Assistant Director, Research & Portfolio Management

USNA Alumni Association & Foundation•Annapolis, MD

8d•$66,912 - $83,640•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Director, Research & Portfolio Management advances the philanthropic growth of the Naval Academy Foundation through data-driven insights, portfolio strategy, and prospect intelligence. The role is a strategic partner to frontline fundraising teams, including Regional Development, Planned Giving, Corporate & Foundation Relations, and Parent Giving, helping optimize prospect development and portfolio performance and build a strong pipeline of prospective donors aligned with institutional priorities. The position supports portfolio oversight, prospect pool development, analysis of portfolio health, portfolio alignment, moves management, and leadership strategy reviews. It also conducts prospect identification and assessment, prepares research profiles and briefings, monitors relevant prospect developments, and develops dashboards, reports, segmentation, and analytics to inform fundraising decisions. The role collaborates with Foundation fundraisers and Donor Experience & Strategy colleagues, as well as other Enterprise teams on a strategic, prioritized basis. The Assistant Director reports to the Director, Research & Portfolio Management and works closely with the Analyst, Research & Portfolio Management. The position is based in Annapolis, Maryland, and is not eligible for a full-time remote arrangement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalent experience.
3–5+ years of experience in prospect research, fundraising analytics, or advancement services in nonprofits, higher education, or independent schools.
Proficiency in developing proactive prospecting methods using constituent segmentation, data mining, and electronic and peer screenings.
Ability to manipulate, analyze, and synthesize data with data mining tools.
Strong collaboration, analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Word, or similar software.
Knowledge of prospect research tools such as LexisNexis, Donor Search, iWave, or Candid.
Exceptional written and verbal communication and project management skills.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and cross-team collaboration skills.
Ability to balance priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Adherence to prospect research standards and ethics.
Grit, optimism, enthusiasm, intellectual rigor, honesty, and humility.
Commitment to growth and professional development, and openness to coaching and mentoring.
Ability to work in person in Annapolis; the role is not eligible for a full-time remote working arrangement.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Power BI and/or Canva.

Responsibilities

Support strategic oversight of the Foundation’s prospective donor tracking system, including quarterly portfolio reviews, prospect assignments, portfolio composition, and pipeline development across giving levels.
Build and maintain prospective donor pools for principal, major, planned, and leadership annual giving portfolios in alignment with institutional priorities.
Monitor and analyze portfolio health indicators, including pipeline development, prospect activity, and stage progression, and recommend improvements to fundraiser performance and portfolio effectiveness.
Adjust portfolios to prioritize high-priority prospects and align assignments with donor capacity, inclination, and institutional priorities.
Partner with frontline fundraisers on moves management, identify stalled prospects, and recommend strategy adjustments or prospect reassignments.
Help develop and maintain top prospect lists for strategy sessions and leadership reviews.
Serve as a key resource for portfolio management tools, including the CRM, EverTrue, and future platforms.
Identify, evaluate, and rate prospective donors through research and analysis using data, predictive modeling, and prospecting methodologies.
Produce actionable research profiles and briefings for senior leadership, development staff, board members, volunteers, and Naval Academy leadership.
Prepare research and strategic briefing materials for campaign operations, priority events, and engagements, aligning them with fundraising objectives, donor engagement goals, and institutional priorities.
Support briefings for senior leadership and staff involved in donor conversations, and for Foundation and Alumni Association leadership, including Nominating Committee and prospective board member engagement.
Ensure research outputs are accurate, timely, and aligned with strategic fundraising needs.
Monitor news alerts and SEC filings, including IPO registrations, to identify new prospects and developments involving existing prospects.
Analyze regional campaign strategies to support leadership planning and decision-making.
Develop dashboards and reports to guide portfolio management, leadership decisions, and frontline fundraising strategy.
Apply data analysis and segmentation to identify trends, uncover opportunities, and inform prospect strategy, including developing Engagement and Affinity scores.
Support data integrity, consistency, and effective CRM use for accurate reporting and informed decisions.
Uphold data integrity, confidentiality, and ethical, compliant research practices, including APRA and CASE guidelines.
Contribute to strategic initiatives and cross-functional analysis under the direction of the Director, Research & Portfolio Management.
Participate in leadership training and professional development opportunities.
Perform additional responsibilities in support of the Research and Portfolio Management team, as assigned.

Benefits

Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
Eligibility to participate in the organization's annual bonus program; awards are discretionary and not guaranteed.
Medical insurance.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Flexible spending account (FSA).
Health savings account (HSA).
Fully vested 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching.
22 days of accrued paid time off per fiscal year.
14 paid holidays per calendar year.
Group life insurance.
Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
Identity theft protection.
Annual professional development opportunities.
Certain additional benefits may be offered through the Naval Academy, though they are not guaranteed, including use of certain recreational facilities and category II eligibility for employee children to apply to the Naval Academy Primary School.