Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations

Located in the heart of Boston’s Longwood Medical Area, the Harvard School of Dental Medicine ranks as one of the preeminent dental schools in the country. Established in 1867, HSDM was the first dental school in the United States to be connected with a university and coordinated with its medical school. HSDM is the only school within Harvard University that has its own clinical facility. HSDM’s vision is to set the standard of excellence in and to define the future of interdisciplinary dental education, state-of-the-art clinical practice, and cutting-edge basic, clinical, and translational research. With this vision as our guide, the School is dedicated to developing and fostering a community of global leaders advancing oral and systemic health. For more information about the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, please visit: http://hsdm.harvard.edu/.

The Office of Development and Alumni Relations is dedicated to stewarding lifelong partnerships with the alumni community, Harvard faculty, corporations, foundations, and friends.  The Office furthers the mission of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) by organizing alumni events, and by raising funds to support the School's initiatives, programs, and scholarships.

HSDM is looking for a proven chief fundraising officer and collaborative leader who can lead all aspects of fundraising, alumni relations, and donor relations. We are seeking a creative and seasoned fundraising professional who possesses experience with foundations, corporations and international prospects, to grow the School in support of its mission of clinical care, education, and research. The Associate Dean will be a highly visible resource and partner to HSDM’s senior leadership, faculty, clinicians and researchers, educators, volunteers, and administrative colleagues. Reporting to the Dean, the Associate Dean will collaborate and build strong relationships with peers among Harvard’s schools as well as Harvard’s University Development Office.  Finally, the Associate Dean will oversee and manage a small team of development professionals utilizing best practices and institute an annual planning process.   In this role, working with their team, the Associate Dean will:

• Develop and execute effective strategies to lead the strategic growth of the fundraising program, which will support the School’s mission and priorities;
• Provide strategic leadership to consistently identify, cultivate, and solicit individual, corporate, and foundation donors;
• Plan, organize, and direct all of HSDM’s fundraising including, the major gifts program, annual fund, planned giving, special events, and capital campaigns;
• Working with the Dean of HSDM, build and personally oversee a portfolio of high-level prospects;
• Direct solicitations of major and principal gifts, while identifying potential transformational gift opportunities to support the mission of the school;
• Working with leadership, faculty, and staff craft proposals and fundraising messaging that highlight the critical role of the School in the global community of dental and oral health, and the vital role it plays in overall health and well-being;
• Develop strategies to engage the alumni base to form meaningful and long-lasting bonds;
• Effectively promote the annual fund to provide a consistent funding source to enhance clinical care, education and research;
• Cultivate opportunities for large collaborative gifts with HMS and/or other Harvard affiliates;
• Develop a comprehensive alumni volunteer program to connect alumni and encourage participation in the school’s mission;
• Institute best practices in the development operation and institute an annual strategic planning process which touches all aspects of development;
• Recruit, orient, supervise, develop, assess and manage the development team;
• Partner with the Harvard Medical School Office of Alumni Affairs and Development on select operational tasks and execution of annual reunions;
• Oversee departmental budgets and resources, while maximizing shared resources across the university;
• Partner with HSDM’s Communications team to produce electronic and hardcopy publications to engage alumni and support fundraising activities;
• Act as a relationship-builder with donors, alumni, board members, partner organizations, private industry, and the entire HSDM community.
• The Harvard School of Dental Medicine reserves the right to add or change duties as dictated by business needs.

Additional Information:  Harvard School of Dental Medicine is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this opportunity.  

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, is strongly committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities.

Basic Qualifications:  Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s preferred; at least 10-15 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including several years of proven experience in a leadership capacity; track record of successfully raising major gifts. Demonstrated success with developing fundraising strategies, building relationships, and working closely with major donors.

Additional Qualifications:  Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a successful fundraising team. Proven track record in managing multiple development efforts within a fundraising office, including engaging and cultivating alumni, major donors, corporations, and foundations.  Experience in an academic environment also highly desirable. Demonstrated success building and inspiring a strong, cohesive team, and the ability to institute change and build a program. Outstanding interpersonal professional presentation skills and written communication skills. Ability to travel domestically and internationally to meet with current and/or prospective donors. Knowledge of fundraising software applications; experience leading a capital development campaign preferred. In addition, demonstrated experience in crafting and executing integrated development marketing and communications strategies; professional maturity and agility to further alliances with internal constituencies across the School and the University.  Record of soliciting and closing seven figure gifts. In addition, the Associate Dean should be someone willing to embrace the challenges inherent in a School with a small alumni base, be someone who is comfortable both with making the ask as well as coaching senior leaders on making the ask, and embraces donor-centric fundraising.