Executive Director, Prospect Development

University of Rochester

About The Position

As a community, the University of Rochester is defined by a deep commitment to Meliora - Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. Together, we will set the highest standards for how we treat each other to ensure our community is welcoming to all and is a place where all can thrive. Job Location (Full Address): 300 East River Rd, Rochester, New York, United States of America, 14623 Opening: Worker Subtype: Regular Time Type: Full time Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Department: 100006 Ofc Sr Vice Pres Advancement Work Shift: UR - Day (United States of America) Range: UR URG 115 Compensation Range: $96,860.00 - $145,290.00 The referenced pay range represents the minimum and maximum compensation for this job. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range, and will be determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, market data, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations. Responsibilities: The Executive Director (ED) oversees prospect management and prospect research activities. This position will lead the Prospect Development team and coordinate their efforts to discover new prospects and produce meaningful research profiles for Advancement staff, key volunteers, and University Administrators. With broad latitude for independent action, the ED will: • Develop and implement best practices for research to foster an innovative, creative, cutting-edge, and results oriented research enterprise. • Oversee the identification of new high-capacity prospects, and volunteer leaders through proactive research projects. • Oversee strategies for identifying and rating the capacity of potential prospects, including analyzing hard and soft financial data in the context of gift capacity. • Actively identify new major gift and planned giving prospects through data mining techniques, push technology, demographic, and other searches. • Work closely with the Fundraisers and Development Events team to develop solicitation strategies. • Partner with the data analytics to implement a plan for identifying new and emerging prospects specific to the Institute’s current and future fundraising goals and priorities. • Ensure proper system and data maintenance are in place to support the fundraising efforts of Advancement. • Provide effective leadership of the Prospect Management and Research team to help ensure successful fundraising efforts. • Develop, implement, and maintain a prospect management program that ensures the placement of high-quality prospects in dynamic major gift officer portfolios. • Ensure that all research requests are completed accurately and in a timely manner. • Assist with the preparation of briefing reports for the President, Vice President, senior leaders, and gift officers. • Collaborate with the Advancement Operations team to streamline database processes, procedures, and best practices. • Monitor news and publicly available financial information on major gift prospects and suspects from SEC filings, professional publications, and press. • Maintain professional standards of research and conduct in a manner that is ethical and sensitive to the needs of donors and development staff members. • Participate in on-going professional development activities to maintain and enhance skills and abilities and stay abreast of current prospect management trends and research techniques. • Provide support for other Institutional Advancement functions and activities as needed. The ED will directly supervise and oversee all members of the Prospect Development department. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS LEADERSHIP: Implement and evaluate office-wide procedures and policies that assist in the efficient management and coordination of all development activities related to prospect research including: (10%) Supervision: Supervise all Prospect Development staff- Working closely with the AVP and internal HR Advancement, oversee, monitor, and manage administrative duties including recruiting, hiring, training, management, individual performance goals, performance reviews, personnel actions and all HR matters related to the program; provide guidance on best practices for department and staff according to APRA industry standards. (10%) Administration: With the AVP, prepare current and long-range program plans, and operational goals to support the fundraising efforts of the university. Regularly meet with Directors & Associate Directors of Prospect Development. Create, monitor and administer all program budgets and expenditures related to the development, implementation and continuance of these core areas. Through meetings and conversations, report on progress of research projects and prospect management to the AVP. (5%) Campaign: Help support campaign needs and operations through strategic planning, goal setting, and prospect pool development with Advancement leadership, as well as ongoing participation in prospect review and campaign planning meetings. SUPERVISE PROSPECT RESEARCH Supervise the prospect research effort by establishing priorities; Coordinate prospect identification research activity; Facilitate the research process using industry best practices; Engage key partners regarding strategic research projects for major gift prospects. (15%) Prospect Identification: Oversee prospect identification efforts to identify potentially new major gift donors and leadership-level volunteers through proactive research methods and external wealth information resources. Assist in the timely daily review of patients to provide accurate information for the URMC fundraising team. (10%) Research Analysis: Oversee the production of research products for Advancement staff. Focus on standardizing and streamlining services and the composition of consistent products. Edit all research documents produced for the president and other documents as necessary. Author and edit policy manuals, research reports, memoranda, and other documents pertaining to Advancement Prospect Research. Regularly review and revise the internal philanthropic rating process, its documentation, and the associated training. SUPERVISE PROSPECT MANAGEMENT Coordinate with the Associate Directors of Prospect Development to ensure portfolios meet strategic interests. (10%) Portfolio Standards and Pipeline Oversight: Develop solicitation projections and processes to improve the proposal pipeline. Standardize and maintain portfolio size and composition based on APRA / AASP Best Practices. (10%) Prospect Management Documentation and Training: Guide the Associate Directors of Prospect Development in quarterly gift officer training. Collaborate with gift-officers and their support staff to streamline processes and maintain a high level of data quality in the CRM. (5%) Prospect Pool Monitoring and Analysis: With Advancement Analytics, monitor gift officer deployment and inform decision makers of effectiveness and new opportunities. MONITOR UNIVERSITY PRIORITY PROSPECTS Produce research profiles and reports. Monitor mission-critical prospects for changes in their financial status, noteworthy trends in their philanthropy, or updates in their lives which could influence their relationship with the University of Rochester. Compile biographic, business, philanthropic, and financial data on individuals into qualitative reports for the Principal Gifts Office and the CAO. PROSPECT IDENTIFICATION AND SEGMENTATION Work with the Sr. Director of Analytics to uncover new prospects, deepen understanding of prospect pools and increase research efficiency. Investigate industry trends in analysis and apply innovative techniques at the University of Rochester. Utilizing data visualization software develop maps, reports, dashboards, and other tools to provide revealing views of potential prospect pools. Work with Advancement Analytics to specify and revise dashboards meant to monitor, explore, and alert Prospect Development of changes in prospects which may warrant action by Prospect Research. Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
