Assistant Director, FAS Prospect Management

Job Summary:

The Assistant Director of FAS Prospect Management supports the development and execution of prospect management strategies that drive a strong, data-informed fundraising pipeline for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Reporting to the Managing Director of FAS Prospect Management, this role serves as a key partner to frontline fundraisers and development leadership—combining analytical, consultative, and project management responsibilities to optimize portfolios, advance moves management, and ensure FAS gift officers have clear, actionable prospect information to meet their fundraising goals.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Prospect & Portfolio Management (25%)

• Support the implementation of FAS prospect management policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Manage day-to-day processes for assigning, reassigning, and tracking prospects across FAS portfolios (e.g., major, leadership annual, principal, and planned gifts).
• Monitor portfolio size, quality, and activity; identify imbalances and recommend adjustments to ensure appropriate coverage and progression.
• Prepare materials and data for regular portfolio review meetings with gift officers and their managers.

Moves Management & Fundraiser Support (40%)

• Help maintain and refine the moves management framework (stages, definitions, and metrics) for FAS gift officers.
• Participate in or facilitate pipeline meetings, providing data, insights, and recommendations on prospect strategy and next steps.
• Provide one-on-one and group support to gift officers on portfolio hygiene, record-keeping expectations, and effective use of prospect data and reports.
• Ensure that key updates and insights from prospect management are communicated clearly and in a timely manner to frontline staff.

Reporting, Analytics & Data Integrity (30%)

• Partner with Prospect Research, Operations (Ops), and Business Intelligence (BI) to operationalize prospect identification and prioritization for FAS.
• Work with Ops and BI colleagues to improve data capture, coding, and reporting structures that support FAS prospect management needs.
• Develop, run, and refine regular reports and dashboards on FAS portfolios, pipeline stages, proposal activity, and fundraiser performance indicators.
• In collaboration with Ops, promote and monitor data quality standards for prospect, portfolio, and activity records within Advance; follow up on data issues with appropriate staff.

Project Management & Process Improvement (5%)

• Manage or support special projects related to FAS prospect management.
• Recommend and help implement process improvements to increase the efficiency, clarity, and consistency of prospect management practices within FAS.
• Document processes, guidelines, and training materials for FAS prospect management and related systems.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of three years of experience in prospect research, prospect management, data analysis, or other similar field, preferably in an academic setting.
• You will be expected to work certain events/campus activities, such as reunions each Spring, and participate in department retreats that are taking place on campus in Cambridge, MA.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Experience with Advance or other fundraising CRM databases strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with prospect and portfolio management concepts, including moves management and fundraising pipelines.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and present findings to non-technical audiences.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues at different levels and functions.
• High attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and integrity.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and maintain confidentiality.