Reporting to the Director of Leadership Gifts the Director of Advancement Research supports the Academy’s fundraising and alumni/parent engagement efforts by identifying leadership giving prospects, helping maintain a robust prospect pool, and applying up to date data analysis, prospect screening and pipeline management techniques.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Prospect Research and Identification:

• Create robust prospect pipelines by ensuring gift officers have the resources and information to cultivate meaningful benefactor relationships.
• Proactively identify prospects, growing the size and value of the donor pipeline, and articulate strategies for the cultivation and solicitation of principal & major gifts level donors.
• Develop and coordinate regular prospect strategy sessions, providing insights on strategies, timing, and optimal methods of giving; promote cohesive and consistent strategy for prospects via a moves management system. 
• Support data to monitor cultivation, solicitation, gift closure, & stewardship; assign prospects to fundraisers and monitor progress toward meeting individual & Advancement goals. 
• Conceptualize and oversee regular prospect screening; and recommend specific tasks and procedures to foster a vibrant prospect development process.
• Lead the implementation and use of analytical strategies and tools, utilizing data mining, predictive modeling, and ad hoc reports to support portfolio management, prospect identification and assignment, portfolio analysis, proposal activity, etc.
• Provide ongoing assessments of fundraising programs' effectiveness. 
• Produce routine and as needed analysis and reporting on prospect qualification, cultivation, and solicitation activities.
• Extract, organize, and model data to inform Advancement management business decisions related to portfolio management, staff deployment, and goalsetting. 
• In collaboration with the Director of Leadership Gifts, plan, develop, and implement proactive research to identify high quality prospects, ensuring that each fundraiser has enough qualified prospects to meet or exceed goals.
• Secure and analyze a wide array of information, collect, maintain, and analyze data to aid in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting principal & major gifts donors. 
• Seek opportunities to identify and leverage existing relationships to make connections to high-net-worth potential prospects. 
• Lead prospect research team in conducting research and analyzing data, utilizing a full range of publicly available information sources as well as data generated internally, to prepare detailed written prospect profiles on individuals (including current and prospective alumni and parent donors, potential trustees, and institutional award nominees) for advancement officers, the Head of School, Trustees and volunteers.
• Work with Chief Advancement Officer in maintaining Board of Trustees Nominating and Governance Committee lists and materials.
• Oversee the office administrative functions such as preparing the research budget, ordering reference materials and supplies, and adopting policies and procedures as required.
•  Oversee donor background checks to manage potential risks.
• Review Admissions Office interview schedules for candidates of interest to Advancement and provide timely notice to the Chief Advancement Officer and/or gift officers as appropriate.

Staff Supervision:

• Ensure the prospect research team provides useful, timely, and accurate information targeted to the fundraising and relationship-building needs of the Office of Advancement; that each researcher is functioning at a high level of professionalism and is proficient in best practices as they evolve; and that the department’s use of time and resources is aligned with the priorities of Advancement.
• Provide day-to-day supervision of research team, including scheduling work assignments, reviewing and developing individual skills, and promoting communication and a positive work culture.
• Accurately report employee time and attendance to Human Resources.
• Coordinate time off to ensure adequate coverage, schedule overtime and adjust assignments as needed.
• Ensure work is done in an efficient, organized and confidential manner.
• In collaboration with the Human Resources Office, coordinate the recruitment, orientation and training of new employees to ensure optimal staffing, according to Academy Best Practices in Hiring

General:

• Keep abreast of industry trends and best practices. Maintain contact with counterparts at peer institutions.

Other duties as assigned.

Job Specifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 5-7 years of experience in development research or related field
• A proven track record as a successful manager of professional level employees
• Extreme discretion with highly confidential information
• Strong initiative and the ability to be self-directed, resourceful and creative
• Facility with and interest in the promotion of cooperation and teamwork with colleagues
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Demonstrated understanding of financial investment models
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Facility with MS Office Suite, Google Drive, as well as ability to interact effectively with database and reports
• Exhibit critical thinking, good judgment and ability to work independently
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion and to serving the needs of a diverse community

Physical Job Demands 

• Close visual acuity to analyze data and figures and view a computer terminal 
• Ability to sustain substantial movements of the wrist, hands and/or fingers 
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects up to 10 lbs. 
• Ability to occasionally stoop, kneel and reach 

Working Conditions 

The worker is mainly in an office environment, and not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions. 

Disclaimer 

The above job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. This job description is not intended to be construed as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. It is expected that job duties and responsibilities will develop over time commensurate with performance.