The Assistant Director of Prospect Research will employ advanced investigative research, data collection, and financial and statistical analysis skills to proactively identify, research, and assign wealth capacity ratings to prospective donors of Wellesley College. They will prepare written confidential research briefs on individual, corporate, and foundation prospects for use by development staff and college leadership in developing specific cultivation and solicitation strategies. This role will maintain a strong working partnership with staff members of Individual Giving to evaluate research requests and determine appropriate level of detail required. The Assistant Director of Prospect Research will help manage the policies and procedures relating to portfolio management. They will work in partnership with members of the Research team to review and validate results from a wealth screening. They will code their data findings within Affinaquest, Wellesley College’s Salesforce CRM.
The Assistant Director of Prospect Research will participate in Prospect Strategy meetings and all other training involving the Research team. Additionally, this role will serve as a key organizational resource and will process ad-hoc requests for research such as verifying employment and title, confirming professional awards, and securing copies of periodicals.
Primary Position Responsibilities
Identify, analyze, and evaluate information yielded from a variety of sources to determine potential donor’s wealth capacity and philanthropic interests
Prepare written confidential research briefs on individual, corporate, and foundation prospects.
Maintain a working partnership with staff members of Individual Giving to evaluate requests as well as portfolio management
Evaluate research requests to determine appropriate level of detail required
Track prospects and donors affiliated with Wellesley College from a variety of media sources as well as leads from development staff
Serve as a resource by staying abreast on current and emerging trends in philanthropy, fundraising, higher education, and select business industries
Performance Profile
Judgment – exercise good judgment and the ability to handle sensitive/confidential information with discretion
Accuracy – complete deliverables with thoroughness and accuracy in a timely manner
Efficiency - strong work ethic, initiative, and ability to problem-solve effectively and juggle multiple demands efficiently
Initiative – proactive, confident in taking responsibility, decisive
Customer Service – provide excellent customer service to all colleagues and internal and external stakeholders
Collaboration – works effectively with colleagues in a positive, professional, and collegial manner.
Education Required
Bachelor’s degree preferred
Experience Required
4-6 years of relevant experience
Skills and Abilities Required
Experience working in nonprofit organizations a plus
Familiarity with principal and major gift fundraising practices
Proficient in interpreting and synthesizing complex data to make evidence-based judgments
Strong written and verbal communication
Experience with Salesforce or similar enterprise CRMs
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel
Project management experience highly desirable
Possesses strong analytical skills to make logical deductions from presented data
Possesses problem-solving skills and inherent decision-making ability as well as the ability to take initiative, be assertive, and manage multiple streams of work
Extremely detail-oriented and able to work productively and flexibly in a high-volume and fast-paced environment
Able to work independently and as part of a team, while fostering collaboration and peer support
Demonstrates a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences regarding race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and socio-economic circumstance?
Demonstrates a commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts?
Able to communicate effectively with all levels of staff and end users
Flexibility and a good sense of humor.
Commitment to the mission and goals of Wellesley College
Other
Writing samples required
This position incorporates a flexible hybrid work schedule, and Wellesley College requires employees must reside in New England
About Wellesley College
Wellesley is known for the excellence of its education, the beauty of its setting, its gifted faculty, and the uniqueness of its campus culture. But most of all, Wellesley is known for the thousands of accomplished, thoughtful women it has sent out into the world for over 100 years women who are committed to making a difference. Every year, some 2,400 of the world's top undergraduate women are challenged to exceed their own highest personal and intellectual expectations. The mastery Wellesley graduates demonstrate across the professional and vocational spectrum, and the influence they wield, whether in their own communities or on the world stage is testament to a singularly empowering undergraduate experience. Wellesley's lively academic community places a high value on rigorous, probing inquiry, and creative, cross-discipline thinking. Its collaborative approach to scholarship encourages students to question, debate, and refine their points of view, not only with each other, but with our world-class faculty, often by working directly with them on groundbreaking projects. A Wellesley education fosters the highest standard of readiness for the real world in its graduates, in terms ... of ability to think, act, and contribute meaningfully and effectively in their chosen areas of interest.
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