Assistant Director, Development Operations and Research

Job Summary

Assistant Director, Development Operations and Research is responsible for designing, administering, and continuously improving development operations systems, prospect research practices, fundraising analytics, and reporting processes that support alumni, parent, donor, foundation, and corporate engagement efforts across The Cooper Union. Working in close partnership with the Senior Director of Development Operations, this position serves as a subject matter expert in constituent data management, prospect research, portfolio analytics, fundraising performance reporting, and development systems administration.

The Assistant Director translates data into actionable fundraising intelligence, supports strategic decision‑making, and helps ensure the integrity, effectiveness, and scalability of Alumni Affairs and Development operations. This critical role regularly collaborates with Alumni Affairs and Development staff, the Business Office, Information Technology, the Office of the President, faculty, administrators, vendors, and external partners.

• Partner with the Senior Director of Development Operations to administer, evaluate, and continuously improve development operations systems, policies, procedures, and workflows that support fundraising, donor engagement, and alumni affairs.
• Maintain and strengthen constituent data integrity through routine audits, quality‑control procedures, and adherence to departmental standards.
• Serve as a primary administrator and power user of fundraising and research platforms, including Slate, Donor Search, Lexis Nexis, Tableau, and related technologies.
• Maintain major and principal gift pipeline reports, proposal tracking systems, and fundraising performance metrics to support leadership decision‑making.
• Analyze trends and opportunities within alumni, parent, donor, foundation, corporate, and institutional constituencies and present findings in a clear and actionable manner.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, prospect management practices, and user adoption of development technologies.
• Liaise closely and regularly with relevant campus partners, vendors, and consultants to ensure effective integration and utilization of fundraising systems and research tools.

• Conduct proactive prospect identification, wealth screening analysis, relationship mapping, and philanthropic capacity assessments to support fundraising priorities.
• Prepare prospect profiles, briefing materials, donor intelligence reports, and strategy documents for senior leadership, trustees, volunteers, and fundraising staff.
• Support principal gift fundraising efforts through prospect research, relationship mapping, donor intelligence gathering, briefing materials, and strategy documentation.
• Support prospect review meetings and portfolio strategy discussions that advance donor discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Monitor portfolio performance and recommend strategies that strengthen fundraising outcomes across individual, foundation, corporate, and institutional giving programs.

• Train and support Alumni Affairs and Development staff on prospect research methodologies, CRM best practices, reporting tools, prospect management, and data governance standards.
• Author and edit written documents, including prospect profiles, biographies, reports, presentations, correspondence, acknowledgements, and other materials as required.
• Demonstrate excellent skill in persuasion through written and spoken communication.
• Participate in department‑wide events, meetings, donor engagement activities, priorities of the Office of the President, and institutional initiatives as required.
• Other duties as assigned.

• 3‑plus years of experience in development operations, prospect research, fundraising analytics, higher education advancement, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting fundraising strategy through prospect research, donor intelligence,…