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Boston, MA

Senior Assistant, Donor Relations, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

The Organization

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow’s physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

Position Overview

Senior Assistant, Donor Relations
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA
Full Remote

The Senior Assistant, Donor Relations supports the full Donor Relations team in providing a comprehensive donor relations program consisting of stewardship, recognition, and events for a large donor base.  The position also manages meetings, calendar, phone messages, correspondence, and key projects for the Assistant Vice President, Donor Relations, and Vice President, Philanthropy Marketing,  including copying and filing of materials; creating Joint Team Meeting agendas for Philanthropy Marketing; acting as back-up to other team assistants; analyzing Trustee e-newsletter for trends; tracking trademark usage and materials; among other duties. Responsible for assisting the entire Division in reaching financial goals.

Embodies Dana-Farber’s Core Values: Impact; Excellence; Compassion & Respect; and Discovery every day.  Adds value to the Dana-Farber community by seeking opportunities to collaborate across the Institute. Fosters an ethical, positive, results-oriented culture founded on open communication.

Dana-Farber is currently in the largest and most ambitious fundraising effort in the Institute’s history – The Dana-Farber Campaign | Defy Cancer. Launched publicly in May 2021, the goal of the $2 billion campaign is to defy cancer at every turn and harness new techniques and technologies to prevent, treat, and defy cancer, resulting in more lives saved, more families intact, more dreams realized. The comprehensive campaign is coordinated around four pillars that build on our strengths and will accelerate our progress – Revolutionary Science, Extraordinary Care, and Exceptional Expertise – as well as the mission critical flexible funds that will allow us to change the face of cancer forever.

Primary Responsibilities:

Provide administrative support to the Assistant Vice President, Donor Relations. Tasks include, but not limited to:

  • Assist the Assistant Vice President in preparation for meetings, including drafting agendas and taking meeting minutes
  • Support the Assistant Vice President in compiling and managing the annual Donor Relations’ budget and expense reports
  • Facilitate the Donor Relations’ procurement card monthly statements; collect receipts and various paperwork necessary for Accounts Payable
  • Order Donor Relations office supplies; assist with the annual Donor Relations stationery order, and maintain inventory of all available stationery
  • Create/maintain organizational and management systems, including digitizing records for Donor Relations
  • Serve as a “super user” of the fundraising databases and reporting software (ClearView, EMS) for Donor Relations, and demonstrate expertise with Excel, Word, and PowerPoint and other management information, productivity, and tracking systems
  • Serve as the Donor Relations point person for Quickbase, an online time tracking system
  • Assemble new employee manuals for incoming Donor Relations staff, including updating and maintaining documents
  • Assist with event related resources, including the Division-wide events calendar, speaker database, pullup banners, and more
  • Manage the Division’s Holiday Card process
  • Assist with coordination of donor events as needed; tasks may include receiving RSVPs, speaking with donors, creating/distributing RSVP lists, printing name tags, generating correspondence, producing mail merged letters/invitations, ordering refreshments, staffing events, providing follow-up materials
  • Assist Donor Relations team with projects, as needed
  • Provide back-up support for front desk, as requested

Provide administrative support to the Vice President, Philanthropy Marketing. Tasks include, but not limited to:

  • Responsible for the Vice President’s meetings, calendar, phone/messages, correspondence, mail, faxes; order supplies; copy and file materials; create and maintain various team lists; maintain list of new hires; post materials on Philanthropy’s DevNet section on the DFCI Online intranet; travel arrangements and appointments with donors and vendors; research gift histories and donor/prospect information; create expense reports and manage reconciliation paperwork for Vice President’s P-card; provide support for meetings; execute research projects; create PowerPoints; maintain up-to-date “How To/ Procedures” documents for the Vice President; etc.
  • Serve as liaison between Vice President and Philanthropy Communications/Digital Marketing/Donor Relations and connect with the combined staff of 75; track staff time in team calendar and Vice President’s Outlook calendar; create agendas and manage details for Vice President’s Joint Team Meetings; track team volunteer time; track team holiday vacation time; assist with administrative on-boarding of new staff
  • Track and analyze usage and trends for the Trustee e-newsletter 5 times a year (4 issues and 1 annual recap).
  • Compile marketing materials and invitations binders for Trustee Philanthropy Committee meetings and for other occasions, as needed
  • Update the DFCI Overview PPT stats/content throughout the year; maintain current version on DevNet
  • Collect samples of marketing materials with registered trademarks and deliver to Office of General Counsel annually
    • Audit JimmyFund.org annually to ensure correct trademark usage

Additionally, execute the following:

  • Maintain a working knowledge of the ClearView, PeopleSoft and other management information and tracking systems; pull data for team, as needed
  • Draft acknowledgements/letters, as needed
  • Write articles for the Impact donor newsletter, as needed
  • Assist Donor Relations/Philanthropy Communications/Digital Marketing teams with various projects, such as research, filing, invitation mailings, donor mailings, signatures for designation term agreements, confirmation calls for events, RSVPs for events, physically staff large Donor Relations-run events, donor signage inventory, track various items as needed, such as DVDs, videos, campaign photo books, marketing collateral, etc.
  • Provide back-up support to Assistant Vice Presidents in Philanthropy Communications/Digital Marketing, and their assistants, during vacations/leaves, or as projects arise
  • Fulfill all duties needed for The Dana-Farber Campaign
  • Maintain confidentiality regarding donor and staffing information
  • Work simultaneously on multiple projects, managing work and requests from the Division, as needed
  • Execute a variety of special projects on an ongoing basis
  • Interact with Philanthropy staff, senior Institute staff and faculty, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and prospects, often this includes highly confidential matters

Qualifications:

Associate degree and/or administrative training degree required. 3-5 years administrative experience.

Superior administrative skills are necessary.  Excellent written and verbal communications skills are critical.  Must be detail-oriented with superior organizational and self-managerial skills, along with the ability to be flexible and to execute a multitude of projects.  A strong understanding and commitment to problem-solving, customer service, marketing, and donor relations is also needed.  A directed and self-starting attitude is preferred.  Solid computer skills and competency in Microsoft Office Suite products (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.).  A high degree of confidentiality must always be exercised.

This position will evaluate current programs and create and execute approved plans to expand and diversify the donors and participants for the events assigned in order to broaden our donor base and create even more inclusive events. Experience with diverse donors is a plus. 

For more information and to apply, please visit: https://careers.dana-farber.org/sr_asst_donor_relations

Resume and cover letter required with application submission.

About Dana Farber:
Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow’s physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other groups as protected by law.

How To Apply

Please use the link in the job description: https://careers.dana-farber.org/sr_asst_donor_relations

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