Location: Minneapolis,MN, USA
About the Job
The University of Minnesota Foundation serves as the central development office for the University of Minnesota. The Foundation raises and manages gifts from individuals and organizations to support the mission of the University. This position resides within the Prospect Development Department at the University of Minnesota Foundation. Prospect Development is a strategic department, focusing on providing actionable insight to the development community via research, analytics, prospecting and prospect management.
This position is responsible for gathering, analyzing, and managing information to help advance the University's development program, particularly in support of the University's key donors and prospects. This position serves as a project manager and prospect researcher experienced in data management/data integrity, production, analysis, tracking, project management, campaigns, customer service, and research deliverables, as well as in determining/advising prospect strategy in coordination with University development staff.
Starting salary: $52,000- 62,000 based on experience.
Responsibilities:
Customer Experience Management - 20%
* Act as a service manager for principal giving -- includes individual, corporation and foundation areas -- and University Presidential needs. This position employs customer relationship strategies to ensure positive service experiences, proactively discover ongoing needs, and recommend approaches to meet those needs, for internal Foundation colleagues and also colleges, campuses and programs across the University.
* Engage in proactive prospect identification and qualification and provide research-based counsel regarding strategy, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship to assist development officers.
* Provide insight to development officers around prospect management and relationship tracking, with major focus on Corporate and Foundation Engagement (CFE) focused development staff.
* Collaborate with development officers, supervisor and research colleagues to identify and respond to opportunities for improved customer service, organizational efficiencies and resource enhancement.
Project Management - 15%
* Participate in the Foundation Research Team, a collaborative effort between CFE and PD, to provide robust, ongoing prospect list of foundation grant opportunities
* In partnership with manager, provide support for Corporate Engagement team, as needed. Participate in major gift prospect strategy meetings with development officers to ensure a coordinated and updated University-wide strategy.
* Manage multiple customers, requests and initiatives, with frequently competing deadlines, ensuring timely project completion and delivery of high-quality products.
* Manage long-term projects, involving myriad development staff and UMF colleagues, with ongoing deliverables and tight timelines.
* Act as liaison between collegiate units and internal Foundation departments when needed; guide and follow up on internal resources, as appropriate.
Prospect Research - 20%
* Research those engaging with the University for philanthropic purposes, namely corporations and foundations, as well as associated prospects and benefactors, using online proprietary donor management system (DMS), subscription databases, and University library resources, as well as public and government websites.
* Utilize prospect development and University library resources to their full capacity to support corporate and foundation strategy development, outreach and engagement.
* Analyze data and synthesize results to assess financial capacity, philanthropic tendencies, giving propensity, affinities to campus, and other information to aid in the development process; produce accurate, detailed written summaries and enter information to the database.
* Provide support for the Corporate & Foundation Engagement (CFE) team's partnership with the Research and Innovation Office (RIO) known as the Corporate Engagement Center (CEC).
* Provide ongoing support and conduct prospect and benefactor due diligence research surrounding high level relationships and philanthropic support for the University, as assigned.
Prospect Management - 10%
* Execute a variety of prospect management services including, but not limited to prospecting and major gift portfolio development, portfolio management, portfolio analysis and review, pipeline management, and prospect management processes and data management.
* Proactively identify trends or opportunities based on department activities and system data.
Database Management - 25%
* Input, utilize and manage relevant prospect information within the donor management system (DMS).
* Work with various collegiate units and colleagues to collect and maintain key data points in the donor management system.
* Identify, evaluate and prioritize potential donors using database queries and analysis.
Other Duties - 10%
* Develop project proposals, work plans, reports, or other written documents.
* Stay current on leading industry trends; suggest and apply learnings. Maintain and expand research knowledge with continuing education about new sources, search methods, and relevant information technologies.
* Contribute to discussions around business strategy planning, goal setting, and best practices.
* Aid in evaluating, designing, documenting and implementing new prospect research services, deliverables, processes and products; evaluate search methods, sources, and database usage.
* Perform other related duties as assigned.
* Maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive information and material in an ethical and professional manner.
Qualifications
Required:
* Bachelor's degree required.
* Two years of work experience in a research related industry or job type such as business research, project management, competitive intelligence, market research, law research, or library research.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to analyze, synthesize and report a wide range of research findings; experience developing presentations and leading training, professional meetings or team projects.
* Familiarity with current research technologies and information search techniques, including online library sources, pay-subscription sources, public records, and Internet search.
* Demonstrated experience working with data in a wide variety of formats, including Excel.
* Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritize complex tasks with multiple deadlines.
* Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a complex environment.
Preferred:
* Two+ years experience in prospect research, market research, or competitive intelligence.
* Experience with corporate and/or foundation research, structure and filings.
* Experience working in higher education or non-profit prospect research
* Demonstrated experience in managing projects and using project management software
* Experience using data and knowledge in strategic decision making, to improve processes and customer service, and to transfer and apply knowledge to other functions within a fundraising organization.
About the Department
At the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF), our mission is to connect passion with possibility, inspire generosity, and support greatness at the University of Minnesota by placing donors at the heart of everything we do and every decision we make. UMF is a nonprofit organization responsible for raising and managing gifts to the University of Minnesota.
For more information aboutUMF, please visit
Pay and Benefits
Pay Range: $52,000- 62,000; depending on education/qualifications/experience
Time Appointment: 75%-100% Appointment
Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff
Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.
The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
* Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
* Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
* Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
* Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
* University HSA contributions
* Disability and employer-paid life insurance
* Employee wellbeing program
* Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
* Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
* Financial counseling services
* Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
* Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area
How To Apply
Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.
Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your My Job Applications page and uploading documents in the My Cover Letters and Attachments section.
To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail ...@umn.edu or call (612) ###-####.
Diversity
The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.
The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U:
Employment Requirements
Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.
About the U of M
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.
At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).