Assistant Director, Reunion Leadership & Giving

The Assistant Director, Reunion & Leadership Giving is a frontline fundraising position responsible for managing class-based reunion fundraising campaigns and securing leadership gifts from alumni. The Assistant Director directly oversees reunion fundraising activity, including volunteer management, for a portfolio of classes to primarily raise support from alumni for the Harvard Business School (HBS) Fund.

The Assistant Director also:

• Cultivates, solicits, and stewards gifts of five- and six-figure gifts from a portfolio of class-based prospects.
• Identifies, enlists, and manages volunteer leadership who serve as partners in driving class fundraising activities and leads class fundraising committee meetings and calls.
• Develops and/or collaborates on class campaign and individual prospect strategies.
• This position requires a strong command of fundraising principles, a familiarity with the objectives of reunion and leadership giving fundraising, a high level of organization and professionalism, and the ability to work with a sophisticated and high-level alumni constituency.
• Oversees a portfolio of reunion and non-reunion classes and is responsible for the development and management of class gift committees.
• Identifies and recruits class leadership and fundraising volunteers, sets goals, develops and implements class fundraising plans as well as collaborates with class leaders and colleagues on individual prospect strategies.
• Manages a portfolio of leadership gift prospects (reunion and non-reunion).
• Cultivates, solicits, and stewards alumni; coordinate with Gift Opportunities team on proposals and gift agreements; partners with Donor Relations team on stewardship of named funds.
• Determines and executes fundraising strategies to increase reunion class giving, including personal cultivation and solicitations, management of peer-to-peer solicitations, appeals, events, stewardship activities, and strategic visits by School leadership.
• Analyzes fundraising activity to identify ideas for improvement in both dollars raised and participation.
• Advises on class fundraising strategies, participates in class leadership conference calls, surveys class leadership and donor prospects, and determines solicitation strategies for leadership gift prospects. Works to increase dollars, educate volunteers, and drive donor retention and acquisition in both reunion and non-reunion classes.
• Collaborates regularly across HBS Development and External Relations to promote strategies to move prospects through the gift cycle and to further the case for HBS Fund support.
• Conducts approximately 75 personal visits annually for recruitment, volunteer management, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship purposes. Solicitation activity focused on Investors Society gifts of $25,000 and above.
• Identifies prospects for longer-term institutional engagement and giving. Partners with Direct Marketing colleagues on development of reunion appeals strategy.
• Strategically plans events and programs in support of fundraising activities and partners closely with Alumni Relations to ensure partnership between Reunion fundraising and Reunion program committees and activities.
• In collaboration with Reunion and Leadership Giving leadership, works on special projects to advance overall fundraising objectives.
• This role is responsible for other duties as assigned.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• This position requires a strong command of fundraising principles, a high level of organization, professionalism, and a familiarity with the objectives of reunion, annual, and unrestricted-gift fundraising.
• Demonstrated success in reunion and/or leadership giving, devising cultivation and solicitation strategies, volunteer management, and event management.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative working style are essential.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced and goal-oriented environment.
• Must have the ability to innovate, think strategically and conceptually, manage multiple projects and handle difficult situations.
• Able to listen as well as to influence and persuade others.
• A self-starter who can work effectively as a team member and promote collaboration in an environment of accountability.
• Motivated to learn and flexible to change.
• Proven ability to motivate, engage, and work with alumni, including high-level donors and leadership volunteers. Superior written and verbal communications skills.

Additional Information:

This is a hybrid position which we consider to be a combination of remote and onsite work at our Boston, MA based campus. HBS expects all staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week and departments provide onsite coverage Monday – Friday. Specific hours and days onsite will be determined by business needs and are subject to change with appropriate advanced notice.

We may conduct candidate interviews virtually (phone and/or via Zoom) and/or in-person for this role.

A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity.

Harvard Business School will not offer visa sponsorship for this opportunity.

Culture of Inclusion:

The work and well-being of HBS is profoundly strengthened by the diversity of our network and our differences in background, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, and life experiences. Explore more about HBS work culture here https://www.hbs.edu/employment

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum five years of experience in fundraising and administration and/or related transferable experience is required.
• Computer literacy required; must have experience with Windows and databases.

Apply Here: https://www.click2apply.net/rJ2WJnt7P78MRI1GGczEao

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