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Harvard Kennedy School · 19 hours ago

Associate Director, Development Administration

Cambridge, MA

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/Executive

6+ years exp

Harvard Kennedy School is a prestigious institution focused on improving public policy and leadership. They are seeking an Associate Director, Development Administration to enhance philanthropic support through expertise in gift fund administration and financial stewardship, ensuring compliance with university policies and driving revenue growth.

Education

Comp. & Benefits

No H1B

Responsibilities

In partnership with the Managing Director, Development Administration, draft, edit, and prepare gift terms for philanthropic gifts

Lead the Development Administration team’s fund management and financial stewardship portfolio, partnering closely with ARRD fundraisers, HKS Office of Financial Services (OFS), and the University’s Alumni and Development Services (ADS) to create, track, and manage gift funds

Oversee the preparation, analysis, and dissemination of gift fund reports, including balances, contributions, income, and historical activity

Research and analyze gift histories, terms, and usage to ensure compliance with donor intent and University policy; advise the Senior Associate Dean of ARRD, ARRD staff, and senior HKS administrators on appropriate fund use

Develop and manage tools and systems for tracking gift activity and coordinate ARRD and School-wide ad hoc reporting requests

Liaise with the University’s Alumni Development Services on HKS’ pledge reminders to ensure timely and accurate financial commitments

Create, manage, and monitor annual and monthly budgets, expense forecasts, and financial projections

Assess financial feasibility of fundraising initiatives, and provide financial insights to support accelerated revenue growth and sustainability

Provide financial reports and expense projections in collaboration with OFS to support multi-year planning and donor stewardship

Ensure that internal ARRD budget tools, processes and accounting adhere to demonstrated best practice in Development

Review existing processes and recommend enhancements to improve accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, leveraging best practices across the School and University

Perform complex financial modeling and ad-hoc analysis using University systems and data tools to support strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, and quarterly reporting

Prepare and present summaries, dashboards, and decision-support materials for ARRD leadership

Partner with the Senior Associate Dean, ARRD, the Managing Director, Pipeline & Operations, and the Director, Business Analytics & Strategic Planning to tie expense projections and resource needs to revenue forecasts and multi-year philanthropic strategies

Build and sustain strong working relationships with key partners across HKS and the University—including OFS, ADS, research centers, academic departments, and student affairs—to ensure coordinated practices, shared understanding, and efficient workflows

Perform additional duties as required or assigned, supporting ARRD’s mission and the evolving needs of the School

Uphold Harvard’s standards for confidentiality, data security, donor privacy, and ethical stewardship

Qualification

Fund managementFinancial stewardshipGift administrationDevelopment FinanceBudgetingFinancial modelingData analysisMS OfficeOral communicationWritten communicationProblem solvingCollaboration

Required

Bachelor's degree and 6+ years of experience in a fundraising office in a complex higher education, academic medical research organization, or similarly complex organization

At least 3 years' experience in Development Finance or comparable team within a fundraising office

Demonstrated track record of working on gift agreements and supporting expense budgets and projections

Direct experience partnering with senior leadership and fundraisers to facilitate timely closing of gifts and revenue growth

Preferred

Degree in Finance or Accounting preferred

Knowledge of fund management and financial stewardship principles

Knowledge of alumni affairs and development

Knowledge of gift policy

Excellent oral and written communications skills, and ability to explain gift policy and finance rationales clearly and concisely

Integrity and trust with a demonstrated ability to manage highly confidential information

Ability to problem solve

Ability to analyze and explain data

Inclination to collaboration

Strong knowledge of MS Office and ability to learn new software quickly

Ability to work nights and weekends as required

Benefits

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

Company

Harvard Kennedy School

Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school. It is a sub-organization of Harvard University.

Founded in 1936

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

201-500 employees