Development Assistant – Harvard Graduate School of Design
Position Description:
Job Summary:
The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) educates design, research, and scholarship leaders to make a resilient, just, and beautiful world. The GSD offers degree programs across a range of design disciplines—architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, design engineering, and real estate—as well as advanced research programs that cut across these disciplines and a robust public program of lectures, exhibitions, and publications. The immense variety of people, programs, and ideas at the School sustains a vibrant and rich environment for learning, inquiry, and collaboration, unlike any other design school.
The Development Assistant will join the Development and Alumni Relations office at the GSD. The position will report to the Senior Associate Director of Development and provide support to two gifts officers who are committed to raising funds through annual, leadership, planned, and major gifts. The successful candidate will take on a variety of tasks with enthusiasm and approach their work with curiosity.
Position Description: TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Performs necessary support duties for two fundraisers. These duties include but are not limited to: preparing agendas for officer travel and internal meetings, drafting briefings, drafting and editing correspondence, and running donor reports. It also involves managing calendars, coordinating regular team meetings, confirming appointments, making travel and accommodation plans, and reconciling officer expenses.
• Coordinate aspects of fundraiser prospect meetings, including requesting updated prospect research, scheduling meetings, logistics, itineraries, briefing management, record-keeping in the donor database, follow-up correspondence, contact reports, and next steps.
• Proofreads, formats, circulates, and files correspondence, memos, e-mails, reports, and agendas. Runs lists, compiles bios, ensures prospect data is accurate, drafts correspondence, purchases gifts, and assists in trip preparation and follow-up. Occasionally will organize and produce mailings. All of these duties involve detailed and time-specific work.
• Responsible for coordinating logistics for small donor focused events.
• Contribute to briefings for senior-level administrators, faculty, and the dean by utilizing resources to prepare a first draft of the document for officer input; this includes writing background information, objectives, and talking points for the dean.
• Enters data into the Advance database in a timely manner; assists with fundraising tracking, reporting, and data analysis.
• Handles travel arrangements and books flights and hotels while adhering to the confidentiality protocol. Assists gift officers with preparation, including gathering prospect profiles, news updates, and other relevant information.
• Maintains excellent customer service with other departments, including but not limited to Communications, Events, the Office of the Dean, and others as needed.
• This position’s responsibilities also consist of varied projects and tasks that arise out of ongoing shifting demands that cannot always be foreseen. Flexibility, priority-setting and re-prioritizing, and initiative are essential.
• Participate in and/or support departmental and school-wide activities as needed.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• There are no supervisory responsibilities associated with this position.
Physical Requirements:
• Position involves frequent use of computer keyboard and mouse.
• May be required to lift and handle event supplies weighing 20-30 lbs.
Working Conditions:
• This is a hybrid position that is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process..
• The work is mainly performed in an office setting. Flexible work options for this role will be discussed during the interview process.
• This position requires frequent in-person work at the GSD throughout the academic year. Applications are accepted and encouraged from candidates not based in the Boston-Cambridge area, so long as they are able to commute to campus regularly during the academic year and reside in one of our approved payroll states. Harvard registered payroll states currently include Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and California (CA for exempt positions only).
Additional Information:
Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.
The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.
Basic Qualifications:
• Minimum of two years related office experience; strong knowledge of Microsoft Office software; available to work additional evening hours, particularly during the academic year.
Additional Qualifications and Skills:
• BA/BS degree or equivalent; office experience, preferably in an academic environment. Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and have strong interpersonal and communication skills. Must possess the ability to establish and promote good working relationships with colleagues, alumni, and donors. Must be flexible and possess the ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment.
• Strong writing and copy-editing skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Must be able to work independently and take initiative. Must be able to focus on priorities and time specific duties.
• Must be a professional, proactive, collaborative, conscientious, and results-oriented individual. Must have an optimistic and positive demeanor and demonstrate good intuition and the ability to adapt to changing priorities. Must demonstrate the ability to innovate, think strategically and conceptually, and display good, sound judgment.
• Comfortable speaking in group settings; willing to take charge in difficult situations and remain calm and collected under pressure.
• Excellent computer skills; experience with Windows, Excel, Word, and Microsoft Office. Prior database experience strongly preferred.
[Full-Time (Salaried)] Salary Range: 60000-70000
Schedule Requirements:
Minimum Requirements:
Physical Requirements:
• Position involves frequent use of computer keyboard and mouse.
• May be required to lift and handle event supplies weighing 20-30 lbs.
Level of English Required: Advanced/Fluent
How to Apply:
https://jobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/home/HomeWithPreLoad?PageType=JobDetails&partnerid=25240&siteid=5341&Areq=66169BR
In order to be considered for this position, a cover letter and resume are required with the submission of your application.