Prospect Research Analyst , Business Intelligence , Duke Alumni Engagement and Development; AED

Occupational Summary

The Prospect Research Analyst I performs a variety of duties involving the collection, interpretation, analysis, and documentation of data on prospective donors. The Prospect Research Analyst I will submit reports to leadership and gift officers across schools/units/initiatives with strategic recommendations regarding identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors to Duke University. This position reports to the Associate Director of Research in Prospect Development.

Prospect Identification, Research, and Analysis

• Identify and research new prospects for strategic priorities and objectives for annual, planned, major, and principal giving.
• Partner with frontline fundraisers on routine research requests and to identify specific research needs.
• Monitor news sources for information on prospective and existing donors and trends in business, higher education, and philanthropy. Distribute news alerts as appropriate.
• Maintain, update, and query donor records in the university database; provide system-generated reports for analysis and interpretation.
• Respond to routine requests for giving capacity, business details, areas of philanthropic interest, and other information for a variety of individuals and programs across the university. Respond to requests in a timely, thoughtful, and complete manner.
• Focusing on wealth screening data, conduct research to determine donor giving capability and assess donor interest in various programs across the university.
• Discover, record, and interpret evidence of philanthropic interests in organizations and evaluate impact.
• Using hard, soft, and public wealth indicators identify, evaluate, and track highly appreciated assets and estimate donor gift capacity through the analysis of complex individual, corporate, and foundation financial information.
• Summarize information relevant to the timing of a gift synthesizing large amounts of data to create a concise and confidential research report in a variety of formats.
• Present information in a variety of written formats including emails, reports, summaries, and abstracts.
• Build strategic partnerships with development officers in schools and units across the university.
• Assist in preparing presidential and dean briefings, bios, and related documentation as necessary. Aid in the development and/or coordination of written strategies for briefings and bios.

• Bachelor's degree required with demonstrated skills in research, writing, and editing.

• One year of prospect development experience in a non-profit or institution of higher education or related experience.
• Highly developed scanning, skimming, and reading comprehension skills are essential, as well as superior ability to assess the relative value of, synthesize, and summarize relevant information into coherent, well-written documents.
• Ability to take initiative and exercise sound independent judgement.
• Ability to comfortably handle multiple priorities with attention to detail and timeliness.

• Well-developed interpersonal skills and excellent written and oral communication skills with an aptitude for critical thinking and problem-solving; ability to work well under pressure and maintain flexibility. Ability to support peers and leaders is essential.
• Ability to learn to navigate unfamiliar information systems and use a variety of computer applications with little guidance.
• Position requires diplomacy and sensitivity related to institutional prioritization of needs.
• Skillful problem solving, curiosity, discretion, and continuous attention to detail.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to interpret and analyze data.

• Self-Management
• Curiosity and Information Seeking
• Planning, Prioritizing, and Multitasking
• Decisiveness and Judgment
• Initiative
• Attention to Detail
• Expressing Ideas Orally and in Writing

Duke is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race,…