What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Prospect Strategy & Donor Relations position at Heidelberg University?
Description
The Director of Prospect Strategy & Donor Relations is responsible for providing an innovative and strategic vision for advancing the institution by mining for prospects and creating cultivation and solicitation strategies in consultation with the Advancement Team. This position is also responsible for managing the advancement database (Banner), and all donor recognition and stewardship activities, events, and reporting.
Supervision Received
Reports directly to the Vice President for Advancement, Alumni, and Community Relations (AACR).
Supervision Exercised
Supervises the Assistant Director of Advancement Services.
Prospect Strategy
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
CORE VALUES AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:
Education and Professional Experience:
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use arms, hands and fingers to operate and manipulate equipment generally found in an office setting. The employee may be frequently required to be mobile, communicate, and hear. The employee may occasionally be subject to a variety of outdoor environmental conditions including heat, cold, and precipitation. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to ten (10) pounds and occasionally lift and/or move more than fifty (50) pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Mental demands include occasional varied degrees of occasional stress while performing job duties.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in an office setting, and educational facilities including sports and entertainment venues, all of which may be indoor or outdoor. The noise level in the work environment will range from moderately quiet to occasionally loud.
The Director of Prospect Strategy & Donor Relations is responsible for providing an innovative and strategic vision for advancing the institution by mining for prospects and creating cultivation and solicitation strategies in consultation with the Advancement Team. This position is also responsible for managing the advancement database (Banner), and all donor recognition and stewardship activities, events, and reporting.
Supervision Received
Reports directly to the Vice President for Advancement, Alumni, and Community Relations (AACR).
Supervision Exercised
Supervises the Assistant Director of Advancement Services.
Prospect Strategy
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Research individual and corporate prospects to identify new donors (individuals, foundations, corporations, and governments) who will provide financial support to the University and to ensure a supply of prospects to meet fundraising goals.
- Collaborate with the fundraising team to plan appropriate prospect strategies to encourage the movement of prospects through the gift cycle and ensure efficient and effective major gift efforts.
- Lead prospect management meetings and portfolio reviews with fundraising team members ensuring that assignments are appropriate and current.
- Develop a strategic and effective prospect management system, utilizing Banner Advancement to track prospects from identification through the gift cycle.
- Document all prospect management and stewardship efforts in Banner.
- Execute a proactive and meaningful donor relations program. This includes but is not limited to policies and procedures for gift acknowledgments, endowed fund reporting, impact reports, donor relations communications, and stewardship activities and events.
- Manage recognition projects such as new plaques, etc. This includes working with outside vendors, coordinating with Heidelberg facilities, developing plaque text, confirming naming opportunities, proofing plaque text, etc.
- Serve as liaison with the business office and the financial aid office to ensure successful and optimal data sharing, which is vital for proper donor stewardship.
- Oversee gift entry and acceptance, gift documentation, gift receipting, biographical records, prospect research and management, and AACR’s use of Banner Advancement.
- Remain current on issues and regulations affecting all areas of prospect management and donor relations such as CASE standards, IRS regulations, AASP best practices, and APRA best practices.
- Other responsibilities as assigned by the Vice President of AACR.
CORE VALUES AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:
- Core values – models leadership values of integrity, honesty, humility, transparency, respectfulness, diversity, caring, loyalty and accountability in all work.
- Intellectual dynamism – demonstrates mental sharpness, capability and agility.
- Self-knowledge – gains insight from successes and mistakes.
- Personal learning – seeks feedback and counsel to improve managerial behavior.
- Peer relationships – encourages collaboration and cooperation across the organization.
- Teamwork – performs most effectively as a hard-working member of a team.
- Constituency focus – completes work to meet constituencies’ expectations and requirements.
- Community focus – brings a spirit of enthusiasm and energy to the campus and town.
Education and Professional Experience:
- (A) Bachelor’s degree; and,
- (B) Two to four (4) year’s successful experience in Research and Prospect Management and/or Donor or Constituent Relations.
- (A) Master’s degree; and,
- (B) Five (5) or more years successful and professional experience in Research and Prospect Management and/or Donor or Constituent Relations in higher education;
- (C) Extensive database management / development experience.
- Thorough knowledge of all aspects of fundraising and best practices, including IRS standards.
- Ability to create standards and hold others accountable for preserving the sanctity of a constituent management database and other best practices.
- Ability to multi-task and to delegate as appropriate.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
- Experience with the Banner constituent management database system.
- Ability to train direct reports and colleagues on best practices and direct application of a constituent management database system.
- Direct experience within a comprehensive campaign.
- Ability to interpret, analyze and summarize complex biographical, business and financial data.
- Strong computer skills and knowledge of MS office suite.
- User-knowledge of online information resources for research and prospect management.
- Ability to work with confidential materials with discretion.
- Ability and desire to learn new skills and to explore new technology and research methods.
- Ability to travel as needed or required and to work evenings, weekends or holidays as needed.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use arms, hands and fingers to operate and manipulate equipment generally found in an office setting. The employee may be frequently required to be mobile, communicate, and hear. The employee may occasionally be subject to a variety of outdoor environmental conditions including heat, cold, and precipitation. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to ten (10) pounds and occasionally lift and/or move more than fifty (50) pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Mental demands include occasional varied degrees of occasional stress while performing job duties.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in an office setting, and educational facilities including sports and entertainment venues, all of which may be indoor or outdoor. The noise level in the work environment will range from moderately quiet to occasionally loud.
