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Harvard University

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Very large employer, lots of opportunities - Executive Director Harvard University Employee Review

3.0
Dec 11, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Excellent benefits package, very strong pay for professional roles at least and relative to other top universities in the higher ed sector, people / staff who are very supportive and focused on the mission of serving students, (sometimes difficult) faculty, and researchers. Great place if you are junior or mid-career and looking for stability - i.e., at a single "place" because it is so large, that if you are a strong performer you can move to many different departments, centers, labs, etc. and find neat roles there.

Cons

All that said, Harvard is definitively NOT the best-run organization in the world though it may be one of the world's leading academic institutions. High, high, high politically-charged environment - need to be able to work effectively with many different sets of stakeholders, including faculty (who are often treated as 'free agents' in academia). The higher up you are, the less grace. Harvard has armies of people to keep itself out of the news and that impacts culture greatly. Overall, at the center / central administration, and leadership levels, fear of screwing up rules the day because the implications are very far-reaching (they are Harvard). So lots of risk aversion deep in the DNA of Harvard. Also just keep in mind that this is academia -- as one dean told me when I was there -- "universities are for people who society cannot otherwise employ" and the old adage of "those who cannot do, teach"... You just have to be able to pull off whatever it is you're charged with achieving in a way that brings in faculty... cannot upset faculty...

Explore other reviews about Harvard University

5.0
Jul 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Light work if you have the right team

Cons

Low pay for amount of work

2.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great Union and benefits for non-profits/higher ed. Wonderful colleagues outside of leadership!

Cons

GSD Development and Alumni Relations (under current leadership) is an incredibly toxic work environment. I didn't realize the intensity of the toll it took on my until after leaving, and I am not one to leave a negative review, but as they are hiring for several positions currently, I wish to share words of caution with applicants. Cons: - Absolutely not a safe space for anyone who is Black, brown, trans, queer, working-class, or disabled - 100% top-down direction. No room for personal exploration, initiative, or creativity. - Minimal guidance from leadership - Frequent pivots, even in the late stages of projects - Petty, immature talking behind your back by leadership - No upward mobility unless the Associate Dean or Dean like you - Deeply disingenuous comments, reflections, and feedback from leadership - Complete lack of transparency on direction, goals, etc. - Small mistakes are made cornerstones of performance evaluations, while leadership routinely missteps. Leadership never takes accountability. - Top-down policy decisions, completely lacking detail, thought, and care outside of legal ramifications - Ever-changing in-office requirements

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