Officer, Harvard Kennedy School Annual Fund

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join the Harvard Kennedy School?

The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is one of 12 graduate and professional schools at the university. Harvard Kennedy School’s mission is to improve public policy and leadership so people can live in societies that are more safe, free, just, and sustainably prosperous. By combining cutting-edge research, the teaching of outstanding students, and direct interaction with practitioners, we have an impact on solving public problems that no other institution can match. When you work at Harvard Kennedy School, you make a difference.

The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS)’s Alumni Affairs and Resource Development is a dedicated team supporting the School’s advancement activity through front-line fundraising, alumni and volunteer engagement, and community building. Our work directly supports the HKS mission to improve public policy and leadership so people can live in societies that are more safe, free, just, and sustainably prosperous. By combining cutting-edge research, the teaching of outstanding students, and direct interaction with practitioners, we have an impact on solving public problems that no other institution can match. 

The Officer, Harvard Kennedy School Annual Fund (HKS Fund) works closely within the HKS Fund team to identify, cultivate, and solicit annual donors for gifts of $1,000-$100,000. They will join a successful, entrepreneurial annual fund team that has achieved consistent growth in results over the past decade and is poised for its next phase of innovation to further increase alumni donor participation and drastically grow unrestricted revenue. In close collaboration with colleagues across Alumni Relations and Resource Development, this role helps shape and execute forward-thinking strategies that strengthen philanthropic support for Harvard Kennedy School and deepen alumni engagement worldwide. This position provides the opportunity to gain experience in frontline solicitation and annual fund strategies. 

This position manages a robust portfolio of leadership annual fund prospects, developing and implementing personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans that advance HKS Fund goals. The Officer, HKS Fund will play a key role in high-impact annual fund initiatives—including reunion fundraising, the Graduating Class Campaign, volunteer management, and donor renewal and retention strategies—creating meaningful opportunities for alumni and friends to invest in the School’s mission. By building and sustaining important relationships with donors who are shaping the future of Harvard Kennedy School, the Assistant Director directly contributes to the success of priority projects, student and faculty support, and the long-term health of the HKS Fund. 

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

• This position contributes to meeting and exceeding department revenue goals by developing and executing prospect strategies, cultivating, and stewarding prospects and donors and directly soliciting gifts. 
• Manages a 500+ person prospect pool of mainly alumni leadership giving donors within specific regions and spread throughout the globe, with a focus of raising annual gifts over $1,000 or more. 
• Makes a minimum of 10-12 face-to-face visits monthly and contacts entire portfolio each year. Qualifies, progresses, and cultivates newly identified prospects and evaluates major gift potential and next steps. 
• Develops appropriate cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to enhance retention, grow revenue, and improve donor advancement. Will be required to meet set individual revenue and moves management goals. 
• Manages alumni volunteers in reunion and non-reunion classes, overseeing volunteer training, class fundraising strategy, and the logistics involved with volunteer solicitations. 
• Responsible for working closely with HKS Fund staff to solicit reunion prospects and execute on annual reunion fundraising strategy. 
• As needed, collaborates with the Development Communications team and works independently to utilize email, digital, and phone outreach to meaningfully contact prospects outside of typical travel areas. 
• Creates customized and personalized donor communications materials and touchpoints to help nurture and strengthen mid-level donors’ relationships with the Kennedy School. 
• Coordinates with, supports, and trains alumni volunteers on fundraising strategies and solicitations of their classmates with an added emphasis on Reunion classes. 
• Supports activities related to the Graduating Class Gift program, including solicitation, on-campus activities, and communications materials. 
• Researches and prepares background information and drafts high level strategy briefings for faculty, senior administrators, and volunteers. Drafts other correspondence and communications as required. 
• Works with leaders of Communications, Alumni Relations, and Principal and Major gifts to strategize and plan development trips and regionally-based donor strategy.  May coordinate any or all aspects of development travel including prospect identification, scheduling, logistics, travel arrangements, event logistics, briefings, staffing and follow-up correspondence. 
• May staff faculty or senior administrators in meetings with donors and represent Alumni Relations and Resource Development at events, meetings, and 1:1 appointments. Coordinates briefings and follow-up correspondence.  Prepares contact reports and enters them in the development database. 
• Tracks prospects in the assigned portfolio, developing strategies and moves and ensuring that assignments are up to date and all activities are documented. 
• Manages research needs for assigned portfolio by completing research or by assigning research to the University Research Team when appropriate. 
• Works with the Communications staff to ensure talking points are written for the Dean or other senior administrators for speaking engagements. 
• As a member of the Alumni Relations and Development Office team, takes on critical project work as needed.  This might include working on planning efforts, development committee meetings or events, drafting reports and presentations, or writing proposals. 
• Performs other responsibilities upon request, as needed, with or without accommodation.  
• 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. 

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree and 3 or more years of related experience, including working or volunteering in a fundraising setting.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

The ideal candidate is action oriented with an ability to deal with ambiguity; has composure, comfort around higher management; possesses sound judgement and decision making quality, integrity and trust, interpersonal savvy, listening, planning, written communications, learning on the fly, organizing, peer relationships, personal learning.

• Excellent communications skills, oral and written 
• Prior development experience and a demonstrated experience in solicitations strongly preferred 
• Basic understanding of fundraising needed, as well as a desire to learn morel. 
• Ability to manage a busy office with competing demands; not easily flustered nor easily overwhelmed by a high volume of activity and projects.  
• Integrity and trust with a demonstrated ability to manage highly confidential information 
• Ability to problem solve 
• Ability to work with a diverse constituency required 
• Ability to analyze and explain data 
• Strong knowledge of MS Office and ability to learn new software quickly 
• Ability to work nights and weekends and to travel as required are a must 

• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education, Criminal, Credit
• Other Information: This position is based on campus in Cambridge, MA and required to work in person a minimum of 3 days/week.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 056. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• 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 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

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.