and experience staffing academic leaders in development work strongly preferred. Highly sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of fundraising best practices. Proven track record of closing six and seven figure gifts and/or relevant transferable experience strongly preferred. Strong active listening skills, including an ability to ask sensitive questions with tact. Demonstrated ability to uncover interests, motivations, and objections from prospective donors, clients, or others strongly preferred. Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write persuasively and to quickly develop strong relationships with internal and external constituencies, to promote a positive and effective collaboration to ensure success. Someone who is pleasantly persistent while exhibiting sound judgement. Willingness to learn and embrace new ideas and be flexible and open to change. Must be a professional, confidential, honest and trustworthy person. 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 judgement. Ability to exercise good judgment in the handling of confidential information. 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 as well as an ability to admit mistakes and forgive faults in others. Superb organizational skills and an ability to think strategically and conceptually, manage multiple projects simultaneously and handle difficult situations with patience and a sense of humor. Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write persuasively and to quickly develop strong relationships with internal and external constituencies to promote a positive and effective collaboration to ensure success. Computer literacy required and experience with Windows-based PCs and prospect management databases.

  Additional Information

  • Standard Hours/Schedule: 40 hours per week.
  • Orientation and Review Period: 6 months.
  • Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
  • Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education.

  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.

  EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

  Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes. Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.