Associate Director, Research & Prospect Management

Associate Director, Research & Prospect Management

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Reporting to the Senior Director, Prospect Research, the Associate Director, Research and Prospect Management (AD‑RPM) is an integral member of Rutgers University Foundation’s fundraising process. The AD‑RPM is responsible for portfolio oversight, as well as identifying, researching, and analyzing potential prospects to meet the needs of assigned unit’s development team. The AD‑RPM works within the fundraising cycle to identify prospects capacity rated at the major gift level of $100,000+ and strategizes with the Development Teams to enable their Major Gift Officers to exceed their annual fundraising goals.

• Collaborate closely with assigned unit leadership, fundraisers, and support staff to delineate their portfolio requirements and optimize the utilization of research for identifying, qualifying, nurturing, closing, and stewarding donors effectively.
• Oversee and mentor a team of research and prospect management analysts, providing guidance, training, and support in conducting comprehensive research, analyzing data, and generating actionable insights to inform fundraising strategies.
• Advise fundraisers on optimizing portfolios, and generate reports encompassing financial assets, potential philanthropic backing, and more, to brief both internal and external partners ahead of constituent meetings.
• Support prospect management systems and process training for foundation staff.
• Validate and streamline the movement of potential prospects to development teams identified from both internal and external channels.
• Analyze and interpret business and financial information from fundraising information systems and external financial, news, biographic sources, social media and other sources as appropriate.
• Compile biographic, business, philanthropic, and financial data on individuals into concise, analytical reports; enter data and maintain individual records in fundraising information systems as necessary.
• Deliver relevant information and insights to unit personnel through direct meetings and conversations.
• Through meetings, conversations, conferences, listservs, industry publications and networking, continue to develop industry knowledge to keep abreast of emerging trends and best practices for prospect research and identification, and implement new approaches as appropriate.
• Attend and actively contribute to assigned unit team meetings to ensure collective success.
• Always safeguard the confidentiality of constituent information and uphold departmental policies regarding confidential information. Adhere to ethical and confidentiality guidelines of University Advancement, the University, and the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA).
• Other duties as assigned.

• Leadership
  • Own complex projects with senior leadership support (leadership coaches and removes roadblocks)
  • Set clear direction for a project
  • Provide feedback, develop staff, and colleagues
• Autonomy
  • Establish and manage set guidelines/timeline for department/project/program
  • Perform project analysis; devise and implement process improvements to optimize outcomes
• Complexity
  • Initiate projects, strategies and innovations within the organization
  • Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of department/project/program
  • Ability to devise strategies and execute increasingly complex projects
• Strategy
  • Manage operational components for department
  • Develop and submit budgets and other collateral materials as needed to advance a University initiative

Bachelor's degree and/or 4+ years of professional experience in fundraising, alumni relations, non-profit organizations, event planning, higher education, or related fields.

This position requires clarity of focus while juggling complex projects or deadlines with little physical effort. Will work evenings, weekends, or odd hours to meet organizational commitments. Typical working conditions with an absence of disagreeable elements. This position requires some early mornings and late…