Development Coordinator

Company Description

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 Harvard Law School?

Join a community that combines excellence in legal education and scholarship with a deep commitment to justice. Here at Harvard Law School (HLS), you’ll find an environment that values who you are and encourages you to grow, inspire others, and make a meaningful impact. Wherever you are in your career journey, HLS is a place where you can thrive, contribute, and be part of something bigger.

The Institute to End Mass Incarceration (IEMI) is a young and growing institute within Harvard Law School dedicated to building the intellectual leadership, public understanding, and practical tools necessary to end mass incarceration. IEMI operates at the intersection of research, advocacy, and public engagement, with ambitious plans for growth.

The Development Coordinator is a key implementation and operations role supporting IEMI’s growing fundraising program. Reporting to the Executive Faculty Director and also supporting the Executive Director, this position focuses on donor operations, annual giving strategy and execution, and high-quality support for major gift and foundation fundraising. This is an individual contributor role that requires strong project management, writing, and collaboration skills, and is well-suited for a development professional interested in building systems and expertise within a mission-driven, academic environment.

The Development Coordinator will serve as the principal administrative support for the Institute with respect to fundraising and development, with responsibility for organizing and implementing administrative systems, logistics, and procedures necessary for fundraising success. A strong candidate will work with minimal supervision in a work environment of multiple and conflicting priorities, anticipating and resolving problems and updating supervisors on the status of projects.

Donor Operations & Systems - 40%

• Manage donor and gift tracking, acknowledgments, reporting, and data integrity
• Maintain development calendars, deadlines, and internal workflows
• Conduct research on individual fundraising prospects (individuals and foundations)
• Maintain records of touchpoints between Institute leadership and individual prospects
• Prepare donor reports, summaries, and briefing materials for Institute leadership in anticipation of development meetings
• Track next action items for individual fundraising prospects and facilitate follow through from Institute leadership

Annual Giving Execution - 25%

• Partner with the IEMI team to design and execute annual giving appeals within newsletters and digital communications
• Plan and execute end-of-year appeal and annual giving day campaigns
• Track performance and analyze results to inform future efforts

Major Gifts & Foundations Support - 35%

• Support the Executive Faculty Director and Executive Director with meeting preparation, follow-up, and donor communications
• Ensure consistent, timely donor stewardship
• Draft donor impact reports, donor correspondence, and refresh stewardship and acknowledgment materials quarterly
• Coordinate materials and timelines for select foundation submissions

Basic Qualifications

5 years of experience in development or a related field. Education beyond high school may count toward experience.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Commitment to the mission, goals, and values of Inquest and the Institute to End Mass Incarceration.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail and project management ability.
• Comfort managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Familiarity with tracking donor data and basic fundraising analytics

Appointment End Date: This is a one-year term appointment with potential for renewal, subject to departmental funding and need.

Standard Hours/

Schedule:

35 hours per week;
Full…