Board Liaison and Donor Relations Officer

Whitehead Institute; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Whitehead Institute seeks an experienced governance and administrative professional to support Board and committee activities, prepare materials, and maintain governance records. You will coordinate meetings, minutes, and bylaws while assisting donor engagement and continuity across key relationships under leadership guidance.

The role requires strong organizational and communication skills, discretion with sensitive information, and familiarity with board platforms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in business administration, public administration, law, or related field preferred.
• 7–10 years of progressively responsible administrative, governance, or executive‑level support experience, preferably in nonprofit/academic/research environments.
• Knowledge of corporate governance principles and board administration practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage detailed timelines for all Board and committee meetings.
• Coordinate deadlines and reminders for presenters and contributors.
• Oversee materials preparation, review, and distribution for Board and committee meetings.
• Maintain distribution lists and secure access via the Board management platform (Diligent).
• Verify quorum and draft/refine minutes for formal circulation.
• Coordinate logistics for Annual Meeting and Board dinners, including travel arrangements.
• Maintain By-laws, charters, and governance documents with version control.

Skills

Board governance knowledge

Project management

Communication skills

Discretion and confidentiality

Stakeholder coordination

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Diligent

Job description

Provides administrative and operational support for the coordination of Board of Directors and committee activities. Reporting directly to the Vice President, External Relations, this role assists in carrying out board governance processes under the direction of the Vice President and Board Chair.

This position supports the timely preparation of board materials, minutes, and governance documentation, including bylaws and committee charters. Serving as the administrative point of contact for the Board Chair and members, this individual helps ensure compliance with governance requirements and supports the smooth day-to-day operation of board administration. In addition, this role provides operational support for donor engagement and stewardship activities, assisting with coordination, documentation, and continuity across key relationships. In this capacity, the position reports to the Senior Manager, Constituent Engagement & Experience.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES

Board Meeting Administration

• Develop and manage detailed timelines for all Board and committee meetings.
• Coordinate internal deadlines and send structured reminders to presenters and contributors.
• Oversee compilation, review coordination, and timely dissemination of Board and committee materials.
• Maintain distribution lists and secure access through the Board management platform (Diligent).
• Verify quorum in accordance with By-laws prior to meetings.
• Draft and refine Board and committee minutes.
• Ensure minutes are reviewed by the Board Chair and formally circulated within established timelines.
• In coordination with the Events staff, prepare materials and logistics for the Annual Meeting and Dinner, as well as quarterly board dinners, including travel arrangements.

Governance Documentation & Record Integrity

• Maintain working knowledge of the Institute’s By-laws, committee charters, and governance documents.
• Ensure governance processes are executed in accordance with governing documents.
• Maintain version control of By-laws, charters, resolutions, and related governance records.
• Execute governance processes in alignment with direction from the Vice President, President and Board Chair via check-ins as needed.
• Escalate governance interpretation questions, sensitive board matters, and procedural exceptions to the Vice President as appropriate.
• Coordinate with legal counsel when directed by the Vice President on matters requiring formal interpretation or revision.
• Maintain custody of official corporate records through Diligent, ensuring archival accuracy and secure document retention.
• Maintain custody of the corporate seal and review requests for authorized use.

Governance Calendar, Operations & Compliance Management

• Maintain and manage an annual governance calendar, including:
  • Board and committee meeting schedules
  • Director term tracking and rotation schedules
  • Committee assignments
  • Required governance documentation cycles
• Manage and track the annual Board budget and expenses
• Track and coordinate all Board member onboarding and off-boarding processes, ensuring timely preparation and distribution of orientation materials, coordination of orientation meetings, completion of required disclosures, and accurate documentation of term transitions.
• Track and coordinate annual Conflict of Interest disclosure forms.
• In coordination with the Controller, disseminate the Institute’s Form 990 on an annual basis.
• Prepare formal resolutions for departing Board members.
• Maintain and update Board-related website content as part of onboarding/off-boarding processes.

Board & Committee Support

• Serve as administrative liaison to the Board and Committee Chairs and members regarding meeting logistics, documentation, governance procedures, action items andreporting and measures as it relates to agreed upon board roles and responsibilities and support coordination of Board member engagement as it relates to donor and institutional activities.
• Respond to routine governance inquiries and elevate matters requiring interpretation or policy guidance to the Vice President.
• Coordinate faculty speaker invitations and scheduling in collaboration with the President and senior leadership.

Donor Relations & Stewardship Support (~30% time)

• Coordinate and support donor engagement activities beyond the Board, including:
  • Donor visits and meetings
  • Institutional briefings and presentations
  • Small-scale cultivation and stewardship touchpoints
• Prepare and organize donor briefing materials in collaboration with Development and Institutional Narrative.
• Track donor interactions, meeting notes, and follow-up actions in coordination with Advancement staff.
• Support execution of stewardship activities, including:
  • Acknowledgments
• Maintain organized records of donor engagement activity and assist with tracking key relationships and touchpoints.
• Coordinate logistics for donor visits, including scheduling, materials preparation, and on-site support.
• Support preparation of leadership (VP, President, faculty) for donor interactions by coordinating materials and briefing documents.
• Other Duties, as Assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in business administration, public administration, law, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 7–10 years of progressively responsible administrative, governance, or executive-level support experience, preferably in a nonprofit, academic, or research environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of corporate governance principles and Board administration practices.
• Ability to interpret and apply By-laws and governance documents with sound judgment.
• Experience working with legal counsel and senior leadership on governance matters.
• High level of discretion and ability to manage confidential and sensitive information.
• Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple timelines and stakeholders simultaneously required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word) with the ability to create clear, professional presentations, charts, graphs, and briefing materials for internal and external audiences.
• Proficiency with Board management software platforms (e.g., Diligent) and standard office technologies preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build effective working relationships with Board members, senior leadership, faculty, and staff.