RESEARCH ANALYST, Development & Alumni Relations, Prospect Research

Boston University - Boston, MA

Full-time - Mid Level

Boston, MA

Educational Services

About the position

The Research Analyst position within the Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) at Boston University plays a crucial role in harnessing the power of philanthropy to enhance educational accessibility and advance the university's global leadership in research and scholarship. The Prospect Research team is dedicated to identifying prospective individual donors and preparing briefing materials for development visits and events. The Research Analyst will be responsible for writing comprehensive reports that evaluate the biographical, business, and financial resources of potential donors, providing strategic advice to major gift officers regarding the prioritization of giving capacities and inclinations. This role involves conducting thorough prospect research using publicly available information and internal data, preparing detailed analyses, and collaborating with various teams to ensure data integrity and effective donor engagement strategies. In this position, the Research Analyst will create biographical and financial research reports, recommend strategies for managing prospects, and disseminate confidential information that impacts development activities. The role requires querying CRM and other databases to identify potential new prospects, updating research profiles, and developing strategies to evaluate prospective individual and institutional donors. The Research Analyst will also engage in discussions with gift and development officers to refine cultivation and solicitation strategies, ensuring that the alumni database is current and accurately reflects newly identified ratings and profiles. This position offers exciting opportunities for professional growth, including the application of new technologies and the development of specialized skills in the field of advancement.

Responsibilities

• Create biographical and financial research reports and recommend strategy for handling of prospects; link prospects to fundraising projects/programs.
• Disseminate high level confidential information that impacts development activity responding to a broad spectrum of high priority and ad hoc research requests from the President, Senior Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations, and other offices in Development.
• Query CRM and other databases to uncover potential new Development suspects/prospects.
• Update research profiles to ensure the continuous exchange of current information on trustees, important alumni, parents, and friends.
• Develop and implement strategies to identify and evaluate prospective individual and institutional donors.
• Engage in discussions with gift and development officers to discuss cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Update alumni database to provide newly identified ratings and updates to ratings; add completed profiles and backgrounds to biographical tabs on the donor record.
• Provide other data enhancements to CRM as needed.
• Update log of work.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• Three to five years of related experience
• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Excellent collaboration and project management skills
• Strong computer, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to prioritize a workload and adapt quickly to changing needs
• Ability to handle confidential material responsibly and interact professionally with a wide spectrum of individuals.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in prospect research or fundraising
• Familiarity with data analytics and relationship mapping tools
• Knowledge of CRM systems and database management

Benefits

• Professional development opportunities
• Collaborative work environment
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Access to university resources and events