Strategic Advisor and Liaison, Bloomberg Center for Cities
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Founded in 2021 with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University serves a global community committed to improving public management, leadership, and governance. The Center’s cross-Harvard collaboration unites expertise focused on cities across disciplines and schools to produce research, train leaders, and develop resources for global use. The Center is designed to have practical impact on the future of cities, where more than half of the world’s people now live, by informing and inspiring local government leaders, scholars, students, and others who work to improve the lives of residents around the world.
Job Description
Supporting and advising the Executive Director, this individual serves as a liaison to Bloomberg Philanthropies and a central connector across teams, helping to sustain a high-functioning, collaborative relationship with the donor. They work respectfully and diligently with colleagues at the Bloomberg Center for Cities and across Harvard, including faculty, staff, and program teams, to gather, synthesize, and present information that supports thoughtful, effective, and well-informed engagement with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
This is an opportunity for someone who brings a deep understanding of complex organizations, exceptional communication and synthesis skills, an outstanding ability to build and nurture relationships, and a commitment to cities and public impact. They will support the Executive Director in fostering trust, credibility, and collaboration across Harvard and in the Center’s engagement with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
This is a hands-on fast-paced role for someone who is both strategic and grounded, with a strong work ethic, humility, and a deep sense of responsibility. They will be energized by complexity, intellectually curious, and committed to learning. They will bring diligence, adaptability, and a willingness to do what it takes to help the work move forward, including managing details, delivering time-sensitive answers, producing high quality outputs, and making sure nothing important is overlooked. No task is too small, and no detail too minor to merit care and attention.
Job-Specific Responsibilities:
Liaison to Bloomberg Philanthropies
- Serve as the Executive Director’s lead staff liaison for engagement, reporting, and follow up with Bloomberg Philanthropies, helping ensure ongoing collaboration is clear, responsive, and well-informed.
- Serve as the day-to-day point of contact to the Center’s principal counterpart at Bloomberg Philanthropies, providing timely updates, anticipating needs, and sharing relevant plans and activities, while supporting the Executive Director in sustaining a strong, transparent, and respectful collaboration.
- Track ongoing priorities, questions, and shared interests, surfacing timely and relevant information that helps the relationship function with mutual confidence, while upholding the Center’s academic independence.
Information, Presentation, and Analysis
- Synthesize and organize information on plans, progress, and impact into briefings, memos, meeting preparation materials, and strategic communications that support the Executive Director’s management of the organization and engagement with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
- Engage colleagues across the Center, including program leads, faculty partners, researchers, and operational teams, with respect and discretion to gather updates on workstreams, progress, and milestones.
- Work with internal teams to translate ongoing work into thoughtful memos, decks, and dashboards tailored to key executive audiences.
- Conduct strategic or operational analyses as needed to support the Executive Director’s decision-making, inform external engagement, and contribute to the Center’s evolving priorities.
Meetings and Follow-Through
- Design and manage key donor-related engagements, including regular meetings, informal check-ins, and visits to the Center or its programs.
- Prepare agendas and high-quality presentation decks, facilitate planning conversations, and ensure relevant team members are equipped to contribute meaningfully.
- Track follow-up items, commitments, and open questions to ensure continuity and responsiveness in ongoing interactions.
Internal Collaboration and Relationship-Building
- Build and maintain strong working relationships across the Bloomberg Center for Cities and Harvard, including faculty, staff, and administrative teams.
- Model a culture of engagement that is proactive, respectful of roles, and anchored in the Center’s mission and values.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of professional experience.
Additional Qualifications and Skills:
- Experience in strategic coordination, executive advising, stakeholder engagement, and/or institutional partnerships.
- Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex content for senior audiences and adapt messaging to different contexts.
- Exceptional detail orientation, diligence, and follow through.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust and operate with discretion across a wide range of stakeholders, across all levels of an organizational hierarchy.
- Highly organized, with strong judgment and the ability to manage toward clarity in dynamic and often ambiguous circumstances.
- A commitment to the mission of strengthening public leadership, governance, and innovation in cities.
Additional Information
- Appointment End Date: This is a fully benefits-eligible through June 30, 2026, with the strong possibility of renewal.
- Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
- Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education
- Other Information: This is a full-time, on-campus position based in Cambridge, MA. Flexible remote work arrangements may be available with supervisory approval.
Work Format Details
This position is based on-site at a Harvard campus location. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.
Salary Grade and Ranges
This position is salary grade level 058. 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.