Development Analyst

Position Summary

The Development Analyst is an integral member of the campus fundraising team. Reporting to the Director of Prospect Research, the Development Analyst provides prospect identification, analytics support, and research support for the Division of Development & Alumni Relations (DAR). The Development Analyst creates concise, accurate, and timely ratings, strategy briefings, and profiles using biographical information, financial data, news, philanthropic history, and other public-related resources to support principal, major, and annual giving frontline fundraising efforts.

The analyst coordinates with Prospect Management staff to ensure optimal prospect assignment, collaborates with fundraising stakeholders, and participates in regional and central meetings to advance DAR’s fundraising mission.

• Prospect Research & Analytical Reporting
  • Provide high-level research on individuals, corporations, and foundations using biographical, organizational, and financial sources, including online databases, libraries, government sources, and external repositories.
  • Analyze and synthesize accumulated information to assess financial capacity, philanthropic tendencies, giving propensity, and linkages to campus.
  • Compose documents (profiles, biographies, project summaries) with appropriate style, grammar, and content for specific audiences, translating complex language into clear terms.
  • Maintain prospect knowledge in a complex database system, summarizing key findings and creating actionable recommendations.
  • Meet multiple deadlines while working on concurrent projects and respond to high-priority requests from the Director of Prospect Research.
• Prospect Identification, Portfolio Strategy, & Data Analytics
  • Plan and execute creative strategies to identify sources of major gifts, using research techniques and electronic searches.
  • Build prospect queries and utilize data-driven software to identify high-giving capacity prospects.
  • Analyze and organize prospect data to identify philanthropic patterns and relationships.
  • Identify new prospects using news alerts and other prospecting strategies.
  • Collate and consult with campus contacts to develop solicitation strategies and analyze segmentation results.
  • Participate in portfolio meetings and provide strategic assessments of prospect and donor behavior.
  • Assign prospect referrals, maintain research flow, and oversee removal or re-assignment of referrals.
• Industry Monitoring, Data Management, & Operational Support
  • Stay abreast of trends in prospect research, online searching, analytics, and monitor news alerts for prospect activity.
  • Track and disseminate news about top donors and prospects.
  • Respond to alerts from national wealth tracking databases to identify new major gift prospects.
  • Update donor/alumni constituent records in GAIL with research findings.
  • Help with work related to the campus-wide financial and fundraising database (GAIL) as needed.
  • Provide direction and training to new research staff and student assistants.
• Organizational Engagement & Cross-Functional Alignment
  • Attend Development staff meetings to maintain awareness of institutional and divisional priorities and needs.
• Professional Development & Continuous Improvement
  • Continuously develop fundraising knowledge through training, webinars, and conferences.
  • Participate in professional development opportunities as requested.
  • Apply skills and knowledge gained from cross-training to support varying services and special projects.

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent.

• At least one year of direct or related experience in prospect research, data analytics, or nonprofit fundraising support.
• Experience with prospect research and data analysis, including online research tools and databases.
• Experience collecting, interpreting, and synthesizing data from multiple sources.
• Experience working with CRM systems or donor management databases.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with analytics and IT teams on technical projects.
• Research experience in nonprofit or higher education advancement or related field.
• Demonstrates behavior that supports the mission, vision, and values of the University of Georgia.

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, veteran status, or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (
hrweb
).