Executive Director, Prospect Development

UMass Amherst Foundation • Hadley, MA

13d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive Director of Prospect Development leads the Prospect Research and Prospect Management teams at UMAF, reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Advancement Operations. This role oversees six staff members, ensuring high performance, professional growth, and strategic prioritization aligned with UMAF’s fundraising objectives. The Executive Director is responsible for guiding the teams through the transition to Salesforce Education Cloud CRM, promoting pipeline optimization, data driven decision making, industry best practices, and incorporating new technologies, including AI literacy and appropriate adoption, to enhance operational efficiency and innovation.
Location: This is a full-time hybrid position and is open to employees in select US states: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• 10 or more years of experience, with at least 3 years overseeing the work of other professional staff.
• Demonstrated expertise in prospect development within higher education Advancement.
• Strong analytical, written and verbal communication skills.
• Collaborative leadership style and experience managing complex situations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and online prospect research tools.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or master’s degree.
• 5 years of experience in a large Prospect Development operation, with a focus on coaching and team development.
• Experience with project management.
• Demonstrated AI literacy and experience implementing AI solutions in fundraising.
• Experience with Salesforce Education Cloud CRM or similar platforms, including leading technology transitions

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direct supervision to the Prospect Research and Prospect Management teams, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous development.
• Oversee all team operations, including recruitment, training, workflow management, and prioritization; manage the team budget and operational activities; ensure department policies and procedures are up to date.
• Working closely with the AVP, Advancement Operations, collaborate with UMAF departments to align prospect development initiatives with organizational priorities.
• Assist in the successful transition of the team to Salesforce Education Cloud CRM, ensuring effective training and process optimization in line with the March 2026 implementation.
• Advocate for and drive recognition and empowerment of Prospect Development within UMAF and the broader UMass community; identify collaborative opportunities and projects across UMAF for team members
• Drive the adoption of new tools, including AI-powered tools, and promote best practices to increase team efficiency and outcomes; leverage technology and industry trends to enhance prospect development activities and share insights with relevant stakeholders.
• Develop individual staff work plans and monitor progress toward established goals; mentor and support team members’ professional growth. Conduct annual performance reviews and regular check-ins with direct reports.
• Prioritize, coordinate, and oversee the successful completion of research reports and materials prepared for the UMass Amherst Chancellor and UMAF President, and fundraising teams; ensuring the delivery of timely, high-quality insights that inform strategic fundraising decisions.
• Empower a team of highly skilled prospect research professionals, leveraging their deep expertise to drive innovative strategies for identifying and evaluating prospective donors to advance the goals of UMAF.
• Lead the prospect identification priorities of the team while developing forward-looking strategies for assessing constituent potential donor capacity and continuously refine standards and protocols for giving capacity assessments, anticipating future UMAF needs.
• Champion a collaborative environment that capitalizes on the subject matter expertise of team members and encourage continuous contributions to innovations in prospect research and research methodologies.
• Collaborate with fundraising teams to implement prospect assignment and portfolio management strategies and empower team members to maximize fundraising potential through data-driven planning and collaboration.
• Oversee a dynamic prospect management program, including strategic planning and optimization, and ensuring processes, tools, policies, and training are aligned with best practices and organizational priorities.
• Facilitate and participate in high-level strategy meetings and portfolio reviews, fostering a culture of shared expertise and continuous improvement.
• Lead the management of prospect pipeline assessment, metrics and reporting, utilizing advanced business intelligence and detailed analysis to inform future planning and strategic decision-making.
• Prepare and enhance regular progress reports on fundraising metrics and portfolio performance, supporting proactive strategy development and long-term success.
• Oversee ongoing reviews of prospect management related data for consistency, initiate projects to improve the quality of prospect-specific data.
• Ensure the team’s ongoing professional development and adherence to evolving prospect pipeline policies and procedures.
• UMAF is building and growing, and this position will support those efforts with other duties and projects as assigned from time to time.

Benefits

• 20 vacation days, 12 holidays, 12 sick days, 5 personal days, and 2 office closure days.
• 4-day summer work week.
• 401(k) plan. You contribute 5% and receive a 10% match.
• Health insurance packages for medical, dental, and vision.
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave to use within 1 year of childbirth. An additional 6 weeks available for the birthing parent. Part-time work for full-time pay for the first 4 weeks post parental leave.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director