Director, Prospect Research and Development

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Job: Director, Prospect Research and Development

Job Summary: Under the guidance of the Senior Director of Development Services, the Director of Prospect Research and Development will be an integral member of Barnard College's Development and Alumnae Relations fundraising and support teams. The Director is responsible for defining, implementing, and managing the process for identifying, researching, and tracking all of the College's prospect constituencies in order to provide fundraisers and department leaders with the information necessary to create strategies for sustaining a strong donor pipeline. The Director will be responsible for coordinating responses to all research requests from within the department and from College leadership, developing methods to improve prospect data integrity and thoroughness, and evaluating and selecting effective research resources.

Duties and Areas of Responsibility:

• Provide consultation and assistance to the President and Vice President for Development and Alumnae Relations regarding constituency profiles and other data as needed for the development of fundraising strategies and event implementation.
• Proactively identify and qualify new prospects and help fundraising leaders expand, organize, and prioritize the prospect pool through constant research of various constituencies such as alumnae, trustees, parents, friends, etc.
• Collect and analyze electronic wealth screening results, regularly update profiles, and utilize other data points to assess the prospect population's overall net worth in order to determine giving capacity and charitable inclination.
• Along with other departmental leaders, participate in prospect review meetings for major gifts, planned gifts, and thematic fundraising campaigns to discuss any research needs for specific strategies related to prioritized fundraising efforts.
• Provide regular educational sessions for fundraisers and department leaders to help them better understand prospect capacity and inclination, to ensure the ongoing discovery and qualification of new prospects, and support the integration of advanced prospects into cultivation strategies.
• Compile and share information related to donor affinity, interests, relationships, and other areas that may inform fundraising strategies by identifying, tracking, and promoting notable and award-winning alumnae news and employer and industry updates and ensuring their appropriate documentation.
• Prioritize research tasks, oversee research requests, and deliver finished products in a timely fashion using style, grammar, and content appropriate to the specific audience.
• Serve as a member of the database core team to help proactively identify issues, suggest solutions, and provide recommendations that impact the prospect management and fundraising functions.
• Direct and supervise the work of the Manager, Prospect Research, and any other staff or consultants that may be required throughout the year.
• Along with the Senior Director, oversee the budget for the Prospect Research unit. Manage the periodic strategic review of the department's prospect research resources and subscriptions and keep abreast of developments in prospect research, analytics, and data mining.
• Maintain the highest level of detail and accuracy in reporting, fact finding, writing, and data entry. Adhere to ethical and confidentiality guidelines of both the College and the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) at all times.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills, Qualifications & Requirements:

• Exceptional research and analytical skills, with superior attention to detail and critical thinking abilities.
• Ability to gather, analyze, and synthesize complex information from a variety of sources.
• Exemplary reading comprehension, writing, and verbal communication skills.
• Expertise with prospect research methodology and practice, including interpreting wealth and philanthropic indicators.
• Experience with subscription-based electronic prospect research resources, including LexisNexis, Wealth Engine, and Donor Search.
• Ability to work independently and lead strategically, as well as actively and meaningfully engage as a member of a team in goal setting, long-term and short-term strategic planning, and problem-solving.
• Ability to set clear priorities, design and complete complex projects, and manage time well without close supervision.
• Ability to multitask and respond to changing priorities in a fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism and performance as evidenced by collaborative teamwork, initiative, sound judgment, consistency of output, and timeliness of follow-through.
• Knowledge of and commitment to the values and mission of Barnard College and higher education, as well as an understanding of the principles and techniques of major gift and campaign fundraising.
• Ability to work tactfully and confidentially with sensitive information is essential.
• Must meet the department's core values of collaboration, aspiration, transparency, respect, accountability, and trust.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 4-5 years experience conducting and delivering prospect research, metrics reporting, and/or data analysis related to advancement/development work in a higher education or other non-profit setting.
• Demonstrated computer skills and familiarity with spreadsheets, relational databases, research databases, Internet research, and Microsoft Office programs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in higher education is preferred, but not necessary.
• Experience with wealth screenings is preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to perform customary office tasks such as sitting, walking, standing, computing, and answering telephone for moderate to prolonged periods of time combined with light to moderate reaching, bending and lifting.

Additional Information:

• This job is currently a hybrid position that allows for 2-3 days per week work from home and 2-3 days per week in-person presence in the office, including team and full staff meetings, special events, and other times as may be directed by their supervisor.

Salary Range: $105,000 - $115,000 annually

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Company: Barnard College

Time Type: Full time