University Development Assistant Director

Northern Arizona University

Special Information

• This position is eligible for on-site, hybrid, or remote work.
• On-site work requires the incumbent to complete their work primarily at an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation. Opportunities for remote work are rare.
• Hybrid work allows the incumbent to complete their work at both an NAU site, campus, or facility and at a non-centralized site with or without accommodation.
• Remote work allows the incumbent to complete their work at a location other than an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation. The incumbent may occasionally work in a shared site, but primarily will work elsewhere.
• This position is an out-of-state position which allows the incumbent to complete their work in a state other than Arizona with or without accommodation. The incumbent may work in a remote, in-person, or hybrid modality.

About the Department/College

NAU Advancement | Foundation engages students, alumni, parents, friends, and the broader NAU community to connect, invest, and inspire current and future Lumberjacks.

About the Position

As a member of the Prospect Development & Strategy (PD&S) team, the Assistant Director works as part of Advancement | Foundation to support fundraising efforts by conducting prospect research, managing donor portfolios, and developing data-driven engagement strategies. The position collaborates with development directors to identify potential donors, assess giving capacity, and optimize prospect management.

The Assistant Director generates reports, analyzes trends, and leverages CRM databases to enhance donor tracking and strategy implementation. This position leads the design and implementation of predictive models, segmentation frameworks, and donor analytics that support frontline fundraising efforts.

The position applies subject matter expertise to lead the administration of PD&S policies and practices. The Assistant Director serves as the division's data science expert, enhancing prospect discovery and campaign intelligence across all fundraising verticals. The position provides training and guidance on best practices aimed at educating and engaging development officers. The university is currently in the planning 'quiet' phase of a comprehensive campaign.

This position collaborates closely with the Director of PD&S to track and analyze data and delivers comprehensive reports with in-depth analysis and optimization recommendations to refine prospect management strategies as needed.

This position reports to the Director of Prospect Development and Strategy.

Responsibilities Include

• 50% - Prospect Research and Portfolio Management
  • Lead the project management and execution of Prospect Development and Strategy practices and policies aimed at creating efficient, focused portfolios and clear processes for managing prospect relationships that align with overall division fundraising goals and objectives.
  • Conduct in-depth research on individuals, corporations, and foundations to identify potential donors and assess their giving capacity and interests.
  • Maintain and optimize prospect portfolios utilizing predictive models (i.e., ElevateScore), ensuring development officers have strategic insights to guide donor engagement.
  • Manage online dashboards, including the campaign top prospects and pyramid data to ensure proper assignment, management, and pipeline development.
  • Create an infrastructure and a platform for collaboration, coordination, and information sharing.
  • Partner with frontline fundraisers to optimize portfolio performance and provide training on prospecting tools and best practices.
  • Collaborate with the Prospect Development & Strategy team to build and maintain dynamic intelligence.
• 25% - Strategy Development
  • Collaborate with the Director to develop strategies to ensure adoption and execution of Prospect Management Administrative Policy.
  • Integrate external data sources (i.e., wealth screening, engagement) into modeling frameworks.
  • Observe industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in prospect development and management to inform strategic decisions and improve existing processes, to ensure effectiveness, mitigate risk, and ensure donor privacy.
  • Conduct high-level analysis, compile information, and develop annual giving reports for leadership.
  • Observe trends and relevant strategies in PD&S.
• 20% - Program Administration
  • Help develop and build the consensus around fundraising policies, reporting, and procedures with internal and external partners.
  • Maintain documentation and validation reports for analytics products and model outcomes.
  • Observe relevant industry trends to inform strategic decisions.
  • Conduct high-level analysis, compile information and develop timely and accurate reports on key metrics for leadership by overseeing the gathering, tracking, and examination of key metrics.
  • Through collaborative strategy and report generation, identify risk factors and address the need for risk mitigations to ensure fundraising effectiveness.
  • Utilize fundraising CRM systems to track donor behavior, update records, ensure data integrity, and generate analytical reports to inform decision-making and performance evaluation.
  • Ensure data integrity and compliance with fundraising best practices, leveraging technology to enhance donor engagement and operational efficiency.
• 5% - Other
  • Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field.
• 3 years of relevant experience, including: Experience with SQL, Python, R, or similar tools, and at least 2 years of experience building predictive or statistical models using donor or customer data.
• 2 years of management experience.
• *A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.*

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in relevant field.
• 5 years of relevant experience.
• Experience in higher education or non-profit fundraising.
• Familiarity with predictive modeling techniques such as logistic regression, decision trees, clustering, and RFM analysis.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of Ellucian Advance CRM or similar fundraising systems.
• Advanced knowledge of practices, developments and techniques used in university development.
• Knowledge of university development industry trends in higher education.
• Knowledge of current/effective management tactics and practices.

Skills

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into actionable strategies is required.
• Project management skills.
• Conflict resolution and customer service skills.
• Planning, organizing, directing, and facilitating skills.

Abilities

• Communicates effectively.
• Manages relationships.
• Analyzes complex situations and anticipates issues.

Compensation

Salary range begins at $77,871. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.