A minimum of 8 years of related experience, particularly in advancement research, development, fundraising, or financial analysis required or equivalent combination of education and experience
Previous management experience required.
Strong staff management, team building, and training skills.
Proven ability to interact with varied constituencies in a professional manner.
Ability to set priorities and manage several projects simultaneously and exercise critical thinking skills to determine the best use of resources for reaching goals to support the University’s mission.
Excellent analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills, including strong written and verbal skills preferred.
Must understand the need to maintain the confidentiality of donor and prospect information.
Experience with WealthEngine or iWave.
Strong skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Expert knowledge in the use of online search tools.
Proficient in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat.
Proficient in Microsoft Excel – Experience with Power Query and/or VBA preferred.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and implement best practices for research to foster an innovative, creative, cutting-edge, and results oriented research enterprise.
Oversee the identification of new high-capacity prospects, and volunteer leaders through proactive research projects.
Oversee strategies for identifying and rating the capacity of potential prospects, including analyzing hard and soft financial data in the context of gift capacity.
Actively identify new major gift and planned giving prospects through data mining techniques, push technology, demographic, and other searches.
Work closely with the Fundraisers and Development Events team to develop solicitation strategies.
Partner with the data analytics to implement a plan for identifying new and emerging prospects specific to the Institute’s current and future fundraising goals and priorities.
Ensure proper system and data maintenance are in place to support the fundraising efforts of Advancement.
Provide effective leadership of the Prospect Management and Research team to help ensure successful fundraising efforts.
Develop, implement, and maintain a prospect management program that ensures the placement of high-quality prospects in dynamic major gift officer portfolios.
Ensure that all research requests are completed accurately and in a timely manner.
Assist with the preparation of briefing reports for the President, Vice President, senior leaders, and gift officers.
Collaborate with the Advancement Operations team to streamline database processes, procedures, and best practices.
Monitor news and publicly available financial information on major gift prospects and suspects from SEC filings, professional publications, and press.
Maintain professional standards of research and conduct in a manner that is ethical and sensitive to the needs of donors and development staff members.
Participate in on-going professional development activities to maintain and enhance skills and abilities and stay abreast of current prospect management trends and research techniques.
Provide support for other Institutional Advancement functions and activities as needed.
Implement and evaluate office-wide procedures and policies that assist in the efficient management and coordination of all development activities related to prospect research including:
Supervise all Prospect Development staff- Working closely with the AVP and internal HR Advancement, oversee, monitor, and manage administrative duties including recruiting, hiring, training, management, individual performance goals, performance reviews, personnel actions and all HR matters related to the program; provide guidance on best practices for department and staff according to APRA industry standards.
With the AVP, prepare current and long-range program plans, and operational goals to support the fundraising efforts of the university.
Regularly meet with Directors & Associate Directors of Prospect Development.
Create, monitor and administer all program budgets and expenditures related to the development, implementation and continuance of these core areas.
Through meetings and conversations, report on progress of research projects and prospect management to the AVP.
Help support campaign needs and operations through strategic planning, goal setting, and prospect pool development with Advancement leadership, as well as ongoing participation in prospect review and campaign planning meetings.
Supervise the prospect research effort by establishing priorities
Coordinate prospect identification research activity
Facilitate the research process using industry best practices
Engage key partners regarding strategic research projects for major gift prospects.
Oversee prospect identification efforts to identify potentially new major gift donors and leadership-level volunteers through proactive research methods and external wealth information resources.
Assist in the timely daily review of patients to provide accurate information for the URMC fundraising team.
Oversee the production of research products for Advancement staff.
Focus on standardizing and streamlining services and the composition of consistent products.
Edit all research documents produced for the president and other documents as necessary.
Author and edit policy manuals, research reports, memoranda, and other documents pertaining to Advancement Prospect Research.
Regularly review and revise the internal philanthropic rating process, its documentation, and the associated training.
Coordinate with the Associate Directors of Prospect Development to ensure portfolios meet strategic interests.
Develop solicitation projections and processes to improve the proposal pipeline.
Standardize and maintain portfolio size and composition based on APRA / AASP Best Practices.
Guide the Associate Directors of Prospect Development in quarterly gift officer training.
Collaborate with gift-officers and their support staff to streamline processes and maintain a high level of data quality in the CRM.
With Advancement Analytics, monitor gift officer deployment and inform decision makers of effectiveness and new opportunities.
Produce research profiles and reports.
Monitor mission-critical prospects for changes in their financial status, noteworthy trends in their philanthropy, or updates in their lives which could influence their relationship with the University of Rochester.
Compile biographic, business, philanthropic, and financial data on individuals into qualitative reports for the Principal Gifts Office and the CAO.
Work with the Sr. Director of Analytics to uncover new prospects, deepen understanding of prospect pools and increase research efficiency.
Investigate industry trends in analysis and apply innovative techniques at the University of Rochester.
Utilizing data visualization software develop maps, reports, dashboards, and other tools to provide revealing views of potential prospect pools.
Work with Advancement Analytics to specify and revise dashboards meant to monitor, explore, and alert Prospect Development of changes in prospects which may warrant action by Prospect Research.
Other duties as assigned.