Job Description
The Rutgers University Foundation (RUF) seeks a strategic, detail-oriented, collaborative Prospect Research Analyst and Prospect Management Analyst to join the Prospect Development team.
Reporting to the Associate Director of Prospect Research, the Prospect Research Analyst is an integral member of the Rutgers University Foundation fundraising process. The Analyst will work within the fundraising cycle to identify prospects capacity rated at the major gift level of $100,000+ and strategizes with the Development Teams to enable their Major Gift Officers to exceed their annual fundraising goals. The Prospect Research Analyst will be joining the Foundation at a time of great enthusiasm as we recently have entered the silent phase of a new multibillion-dollar campaign, our most ambitious to date after previously completing a $1 billion campaign in 2014.
Reporting to the Director of Prospect Management, the Prospect Management candidate will be a forward focused, data-savvy professional that will partner with our Prospect Research team and our newly created Strategic Data Analytics team to assist front-line fundraisers in having a deeper understanding of their prospect pools. The Prospect Management Analyst will help manage the prospect assignment and portfolio review processes. They will help design and implement reports and programs to assist development staff in retrieving and executing prospect tracking data. The successful candidate will serve as the primary point of contact and resource for assigned units and advise development officers and other staff on prospect management best practices and proper procedures. The position serves as a partner to ensure excellence in service to fundraisers in pipeline and portfolio development, on-boarding, and reporting.
The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and at least one year of work or internship experience. They will have an interest or understanding of the relationship between research and development functions. They will demonstrate an ability to be detail oriented and collaborative with excellent time management skills. Superior writing skills are expected as well as an eagerness to learn. They are expected to have professionalism and high customer service skills while interacting with colleagues at all levels.
Rutgers University Foundation
Created in 1973, the Rutgers University Foundation advances Rutgers’ pursuit of excellence in education, research, and public service. The Foundation provides the bridge between donors and the schools, programs, faculty, and students that make up the University. The Foundation helps to match caring people with satisfying and meaningful opportunities to make gifts that have an impact on Rutgers. Founded in 1766, Rutgers is the eighth oldest institution of higher education in the nation. Today, Rutgers-New Brunswick is a member of the Association of American Universities and is New Jersey’s premier public research institution and flagship state university. More than 100 majors offer students vast opportunities. On July 1, 2014, Rutgers University joined The Big Ten Conference of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. The Foundation is a 501© (3) tax-exempt organization with the sole mission of supporting Rutgers University. The organization includes the areas of Alumni Engagement, Development and related Communications. Led by Foundation President Nevin E. Kessler and his senior cabinet – the Executive Leadership Group (ELG) – the Foundation successfully completed a $1 billion campaign in 2014 and has recently entered the silent phase of a new multibillion-dollar campaign, its most ambitious to date.
Rutgers University Foundation team operates and prides itself upon the following five guiding principles:
• Common Goals: We agree on our common direction and continually work toward our common goals.
• Accountability: We understand that high performance occurs only when there is accountability. We hold ourselves accountable for achieving our goals and driving overall Foundation performance.
• The Greater Good: We put the good of the university ahead of the good of the Foundation and the good of the Foundation ahead of our own area of responsibility. We put the good of our team ahead of our individual good.
• Openness & Honesty: We are transparent in our interactions with each other. We strive for open and honest conversations in our communications as a Foundation as well as in our individual communications.
• Trust: We trust and support each other. We do not triangulate our issues with others. If trust is broken, we address it directly with our team members so that trust may be rebuilt.
More info on the Foundation can be found on: www.support.rutgers.edu
PROSPECT RESEARCH ANALYST
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
• Work directly with assigned unit leadership, fundraisers and support staff to define their prospect research needs and enhance the value and effective use of research in identifying, qualifying, cultivating, closing, and stewarding donors.
• Analyze and interpret business and financial information from fundraising information systems and external financial, news, biographic sources, social media and other sources as appropriate.
• Compile biographic, business, philanthropic, and financial data on individuals into concise, analytical reports; enter data and maintain individual records in fundraising information systems as necessary.
• Deliver relevant information and insights to unit personnel through direct meetings and conversations.
• Staff unit portfolio review meetings, staff meetings, and prospect reviews as appropriate.
• Through meetings, conversations, conferences, listservs, industry publications and networking, continue to develop industry knowledge to keep abreast of emerging trends and best practices for prospect research and identification, and implement new approaches as appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned.
PROSPECT MANAGEMENT ANALYST
Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
• Oversee the movement of identified prospects in the allocated unit prospect pool and fundraiser portfolios through regular analysis, review and reporting.
• Execute prospect identification projects in collaboration with prospect research colleagues, unit leadership and fundraisers; Identify assignment priority for prospects in the overall allocated pool.
• Based on unit strategy and fundraiser objectives, assign and optimize prospects with desirable characteristics to fundraiser portfolios to ensure prospects are appropriately assigned and managed.
• Maintain portfolio quality over time through regularly scheduled portfolio reviews and ad-hoc reviews as necessary, with a focus on portfolio productivity.
• Provide support and assistance to fundraisers in additional portfolio management, trip planning, and prospecting activities as requested; Assist in the analysis and understanding of fundraiser and unit proposal pipelines.
• Through daily review of contact reports, assist fundraisers and unit support personnel in maintaining timely and accurate data entry into the prospect management system, updating electronic records accordingly. Understand development officer metrics and assist in documenting qualifying activities.
• Other duties as assigned.
Qualities of the Ideal Candidate
• Excellent interpersonal skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, and presentation skills. Tact and diplomacy in communication with a wide variety of personalities is helpful.
• Must be able to analyze and interpret information and work independently, while also being an effective member of the Advancement team.
• A strong customer service orientation is necessary for interaction with Advancement staff and other University personnel on assignments. Must be comfortable with and capable of taking the initiative in establishing and maintaining communication, including face-to-face interactions, with customers.
• A positive attitude and optimistic outlook in an environment of continuous change and high activity.
• Must understand the need to work with discretion, and maintain the confidentiality of donor and prospect information.
• Must be comfortable with gathering and sharing information with academic and administrative University personnel, as well as be able to assemble biographical information and overall briefings quickly and accurately for use in Advancement activities.