Strategic Prospect Management & Portfolio Lead

Aprahome; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Columbia University’s Office of Alumni Relations and Development seeks a Senior Associate Director of Prospect Management & Portfolio Strategy to lead assignment prioritization, portfolio optimization, and data-driven decision-making across fundraising programs.

You will shape donor pools, manage prospect management systems, and guide strategic initiatives with school and unit teams, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and performance goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and four to six years of experience in prospect management or a related field required, preferably in a higher education environment.
• Basic aptitude in query languages such as PL/SQL and expert proficiency with Microsoft Office suite required.
• Familiarity with data visualization tools, such as Microsoft SRSS, Power BI, Tableau, and/or Qlik required.
• Excellent oral and interpersonal skills and strong project management and problem-solving skills. Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a demanding environment. This position requires strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Knowledge of common practices in the fields of fundraising, alumni relations, development, and prospect development. Ability to conceptualize and develop proactive prospecting methodologies to support organizational goals, including data mining, sophisticated constituent database queries, etc. Familiarity with wealth screening and its application to fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary subject matter expert for prospect management, leading the prioritization and execution of assignment requests, delegating workflow as appropriate, and ensuring efficient, accurate, and well-tracked responses across the development community.
• Lead the development of prospect management data policies, processes, and standards, including fundraiser assignments, contact reports, proposals, and performance metrics. Drive data integrity through audit design and continuous improvement, and partner with Data Management to ensure scalable, accurate data capture.
• Collaborate with the Director of Prospect Development to establish organizational data standards and resolve complex data challenges.
• Lead the vetting and approval of fundraiser assignments, evaluating portfolio fit and prospect viability, incorporating stakeholder input, and guiding resolution through established approval processes.
• Serve as the primary staff lead for high-capacity prospect assignment strategy execution, including shaping materials for senior leadership review and decision-making.
• Lead the evaluation and prioritization of Columbia’s prospect pool to inform strategic assignment to frontline fundraisers.
• Partner with the Insights and Analytics team to develop and refine predictive metrics, dashboards, and reporting, and translate insights into clear, actionable guidance for diverse school- and unit-based fundraising teams.
• Leads portfolio review execution, operations, and day-to-day decision processes, partnering with fundraisers and their managers to assess portfolio composition, prospect viability, and alignment with role expectations.
• Provide strategic guidance during portfolio discussions, ensure data accuracy, track decisions and follow-up actions, and identify areas requiring additional research.
• Lead strategic prospect identification and prioritization initiatives for schools, units, and key fundraising efforts, ensuring robust pipelines aligned with fundraising goals.
• Partner with fundraising leadership and prospect research to define scope, oversee execution, and deliver actionable insights.
• Monitor progress, communicate results, and drive accountability for outcomes.
• Develop and maintain prospect management documentation and process guidance, ensuring clarity, consistency, and accessibility.
• Partner with the Director of Prospect Development to regularly review and refine materials and support effective communication and adoption across the development community.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Skills

PL/SQL

Microsoft Office

Data visualization

Project management

Communication

Teamwork

Analytical thinking

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft SRSS

Power BI

Tableau

Qlik

JIRA

Job description

Columbia University’s Office of Alumni Relations and Development seeks a Senior Associate Director of Prospect Management & Portfolio Strategy to lead assignment prioritization, portfolio optimization, and data-driven decision-making across fundraising programs.

You will shape donor pools, manage prospect management systems, and guide strategic initiatives with school and unit teams, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and performance goals.