Staff Assistant

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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. For more information about Harvard GSD see:

The GSD is Harvard's epicenter for scholarship and innovation related to the built environment. Our faculty and students address defining questions across architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning and design, real estate, and design engineering, advancing fields that profoundly influence the human experience. At the GSD, research and teaching drive creative solutions to the world's most urgent challenges, reimagining infrastructure, communities, and cities on a global scale.

The Staff Assistant on the Annual, Leadership, and Planned Giving team (ALPs), part of the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DevAR), at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), supports giving programs, as well as administrative duties for the Senior Director of Annual and Leadership Giving. The key functions include administrative, logistical, and database support, including solicitation, reporting, tracking, and stewardship of annual donors; as well as major gift fundraising support, including preparing briefings, maintaining follow-up, and tracking in the database. These activities are critical to the overall department’s fundraising, engagement, and stewardship efforts. The successful candidate will take on a variety of tasks with energy and enthusiasm, approach their work with curiosity, and be committed to supporting fundraising through annual, leadership, planned, and major giving efforts.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Annual and Leadership Giving, the person in this position works collaboratively and must be able to proactively help move projects and administrative tasks forward independently. This is a fast-paced work environment with multiple changing priorities; the Staff Assistant is expected to anticipate problems and help resolve them. The successful candidate will be proactive, creative, and pragmatic, interested in improving and expanding our fundraising efforts as well as contributing across the development team. The Staff Assistant must adhere to timelines and be adept in project management, data maintenance, and crucial administrative duties. This is an ideal position for an organized, detail-oriented individual who is service-minded and interested in growing on a mission-driven alumni relations and fundraising team.

TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Annual, Leadership, and Planned Giving Programs

• Primary focus will be on annual giving program activities, including maintaining timelines for the annual appeal schedule for multi-channel engagement of solicitations, acknowledgments, and ongoing cultivation and stewardship.
• Assist with data pulls and data management. Maintain prospect and pipeline activity for the team.
• Run reports to track progress to goals. Maintain benchmarking data.
• Help coordinate logistics for solicitations, including data, mail house timelines, and processing expenses.
• Support the stewardship process and gift acknowledgments, working in collaboration with colleagues across DevAR.
• Maintain and enter all prospect updates in our CRM system.
• Support leadership giving and planned giving activities as needed.

Major Giving Support

• Prepare agendas, briefings, and meeting materials for the Senior Director of Annual and Leadership Giving officer, using templates.
• Enter contact reports, proposals, and other relevant information into the database.
• Help coordinate logistics for donor visits, small dinners, events, and activities.
• Assist in tracking prospects through pipeline to keep fundraiser focused on fundraising objectives.
• Manage calendars, coordinate regular team meetings, confirm appointments, make travel and accommodation plans, and reconcile officer expenses.

Administrative duties

• Enter contact reports in the development database; help maintain records.
• Provide on-site support for local DevAR events, working closely with the Engagement team. There are approximately 10-12 events annually, including some nights and weekends.
• Provide office support, printing, copying, mailings, filing, etc.
• Prepare correspondence, reports, and other materials using MS Office and development database. 
• Oversee external inquiries and requests received through the office’s email inboxes. Respond to inquiries in a timely and professional manner and route as appropriate.
• Perform general administrative duties, including: scheduling projects and meetings; preparing agendas; taking notes during meetings; arranging for faculty, speaker, and staff travel; organizing files; supporting DevAR meetings. 
• Other duties and administrative tasks as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

There are no supervisory responsibilities associated with this position.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be able to perform typical office tasks, including sitting for extended periods, using standard office equipment, and occasionally lifting up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• This position is based in Cambridge, MA, and requires on-campus work two or more days a week. The work is mainly performed in an office setting. Flexible work options for this role will be discussed during the interview process. 
• This position is hybrid and open to candidates residing in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. However, it is essential for the Staff Assistant to be present at the GSD frequently and on a flexible basis according to priorities. 
• Candidates must have employment authorization to work in the US, and we regret that we cannot sponsor a VISA.
• Candidates who do not live within commuting distance of our Cambridge, Massachusetts campus should indicate on their resumes whether they are “willing to relocate,” as this position requires a regular on-campus presence.

Please note that to be considered for this position, a cover letter and resume are required with the submission of your application.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• HS Diploma or equivalent. 
• Minimum of 2 years’ full-time work experience in a professional office or equivalent transferable experience.
• Microsoft Office and general computer literacy, including proficiency with standard office software (e.g., Microsoft Office or Google Workspace) and experience with at least one Development CRM (e.g., Advance, Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or similar).
• Strong attention to detail and ability to proofread well.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Must be professional, enthusiastic, collaborative, focused, motivated to learn, reliable, able to adapt, and able to work effectively with people from different backgrounds and experiences.
• Must demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication and customer service skills.
• Embody a high degree of professionalism with the ability to handle sensitive and confidential materials with sound judgment and discretion; able to work independently and flexibly.
• Have a proven track record of providing exceptional customer service and able to develop and maintain good working relationships with staff at all levels of the School.
• Have an interest or background in higher education, museums, fundraising, or arts and design/the design professions.
• Be creative and curious, attend GSD public lectures and events, and engage with colleagues outside of the DevAR team.
• Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, conscientious, and efficient, with the ability to work independently and handle multiple tasks accurately under deadline pressure.
• Accept challenging projects and be eager to develop new skills in a fast-paced and flexible environment.
• Contribute positively to a collaborative team culture that values openness, learning, and shared success across all DevAR functions. Participate actively in the GSD campus community and represent the GSD professionally in all settings.
• Ability to thoughtfully employ AI-assisted tools for written communications, data-driven tasks, and workflow efficiencies, while exercising strong professional judgment and ensuring outputs align with institutional standards.
• Experience with Advance CRM and QlikView reporting preferred.
• Possess a sense of humor, high-energy and productive mentality, and a solutions-oriented approach to the work.

Please note that to be considered for this position, a cover letter and resume are required with the submission of your application.

• Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity.
• Salary Information: The specific annualized hiring range for this position will be $58,232 - $70,000.  Salary ranges within each pay grade are based on qualifications, skills, experience, equity in comparison to similar positions, and external market values. Salary ranges allow for differences among positions within the same grade as well as increasing levels of responsibility and performance within the same job. For more information regarding salary ranges at Harvard, please see:

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 053. 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.