Assistant Director of Prospect Research

Florida State University; Tallahassee (FL); Remote; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida State University is seeking an Assistant Director of Prospect Research to drive bespoke research and scalable processes for major gifts. This remote, full-time role blends deep due diligence with building automation to accelerate fundraising impact across the Division of University Advancement.

The team emphasizes ethical research, training, and collaboration with CRM data teams to deliver actionable intelligence for frontline fundraisers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and four years of experience; or a high school diploma or equivalent and eight years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Produce in-depth, synthesized research profiles on high-capacity individuals, families, foundations, and corporations to inform gift strategy.
• Assess giving capacity, philanthropic inclination, affinity, and connectivity, translating raw data into clear, strategy-ready recommendations.
• Respond to time-sensitive research requests tied to leadership requests or solicitation timeframes.
• Analyze relationships and networks to surface pathways of connection to key prospects and potential volunteer or introduction opportunities.
• Design and maintain systems for ongoing news and trigger alerts, wealth events, and liquidity analysis so that timely intelligence reaches gift officers proactively.
• Partner with data and CRM teams to ensure research outputs integrate cleanly into the system of record and downstream reporting.
• Train prospect development staff, gift officers, and other stakeholders in sound research methods, ethical practice, and effective use of research tools, with an emphasis on emerging AI platforms.
• Develop, document, and maintain templates, toolkits, playbooks, and standard operating procedures for use across the division.
• Establish and promote best practices that raise the quality and consistency of research products division-wide.
• Serve as a resource and consultant to colleagues on complex research questions and methodology.
• Conduct due diligence and reputational risk assessments on prospects and donors in connection with major and principal gifts, naming opportunities, board and volunteer appointments, honorary degrees, and other high‑visibility associations.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Title: Assistant Director of Prospect Research

Location: Remote

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Job ID: 63623

Department: FSU Division of University Advancement

Florida State University is currently in the leadership phase of a comprehensive campaign. As the leadership phase of the campaign begins, the Division of University Advancement is accelerating the hiring of additional development officers’ campus-wide and is excited to build out its team. For Advancement professionals who are interested in being a part of a comprehensive campaign from the beginning for their career development, the timing is ideal to join our team.

Responsibilities

The Assistant Director of Prospect Research serves as both a producer of high-value research and an architect of the systems that scale research across the division. This role uncovers actionable insight on top prospects and builds the infrastructure, including automated alerts, wealth and liquidity monitoring, network mapping, templates, and toolkits, through which that insight reaches frontline fundraisers efficiently and consistently. Approximately half of the role is devoted to bespoke, in-depth research on high-capacity prospects for principal and major gift efforts. The other half is devoted to designing, implementing, and continuously improving the processes, tools, and training that multiply the research team's impact across Advancement. The position is a force multiplier: it raises the analytical capacity of the entire fundraising enterprise.

Bespoke and Proactive Research

• Produce in-depth, synthesized research profiles on high-capacity individuals, families, foundations, and corporations to inform gift strategy.
• Assess giving capacity, philanthropic inclination, affinity, and connectivity, translating raw data into clear, strategy-ready recommendations rather than data dumps.
• Respond to time-sensitive research requests tied to leadership requests or solicitation timeframes.
• Analyze relationships and networks to surface pathways of connection to key prospects and potential volunteer or introduction opportunities.

Research Systems, Automation, and Insight Delivery

• Design and maintain systems for ongoing news and trigger alerts, wealth events, and liquidity analysis (e.g., business sales, IPOs, real estate transactions, executive compensation events) so that timely intelligence reaches gift officers proactively.
• Partner with data and CRM teams to ensure research outputs integrate cleanly into the system of record and downstream reporting.

Training, Templates, and Team Enablement

• Train prospect development staff, gift officers, and other stakeholders in sound research methods, ethical practice, and effective use of research tools, with an emphasis on emerging AI platforms.
• Develop, document, and maintain templates, toolkits, playbooks, and standard operating procedures for use across the division.
• Establish and promote best practices that raise the quality and consistency of research products division-wide.
• Serve as a resource and consultant to colleagues on complex research questions and methodology.

Due Diligence

• Conduct due diligence and reputational risk assessments on prospects and donors in connection with major and principal gifts, naming opportunities, board and volunteer appointments, honorary degrees, and other high‑visibility associations.
• Research and evaluate potential concerns, including source of wealth, litigation, regulatory or criminal matters, sanctions, and adverse media, and summarize findings in a clear, balanced risk assessment for decision‑makers.
• Support the maintenance of a consistent due diligence framework — thresholds, workflows, documentation standards, and escalation protocols — so that reviews are repeatable, defensible, and appropriately confidential.

Supervision and Other Duties

• Recruit, train, and supervise student interns; delegate and quality‑check their work.
• Serve as an internal reviewer and provide feedback on high‑profile work products produced by other members of the prospect development team.
• Contribute to data quality and governance practices within the CRM and research systems.
• Adhere to the ethical standards and best practices of the profession (e.g., the Apra Statement of Ethics and Body of Knowledge) and to all applicable privacy and donor‑confidentiality requirements.
• Handle sensitive personal and financial information with discretion and sound judgment.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of divisional goals.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and four years of experience; or a high school diploma or equivalent and eight years of experience. (Note: post‑high school education may substitute for experience at the equivalent rate.)

University Information

One of the nation's elite research universities, Florida State University preserves, expands, and disseminates knowledge in the sciences, technology, arts, humanities, and professions, while embracing a philosophy of learning strongly rooted in the traditions of the liberal arts and critical thinking. Founded in 1851, Florida State University is the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida. FSU is a community steeped in tradition that fosters research and encourages creativity. At FSU, there’s the excitement of being part of a vibrant academic and professional community, surrounded by people whose ideas are shaping tomorrow’s news! Learn more about Florida State University and our campuses.

FSU Total Rewards

FSU offers a robust Total Rewards package. Visit our FSU Total Rewards website to learn more about our Compensation, Benefits, Wellness, Recognition, and Employee Development programs. Use our FSU Total Compensation Calculator to calculate Total Compensation options based on potential salary, benefits and retirement contributions, earned leave, and other employment-related perks.

Considerations

This is an A&P position.

This position requires successful completion of a criminal history background check.

This position is being advertised as open until filled.

This position has been designated as eligible for remote work based on the current position/job functions.

Equal Employment Opportunity

FSU is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.