Prospect Management and Research Specialist
Allegheny College

Job Info

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Prospect Management and Research Specialist January 8th 2025
Tagged: Institutional Advancement

ROLE TITLE: Prospect Management and Research Specialist

POSITION REPORTS TO: Senior Director of Advancement Operations

Summary of Position

This position is responsible for systematic identification, determination, analysis, and maintenance of relevant information on major gift prospects. The incumbent analyzes, interprets and formats biographical, professional, and financial information needed to facilitate the solicitation of private funds from individual and corporate donors by the College's advancement staff. This research and analysis serves as the foundation of our fundraising campaign and directly contributes to the campaign's success. The Prospect Research Analyst consults directly with major gift officers, the Senior Director of Leadership Giving and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement to identify and qualify major donor prospects who have the propensity and capacity to support current Allegheny College initiatives and campaign.

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As Prospect Management and Research Specialist, you will:

• Prospect Pipeline Management - Create and implement a strategic plan for the management and expansion of the overall pool of prospective donors through a broad range of proactive prospect identification and analysis efforts. Work closely with fundraising teams to ensure portfolios are robust, contain strong, viable prospects, and are supported by a continual flow of newly identified and appropriately rated prospective donors. Serve as a partner to front-line fundraisers in the creation of donor strategy and portfolio management. Lead monthly "Moves Meeting" with MGO, Donor Relations, and Annual Giving teams.
• Prospect Research - Conduct proactive and reactive research to identify and evaluate new and existing prospects, with a focus on providing easy-to-digest information on an expanding pool of potential donors. Complete in-depth research on individuals with complex backgrounds and resources, and execute rapid research on a wide range of people for fundraising initiatives or in geographic regions. Analyze and synthesize accumulated information to assess financial capacity, philanthropic tendencies, giving propensity and linkages to the College. Evaluate, interpret, update, and format biographical, professional, and financial information into concise report formats for various fundraising constituencies, including major gift officers, vice presidents, college president, and board of trustee members. Organize and maintain prospect records within the Raiser's Edge database. Perform annual data screen/appends/models with third-party vendors to secure wealth indicators, improve data integrity and develop the prospect portfolio strategy with the fundraising team. Lastly, provide brief guest summaries for events and profiles for Board of Trustee nominations and renewals.
• Special Fundraising Project Management - Provide support for current initiatives such as, but not limited to: annual LYBUNT outreach tracking; fundraising strategies for capital project(s) and tying the fundraising effort to the donor relations team; tracking of Annual Fund "Blitz" solicitations; assisting the MGO team with identifying prospects for In for Allegheny gatherings; and other campaign initiatives.
• Planned Giving Support & Open Estate Management - In conjunction with the Director of Planned Giving, follow up on open estates to ensure donor intent and provide tracking metrics of these open estates for pipeline/cashflow predictions. Work with estate executors to close necessary documentation on open estates. Maintain the state fundraising registrations through Allegheny's third-party vendor, Harbor Compliance, and the Finance Office. Maintain state registrations for charitable gift annuities through Allegheny's third-party vendor, PGCalc.
• Advancement Operations Support - Apply skills and knowledge gained from cross-training to provide support for varying services and special projects on an as-needed basis, including but not limited to event management; collaboration with the Donor Relations team to identify stewardship opportunities for principal prospects while also managing the fluid assignments of any stewardship portfolios; and serving as backup to all areas within the Advancement Operations unit to assure continuity across business functions.

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Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred but will consider years experience in high education and prospect management in lieu of a degree.
• 1-3 years of relative experience to the positions essential functions requires, 4-7 years experience preferred. Pay will commiserate with experience relative to the position.
• Strong organizational, communication and interpersonal skills, and capable of prioritizing multiple tasks and projects simultaneously
• Knowledge of and experience with: advancement research resources, including searching techniques, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, and advancement specific platforms used by the institution. Demonstrated ability to work effectively and positively in a highly collaborative environment.
• Demonstrated and extensive problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to build relationships and foster relationship development
• Experience with electronic database management. Demonstrated investigative instinct. Ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Must possess excellent written and oral communication skills, and possess a high attention to detail and organization.
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills are required.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality.
• Must exhibit a personal understanding of, commitment to, and operate in concert with the mission of Allegheny College.
• Maintains the highest standards of fiscal, ethical, and professional conduct. Contributes to building a culture of philanthropy at Allegheny by taking responsibility for other special tasks as requested.

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YOUR COMPENSATION

New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

This is an exempt position and the starting pay rate range for this position is $51,000 annually. The posted salary can adjust based on the candidate's relative skills and experience in relationship the role.

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THE HIRING PROCESS

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and provide contact information for three references to the Office of Human Resources, Allegheny College, 520 N. Main Street, Meadville, PA 16335 or by e-mail to employment@allegheny.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.

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ALLEGHENY COLLEGE

Allegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the nation's oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold. It is one of the few colleges in the United States with a unique requirement to choose both a major and minor for graduation, to provide students with a cross-disciplinary path in the sciences and humanities for educational depth and intellectual growth. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Allegheny College is one of 44 colleges featured in Loren Pope's "Colleges That Change Lives." In its 2025 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny College as one of the country's 100 top national liberal arts colleges - and including in the top 25 Undergraduate Teaching, Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects, First-Year Experience, and Senior Capstone.

Allegheny's undergraduate residential education prepares students for successful, meaningful lives by promoting students' intellectual, moral, and social development and encouraging personal and civic responsibility. Allegheny's faculty and staff combine high academic standards and a commitment to the exchange of knowledge with a supportive approach to learning. Graduates are equipped to think critically and creatively, write clearly, speak persuasively, and meet challenges in a diverse, interconnected world. Allegheny College is deeply committed to creating an inclusive community that actively challenges racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of bias (see Allegheny College Statement of Community).

Allegheny College is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. The College does not discriminate, and will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, creed, national/ethnic origin, ancestry, veterans, handicap or disability as those terms are defined under applicable law, or members of other underrepresented groups.

Allegheny College is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact the Director of Human Resources

Visit the Allegheny College Web Site at www.allegheny.edu

posted 1/8/2025

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