Director of Annual Giving and Engagement

Job Summary

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute (HRI) seeks a strategic, data‑driven, and collaborative Director of Annual Giving to lead the Institute’s annual giving program. Reporting to the Director of Donor Engagement, this role will develop and execute multi‑channel direct marketing campaigns and advance strategies that drive donor acquisition, retention, and annual giving revenue. The Director will build a performance‑based, data‑informed annual giving program grounded in audience segmentation, analytics, and testing, sustain and grow Radcliffe’s annual donor base, and create meaningful donor experiences for members of the Institute’s giving societies.

Job‑Specific Responsibilities

Direct Marketing Strategy and Execution (50%)

• Develop and implement strategy for the Institute’s multi‑channel direct marketing program, using a data‑driven approach to drive donor acquisition, retention, and annual giving revenue.
• Drive all aspects of the annual direct marketing plan, including project calendars, channel mix, segmentation strategy, budget and vendor management, and goal forecasting and tracking.
• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Donor Relations and Communications and the Donor Engagement and Annual Giving Officer to ensure project schedules, appeal data, content and design, and reporting are executed in a timely manner and meet institutional standards.

Data Integrity, Analytics, and Reporting (25%)

• Partner with Harvard’s Alumni Affairs & Development University Business Solutions team and the Donor Engagement and Annual Giving Officer to ensure effective audience segmentation, testing, reporting accuracy, and continuous process improvement for direct marketing data.
• Monitor direct marketing outcomes, identify opportunities to strengthen reporting mechanisms, and provide regular reporting and updates to department and Institute leadership.
• Conduct in‑depth analyses of campaign effectiveness and target audience engagement to translate data into actionable insights, develop forecasting models and scenario planning to guide annual goal setting and resource allocation.

Audience Development Strategy (15%)

• Develop a deep understanding of HRI’s affiliate groups and their engagement with the Institute; partner with colleagues in External Relations, Communications, and Academic Programs to map potential target audiences, current engagement mechanisms, and opportunities to strengthen affiliation.
• Develop annual and five‑year plans to engage, educate, and cultivate target audiences; identify necessary investments and prioritize efforts to align with institutional resources and growth areas.
• Define measures of success, report on learnings, and recommend strategic adjustments as necessary.

Giving Society Management (10%)

• Develop targeted marketing strategies and events to increase awareness of and participation in the Institute’s giving societies.
• Work closely with the Director of Donor Engagement and the Senior Director of Development, Major and Leadership Gifts, to build processes to ensure current and potential Leadership Society donors are solicited and participation continues to grow.
• Monitor, analyze, and report monthly progress for the department and, as necessary, Institute and volunteer leadership.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provide guidance and day‑to‑day direction to temporary staff, student employees, matrixed team members, or colleagues assigned to specific projects or campaigns; may be assigned direct reports as needs evolve.
• Carry out supervisory responsibilities according to the Institute’s and University’s management policies, procedures, and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities may include hiring, training, planning, assigning work, conducting performance appraisals, addressing performance issues, and resolving problems.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of five years progressively responsible experience in fundraising and administration or related transferable experience, including:
  • Strong project management experience involving multiple projects and priorities within budgets and timelines.
  • Executing multi‑channel direct marketing campaigns.
  • Leveraging data analysis to inform strategy.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Experience in higher education or non‑profit setting preferred.
• Superior interpersonal skills with proven ability to successfully interact and collaborate with varied constituencies in a professional manner, exhibiting excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Proven track record of working in a dynamic, evolving, and highly energetic fundraising environment.
• Ability to function at a high level within a complex organization.
• Ability to apply good judgment and discretion when dealing with highly confidential alumni, family, donor, and prospect information.
• Experience working with prospect tracking systems (e.g., BSR Advance), constituent relationship management (CRM) systems (e.g., Salesforce), email marketing tools, and social media platforms is preferred.
• Experience managing donor engagement events.
• A sense of humor, problem‑solving mindset, and collegial spirit.

Working Conditions

• Position is based in Cambridge, MA and is offered as a hybrid role.
• Work is performed in a typical office setting, requiring extended periods at a computer and participation in virtual and in‑person meetings.
• Some evening and weekend work is required to support events, donor meetings, and key Institute activities.
• Occasional domestic travel may be required.
• Position requires the ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast‑paced, team‑oriented environment while maintaining a high level of professionalism and discretion.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while working at a computer and participating in meetings.
• Frequently communicate with colleagues, donors, and other stakeholders; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Additional physical and mental requirements may not be listed above but are inherent in performing the position’s essential functions.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave.
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one.
• Retirement plans with university contributions.
• Well‑being 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 prohibits 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.