Employment opportunities

Position description

Position title: Prospect research and stewardship specialist

Reports to: Advancement financial services and database manager

Position summary:

The prospect research and stewardship specialist assists with several functions within Institutional Advancement operations: date entry, donor stewardship, prospect management, and prospect research. The prospect research and stewardship coordinator assists with electronic and hard-copy file maintenance, ensuring accuracy and completeness. The prospect research and stewardship specialist represents Institutional Advancement as a liaison to various university departments.

Mission and strategic plan

The prospect research and stewardship specialist supports Saint Martin’s University mission by assisting with all functions related to donor stewardship, and prospect research and management, which in turn supports the University’s ability to raise financial resources for capital, endowment, and programmatic needs that are called forth in the strategic plan.

Level of supervision and supervisory responsibility

General direction: The employee carries out work assignments in accordance with the policies and objectives established by the supervisor. The employee plans and organizes the work, determines the work methods which will be employed and assists in determining priorities and deadlines. Completed work is reviewed in terms of the employee’s effectiveness in producing the expected results.

Responsibilities and essential functions

Data integrity and file management

  • Update database with special event attendance and business card information.
  • Work with the advancement financial services and database manager to develop and refine reporting and maximize effectiveness.
  • Assist with the development and implementation of paper file policies and procedures and major archiving/clean-up projects.
  • Ensure that biographical, financial and other information relating to prospect research and donor stewardship is correctly filed both electronically and in hard-copy form.
  • Accurately enter information into the database and ensure adherence to data entry policies and procedures.
  • Enter and update all activities associated with moving prospects and donors along the cultivation/solicitation/stewardship continuum into PowerCAMPUS.
  • Perform other data entry and database clean-up tasks as assigned by the advancement financial services and database manager.

Donor stewardship

  • Work with advancement staff to refine and implement donor acknowledgement policies and procedures including refreshing acknowledgements monthly.
  • Work with advancement staff to ensure that all acknowledgements are completed and mailed within an appropriate timeframe.
  • Act as the Institutional Advancement liaison with financial aid and finance personnel to ensure that scholarship monies are awarded in accordance with donor wishes and donors receive accurate information regarding how their funds are being applied.
  • Update and maintain scholarship documentation to ensure accuracy and completeness.
  • Update and maintain annual reporting of scholarship and endowment funds and activities for individual scholarship donors.
  • Update and send annual scholarship and campaign invoices and pledge reminders as needed.
  • Create and maintain RSVP lists for stewardship related events, ensuring accuracy of information in the database and on the lists.

Prospect management

  • Assist the vice president of institutional advancement and the advancement financial services and database manager in implementing a system for information flow to record and monitor moves management activities, including executive, board, and volunteer assignments and activities.
  • Provide support to major gift fundraising staff using the prospect management system, including training, user documentation, and adherence to guidelines and policies.
  • Interact extensively with staff regarding usage of the prospect management system, ensuring that accurate information is maintained about relationships with potential major gift prospects.
  • Assist in developing reporting tools, policies and procedures to assist University gift officers in performance of their fund raising duties.

Prospect research

  • Conduct prospect research on individuals, foundations and corporations in relation to visits or proposals or as requested.
  • Provide brief and/or in-depth biographical profiles on event guests for the University ‘s president, board, vice president of advancement and other team members.
  • Generate profile reports and enter all newly discovered information into PowerCAMPUS so that the prospect’s record is as accurate as possible.
  • Utilize electronic and peer screening for both capital and annual fund prospects.
  • Under the direction of the vice president of institutional advancement and the advancement financial services and database manager, run donor reports in order to identify major gift prospects for solicitation assignments.
  • Serve as research resource for the Office of the President to support board nominating committee activity.
  • Under the direction of the vice president of institutional advancement and the advancement financial services and database manager, conduct special strategic research projects e.g., data mining, electronic and peer screening, by applying an understanding for the complexities of both individual and institutional prospects and donors.
  • Other duties as required

Competencies

  • Possess a comprehensive understanding of the research tools utilized and the fundamentals involved with performing fund raising research, such as Wealth Engine, Hoovers, electronic screenings, etc.
  • Knowledge of basic principles and techniques relevant to major gift fund raising.
  • Ability to analyze and synthesize information.
  • Must be able to write concise research documents with attention to accuracy and detail.
  • Self-motivated to work independently and with the team.
  • Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with internal staff as well as donors and prospects.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet fixed deadlines.
  • Ability to demonstrate initiative and excellent organization skills.
  • A commitment to working with the Office of Institutional Advancement to carry forward the mission of Saint Martin’s University.

Minimum qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree or combination of education and development-related experience
  • Experience in prospect research and management
  • Highly proficient in Microsoft Office applications
  • Successfully pass a criminal background check.

Physical demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Moves objects (less than 20 pounds) long distances (more than 20 feet).
  • Ability to be mobile campus wide for appropriate business needs.
  • Operates a variety of standard office equipment requiring continuous or repetitive arm-hand movements.
  • Reading, writing, speaking, hearing, standing, bending, sitting.
  • Learning and comprehending.
  • Requires visual concentration on detail.
  • Manual dexterity and precision required for keyboarding.
  • Must be able to sit for long periods at a time at a computer.
  • May occasionally be required to deal with distraught people.
  • Must be able to concentrate on details and process complex information while experiencing frequent interruptions.
  • Must be able to communicate effectively with people at all levels under stressful conditions.

The principles of the Catholic Benedictine tradition, equal employment opportunity, and nondiscrimination are fundamental to the mission, goals, and objectives of Saint Martin’s University. The University does not discriminate in employment or in the delivery or administration of its educational programs, policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic or other University programs on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, religion (except as a bona fide occupational qualification for certain select positions), marital status, national or ethnic origin, military or veteran status, age, or disability.

Students or employees with concerns or complaints about discrimination on the basis of sex in employment or an education program or activity, or any other inquiries related to the University's non-discrimination policy, may contact the following individual:

Cynthia Johnson
Director of human resources/Title IX coordinator
5000 Abbey Way SE, Lacey WA 98503
360-491-4700
CJohnson@stmartin.edu

Consistent with the requirements of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the regulations adopted under that law, the University has designated the above individual as the University's Title IX Officer, responsible for coordinating the University's Title IX compliance. Individuals may also contact the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 915 2nd Avenue, Room 3310 Seattle, WA 98174-1099, Telephone: (206) 220-7900, TDD: (206) 220-7907.