Prospect Research Analyst

Cornell University; Town of Ithaca (NY); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

Retirement contributions

Wellness programs

Education benefits

Hybrid work arrangement

Employee discounts

Job summary

Cornell University seeks a Prospect Research Analyst in the Alumni Affairs and Development division, based in Ithaca, NY. The role provides intelligence on constituents' wealth to guide gift officer strategy and pipeline development.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Research, you will conduct in-depth research, produce biographic profiles, and deliver due diligence reports while collaborating across the division to drive fundraising success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize disparate information into a coherent, actionable assessment of a prospect's wealth and philanthropic capacity.
• Judgment and discretion in handling confidential information, with the ability to communicate about it professionally at all levels of the organization as both collaborator and service provider.
• Proficiency with reporting tools, spreadsheets, data visualization, and presentation software, along with the ability to produce clear narrative documents.
• Flexibility, intellectual curiosity, creativity, and attention to detail
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple assignments and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Responding to strategic requests by gift officers, senior leadership, and other stakeholders throughout the division.
• Cleaning, analyzing, and presenting data related to prospect research.
• Identifying and rating new prospects to grow the prospect pipeline.
• Proactively improving the accuracy and breadth of information available on the tracked population, focusing on capacity, assets, and job changes.
• Consulting regularly with colleagues at all levels of the division to assess needs and develop strategy.
• Leading and participating in ad hoc projects.

Skills

Analytical skills

Synthesize information

Judgment and discretion

Reporting tools

Spreadsheets

Data visualization

Narrative documents

Organization

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Reporting tools

PowerPoint

Data visualization tools

Excel

Job description

Cornell University welcomes candidates for the position of Prospect Research Analyst in our Alumni Affairs and Development division, based in Ithaca, NY. This role presents an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the university's advancement efforts.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Director of Research, this position provides actionable intelligence on Cornell constituents' wealth and circumstances to inform philanthropic capacity and gift officer strategy. The role contributes to the pipeline through prospect identification, donor analysis, and reputational risk assessment.

Key Responsibilities

• Responding to strategic requests by gift officers, senior leadership, and other stakeholders throughout the division. This includes conducting in-depth research of constituents (individuals, corporations, and foundations) to produce biographic profiles, wealth capacities, due diligence reports, and other analyses.
• Cleaning, analyzing, and presenting data related to prospect research.
• Identifying and rating new prospects to grow the prospect pipeline.
• Proactively improving the accuracy and breadth of information available on the tracked population, focusing on capacity, assets, and job changes.
• Consulting regularly with colleagues at all levels of the division to assess needs and develop strategy.
• Leading and participating in ad hoc projects.

About Alumni Affairs And Development

At Cornell Alumni Affairs and Development, we connect alumni, parents, and friends with opportunities to make a meaningful difference at Cornell and beyond. Our success is built on the strength of relationships, a commitment to excellence, and a culture of collaboration, innovation, inclusion, and continuous learning. As one of higher education's leading fundraising and engagement organizations, we recently completed a record-setting campaign that engaged more than 221K alumni and raised $6.7 billion. Joining our team means growing your career alongside supportive, mission-driven, and high-performing colleagues while helping shape Cornell's future.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize disparate information into a coherent, actionable assessment of a prospect's wealth and philanthropic capacity.
• Judgment and discretion in handling confidential information, with the ability to communicate about it professionally at all levels of the organization as both collaborator and service provider.
• Proficiency with reporting tools, spreadsheets, data visualization, and presentation software, along with the ability to produce clear narrative documents.
• Flexibility, intellectual curiosity, creativity, and attention to detail
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple assignments and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.

Work Location

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely three days per week and on campus two days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.

Rewards And Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

University Job Title

Prospect Research Ofcr II

Job Family

Alumni Affairs Development

Level

F

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Pay Range

$72,270.00 - $83,990.00

Remote Option Availability

Hybrid

Company

Endowed

Contact Name

Laura Clark

Contact Email

[e-mail]

Job Titles And Pay Ranges

Non-Union Positions

Noted Pay Ranges Reflect The Potential Pay Opportunity For Each Job Profile. The Hiring Rate Of Pay For The Successful Candidate Will Be Determined Considering The Following Criteria

• Prior relevant work or industry experience
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
• Unique applicable skills
• Academic Discipline

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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2026-09-21