Prospect Researcher and Portfolio Developer

Desales University - Center Valley, PA

Full-time - Mid Level

Center Valley, PA

1,001-5,000 employees

Educational Services

About the position

DeSales University, located in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, is seeking a Prospect Researcher and Portfolio Developer (PRPD) to join its Institutional Advancement team. This role is crucial as the university prepares to launch its first and largest comprehensive campaign to date. The PRPD will utilize industry best practices to enhance the size and quality of the prospect pool, which is essential for the success of the campaign. Reporting to the Director of Advancement Services, the PRPD will be responsible for establishing and managing a system that supports the critical functions of prospect research and data-driven decision-making. In this position, the PRPD will actively collaborate with gift officers and engage regularly with Deans, faculty, and other academic and administrative partners to identify new prospective donors. This role is instrumental in identifying new prospects and partnerships while also enhancing the department's database of existing donors to maximize philanthropic support for DeSales University. The PRPD will develop and maintain a prospect management system that encourages the movement of potential donors through the university's fundraising pipeline. Additionally, the PRPD will analyze the prospect pool to aid in fundraising planning and projections, ensuring that development officers have substantive portfolios of prospects that align with DeSales University's strategic funding priorities. Given the sensitive nature of the information handled, this position requires a high level of discretion, confidentiality, and careful stewardship of highly sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Utilize industry best practices to grow the size and quality of the prospect pool.
• Establish and manage a system that supports prospect research and data-driven decision making.
• Partner with gift officers and engage with Deans, faculty, and other academic and administrative partners to identify new prospective donors.
• Identify new prospects and partnerships to enhance the department's database of existing donors.
• Develop and maintain a prospect management system that encourages the movement of potential donors through the fundraising pipeline.
• Analyze the prospect pool to aid in fundraising planning and projections.
• Ensure development officers have substantive portfolios of prospects aligned with strategic funding priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Minimum of four (4) years of experience in prospect research, prospect management, fundraising, non-profit, or market analysis.
• Experience with relational databases/CRMs, particularly transitioning from Colleague Advancement to Slate.
• Knowledge of prospect research ethics, including statements by APRA and CASE.