Assistant Director of Prospect Research

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth•Dartmouth, MA

69d

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Prospect Research is responsible for providing high-quality, actionable research and reports on individuals, corporations, and foundations to inform cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies. The Assistant Director will work closely with frontline fundraisers, senior leadership, and other Advancement team members to build and maintain a robust prospect pipeline and ensure data integrity. The incumbent prepares briefing documents for the Chancellor, Provost, Deans and other senior leaders ahead of their meetings with prospects and donors, and will provide strategic recommendations to frontline fundraisers on prospect qualification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies based on research findings. The incumbent will also analyze complex data from various sources to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for prospect engagement, and will assist in managing and optimizing the prospect pipeline, ensuring a consistent flow of qualified prospects for fundraisers. Follows the University's best practices to build and/or support student academic success and retention, and assist in meeting strategic objectives for persistence and timely graduation of all the student population.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
Significant experience (5 years) in prospect research
Occasional evening and weekend hours as projects dictate
Occasional travel to off-campus locations
Adheres to the highest ethical standards and standards of confidentiality
Knowledge of software database systems, including Microsoft Office Suite, Salesforce CRM, Lexis Nexis, WealthEngine and others
Demonstrated experience in using modern prospect tracking systems and knowledge of current industry trends.
Demonstrated experience in and knowledge of development/fundraising concepts and techniques
Strong analytic background with proven data analysis skills
Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with Advancement Officers, Prospect Researchers, managers, and senior staff
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Proven skills in documenting processes and training staff
Self-motivation and discipline to regularly set and achieve work goals
Ability to maintain a high level of poise and professionalism in all circumstances
Demonstrated ability to take primary responsibility for diverse number of projects and to complete them in a timely manner with limited supervision
Appreciation of the value of higher education
Ability to understand the process of developing proposals and gift agreements for donor giving priorities and opportunities

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree in related field
Significant experience (7 years) in prospect research
Experience with, Ellucian Advance, Salesforce CRM, EverTrue, iModules, Graduway, Gravyty, WealthEngine, iWave and other advancement systems.
Experience with prospect research tools (e.g., Lexis Nexis, iWave, wealth screening tools)
Experience with advanced prospect management work (e.g., pipeline reviews, portfolio balancing)

Responsibilities

Proactively identify new prospective donors with the capacity and inclination to support the University's priorities through various research methodologies (e.g., wealth screening, philanthropic databases, public records, news alerts)
Conduct in-depth research on individuals, corporations, and foundations, compiling comprehensive profiles that include biographical information, financial capacity, philanthropic interests, giving history, and connections to the University
Present research findings clearly and concisely, both verbally and in written briefings, to various internal stakeholders, including the Chancellor, Provost, Deans, and others
Generate reports and dashboards on prospect pool metrics, research activities, and pipeline progress to inform decision-making
Develop and implement proactive research strategies to support specific fundraising initiatives and campaigns
Collaborate with the Advancement team to ensure accurate and up-to-date prospect information within the donor database
Contribute to the development and refinement of prospect management policies and procedures
Works with software database systems, including WealthEngine, iWave, Microsoft Office Suite, Ellucian Advance, Salesforce CRM, EverTrue, iModules, Graduway, Gravyty and other advancement systems
Works with the Data Administrator, schedules and implements regular prospect screening and information updates
Trains staff on best practices and use of the prospect tracking system
Serves on committees and special projects, as assigned
Performs other job-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned and/or the job description changed periodically to reflect changing organizational needs