Senior Assistant, Faculty Engagement

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Brookline (MA); Remote; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cancer research institute seeks a Senior Assistant to provide high-level administrative support for the Faculty Engagement team. This dynamic role involves coordinating with faculty and executive stakeholders, managing calendars, and contributing to a collaborative team culture, with options for remote work. Candidates should possess strong organizational and communication skills along with a willingness to embrace the institute's core values.

Benefits

Generous healthcare and retirement plans

At least 3 weeks' vacation time

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• 1 year of administrative work experience required.
• Ideal prior experience as an executive assistant, coordinator, or in an operations role.

Responsibilities

• Manage AVP’s calendar and coordinate meetings.
• Prepare documents and reports for meetings.
• Support budget tracking and donor database management.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Multitasking

Attention to detail

Discretion

Education

High school diploma or equivalency

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

CRM platforms

Job description

The Senior Assistant will provide high-level administrative support to the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Faculty Engagement and serve as a key resource for the broader Faculty Engagement team within Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Division of Philanthropy. Reporting to the AVP, this role supports a dynamic and growing function that strengthens collaboration between Philanthropy staff, donors, and the Institute’s world-renowned faculty to advance Dana-Farber’s mission to defy cancer. Faculty Engagement is a new function in the Division of Philanthropy and is an exciting opportunity for the Senior Assistant to develop new standards, processes and systems for this growing team.

This position requires a proactive and detail-oriented professional with excellent communication, organizational, and multitasking skills who can operate effectively in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. The Senior Assistant will be a trusted partner responsible for coordinating meetings with faculty and executive stakeholders, maintaining team operations, and contributing to a high-functioning, collaborative team culture.

The onboarding of this role will include a comprehensive training process which includes completion of online modules, shadowing colleagues, and hands-on learning experiences throughout the first calendar year in the role.

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

This position is considered remote, 0-1 days onsite at 10 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA each week. DFCI guidelines state that employees must reside in New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

A resume and cover letter are required with application submission. If you wish to disclose your personal pronouns, please include them in your resume and/or cover letter.

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.

Calendar and Meeting Management

• Support AVP and Directors in preparing for faculty meetings, including scheduling, agendas, financial reports, and related materials.
• Manage the AVP’s calendar, including scheduling meetings with faculty, consultants, and key stakeholders.
• Coordinate logistics and materials for internal and external meetings, including Faculty Engagement team meetings and training sessions.

Administrative Support

• Prepare briefing documents, agendas, and presentations for meetings involving faculty and Philanthropy leadership.
• Enter and manage a high volume of information in the donor database, ensuring accurate and timely tracking of faculty philanthropy activity and donor assignments.
• Assist with reporting on Faculty Engagement key performance indicators and ensure the integrity of sensitive data.
• Support budget tracking, purchase orders, and invoice processing as needed.

Project and Team Coordination

• Serve as liaison to colleagues across the Division of Philanthropy and faculty administrators at the Institute to triage and prioritize incoming requests and ensure timely responses.
• Contribute to team-wide initiatives such as operational planning, training curriculum development and logistics, and onboarding processes.
• Manage and maintain a centralized faculty calendar and the Faculty Engagement SharePoint site.

Communication and Documentation

• Serve as a point of contact for internal inquiries from Philanthropy staff and triage faculty or donor-related requests appropriately.

Confidentiality and Judgment

• Handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Exercise sound judgment in prioritizing tasks and solving problems independently.

• High school diploma or equivalency required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred. 1 year of administrative work experience required.
• Ideal prior experience as an executive assistant, coordinator, or in an operations role, ideally in academic, research, or healthcare philanthropy settings.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Demonstrated ability to support senior leadership in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint) and collaboration tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
• Experience with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Blackbaud) strongly preferred.
• Impeccable organizational skills and attention to detail.
• High degree of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position is remote-eligible, with 0–1 day per week required onsite at 10 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA. Candidates must reside in New England (MA, ME, NH, RI, VT, or CT). Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for events or meetings.

DIVISION OF PHILANTHROPY INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, & EQUITY COMMITMENT STATEMENT:

We’re stronger together. In the Division of Philanthropy, we believe in the power of different voices. We encourage authenticity anddiversityofeveryindividualwithin our community. Ourcollective voices – donors,volunteers,staff, and patients alike – allow us to work together towards a world without cancer. Committed tobeinga place ofinclusivity,belonging,and change, these are our core values.

DFCI DISCLAIMER:
The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans With Disabilities Act, must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case-by-case basis.

DFCI offers a competitive benefits package including generous healthcare and retirement plans, at minimum 3-weeks’ vacation time in addition to 10 paid holidays, a flexible work environment, and work/life balance. Dana-Farber offers a variety of personal, professional, and leadership development opportunities to all members of its workforce through Institutional programming. Division of Philanthropy offers 75+ specialized professional development sessions designed for staff each year through its in-house learning program, the Center for Advancement Training.*

**All benefits subject to Institute changes

We’re hiring! Learn moreabout working in the Division of Philanthropy and view all open positions.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty and staff. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.

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 characteristics protected by law.

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