Associate Director of Prospect Management and Research

Job Details*Job Location: *Oglethorpe University - Atlanta, GA
*Position Type: *Full-Time Staff
*Education Level: *Bachelor's Degree Preferred
Summary/Function:
Reporting to the Senior Director of Advancement, the Associate Director of Prospect Management and Research is responsible for identifying, researching, and analyzing prospects for major gift and leadership annual giving cultivation and solicitation. Research and analysis serve as the foundation of Oglethorpe's Advancement operations and directly contribute to the institutions success. The Associate Director works directly with frontline fundraisers, Annual Giving, and Alumni Relations staff to identify and qualify major donor prospects who have the propensity and capacity to support the universitys initiatives and campaigns. Specifically, the Associate Director works to research individuals, corporations, and foundations and compile data into meaningful categories; evaluate data for accuracy and relevance and prepare reports including detailed prospect profiles; and assign prospect ratings based on known indicators of wealth and philanthropic giving capacity. The Associate Director is also involved in proactive prospect management, including electronic tracking throughout the cultivation and solicitation cycle in the CRM, and generating reports reflecting prospect assignment and status, gift and proposal pipeline data, etc..Duties and Responsibilities:* Provides the Vice President for Advancement, senior staff leadership, and other Advancement and campus staff with the tools/reports and information required to plan and execute Oglethorpes advancement programs, including research, prospect management, analysis of donor histories, and reporting.
* Proactively and independently plan and execute industry best practice strategies to identify sources of major gift private support using research techniques and electronic searching methodologies to ensure that campus wide fundraising initiatives have sufficient prospects to meet fundraising goals.
* Develop and execute strategies to ensure that newly identified prospects are presented and assigned to appropriate fundraisers in a timely manner.
* Coordinates assignment process for qualification visits; track, evaluate and report on progress in making qualification visits. Reviews assignments, at least monthly, and generates reports on progress made in cultivating, soliciting and closing major gifts and planned gifts.
* Develops, updates, and maintains the major gift prospect pipeline tools to monitor and report on the availability of prospects identified, qualified, and solicited for major gifts. Tracks top prospects to ensure the appropriate staff person is moving the prospect through the pipeline and stewarding gifts appropriately.
* Develops and maintains written reports, biographical profiles, providing basic analysis of program trends, and short- and long-range results.
* Composes documents (profiles, biographies, project summaries) using style, grammar and content appropriate to specific audiences. Interprets and translates complex language into easily comprehensible terms while adhering to university standards of discretion and confidentiality. Interprets research to fundraisers as necessary.
* Using creative research techniques provides high-level research on individuals, alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations using a wide variety of biographical, organizational and financial sources, including online databases, Internet websites, library and government sources and other external repositories of public information to identify prospects.
* Analyzes and synthesizes accumulated information to assess financial capacity, philanthropic interest, giving propensity and connectivity. Evaluates research results to develop and implement further research strategies utilizing ethical intelligence-gathering techniques of the information profession. Identifies donor gift capacity through the analysis and clarification of complex information.
* Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:* Education: Bachelors Degree in related field
* Related Experience: 3+ years of professional experience, preferably in nonprofit fundraising and/or database management.
* Working knowledge of fundraising, donor relations and public relations concepts, principles, procedures, and techniques, and wealth screening tools such as Wealth Engine or Research Point
Preferred:* Business or informational science background
* Blackbaud certification
* Familiarity with Raisers Edge
* Experience in a higher education setting
Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:* Demonstrated experience in prospect research, development, library research or information related field preferably in a higher education environment. Knowledge of the range of resources available to prospect researchers and the ability to apply those resources in an organized and purposeful manner.
* Demonstrated analytical skills to initiate and perform complex analyses and organize information to identify philanthropic patterns, tendencies, and relationships among individuals, corporations and foundations. Ability to analyze and interpret complex financial disclosure documents for the purposes of wealth assessment.
* Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and develop proactive prospecting methodologies to support organizational goals, including data mining, sophisticated constituent database queries, etc.
* Desire to represent Oglethorpe out in the community, attending events and other social gatherings, building personal relationships on behalf of Oglethorpe and with the objective of raising awareness and funds for the institution.
* Appreciation of, a sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of many social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.
* Must be able to function as a member of a team, ability to work under pressure and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
* Appreciation of, a sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of many social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.
* Strong computer skills and demonstrated background in Internet-based research. Experience working with a relational database a necessity, as well as the Microsoft Office suite of products, including Excel. Ability to download and export information between systems.
* Excellent oral and interpersonal skills, including diplomacy required to function effectively among campus fundraisers, high level campus administrators, volunteers, and other constituencies to bring large scale projects to completion. Ability to work in a team environment.
* Demonstrated ability to work independently, prioritize work, and independently manage multiple, diverse and competing priorities while meeting deadlines.
* Strong project management skills and problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to work in a demanding environment.
* Ability to recall, recognize and communicate interrelated information pertaining to university benefactors and prospects.
* General fundraising skills, including proficiency at supporting and participating in prospect management and tracking processes and staying informed of trends in the field.
* Knowledge of ethics statements by APRA, Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and other related associations.
* Ability to maintain confidentiality and work with sensitive information and successfully pass a criminal background check required.
Work Environment/Physical Demands:This position is in a normal office environment typically working at a desk or table. The use of normal office equipment will be required. At times the individual may be required to work an alternative work schedule. As stated above, Oglethorpe supports the use of our Remote Work Policy.