Job Description Summary:
The George Washington University Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) Division is seeking a Director, Leadership Research as part of the Research and Relationship Management team (RRM).

DAR is responsible for leading the university’s alumni and fundraising efforts and seeks to promote a culture of philanthropy throughout the university community, including alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, corporations and foundations, patients and other friends. Our goal is to advance GWs mission of excellence in education, research, scholarship, and patient care.

The Director, Leadership Research is a passionate member of the RRM leadership cohort and a prospect development expert, helping create and enact formal vision for prospect development at GW. A strategic partner and trusted advisor, incumbent espouses a dynamic partnership with staff at the highest levels across DAR. This position is the business owner and lead for all aspects of RRM’s operation that provides services to the President, Vice President, Provost, Board of Trustees, Principal Gifts, Planned Giving, as well as naturally related teams or initiatives as needed, setting the vision for these areas, guiding toward best-in-class services, and proactively identifying and seeking creative solutions to complex issues. This position requires an individual who has exemplary project management, research, and editorial skills, along with a demeanor that thrives in fast-paced, highly flexible and highly visible work environments.

This position leads a prospect research team and ensures the highest quality of prospect intelligence for clients by providing quality assurance, guiding research strategies, identifying and negotiating priorities, anticipating client needs, and aiding, coaching, and supporting staff in their daily work. This position will project manage prospect development needs for the most complex, highest priority, and highest exposure clients at the university during campaign readiness preparations. This role communicates to a variety of audiences on key findings, trends, policies, and procedures related to clients as well as other research and relationship management industry and philanthropy trends.

This role supervises, coaches, and develops a staff of prospect development professionals to meet and exceed quality prospect intelligence for clients, and develops and implements accurate and timely reporting for relevant prospect development activities. This is a management position that fosters enthusiasm among the RRM team and clients as well as advocates for RRM. Additional managerial responsibilities include making hiring decisions, providing coaching, training and mentoring, managing performance and determining future staffing needs.

Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.
Minimum Qualifications:
Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 8 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant area of study plus 6 years of relevant professional experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications:
Experience working with a relational database.
Preferred Qualifications:
Prior management experience with a focus on building and maintaining a cohesive, positive team environment; comfort and aptitude in project management, including delegating appropriate work and providing feedback to staff. Takes initiative to drive self-development and accept constructive feedback and motivates team to do the same. Skill in using data to inform strategy, execution, planning, resource allocation, and measurement of activity and performance.
Demonstrated ability to provide strong and strategic recommendations on top prospects and principally rated prospects, coaching team members toward the same. Develops trust-based working relationships with the Principal Gifts and Planned Giving teams, collaborating on projects to provide best in class strategic support to frontline gift officers and executive leadership. Prior experience working on due diligence/reputational risk research and assessments desired.
Robust project management, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills; demonstrated ability to work in a demanding, dynamic environment. Skill in developing plans with clear vision, goals, strategies, and tactics. Proficiency in prioritizing work, including negotiating, and managing multiple, diverse, competing priorities while meeting deadlines. Demonstrates accountability for outcomes. Due to the nature of the work, willingness to respond to last-minute requests in stride is important.
Excellent interpersonal skills, including diplomacy required to function effectively among senior leadership, gift officers, and others to bring projects, requests, and recommendations to conclusion. Demonstrated ability in developing strategic partnerships with all levels of staff to influence results. Ability to convey information to different audiences in a clear and concise manner.
Mastery of the development cycle, with advanced knowledge of the role of prospect development within the cycle. Proficiency in Apra’s Body of Knowledge Prospect Research and Leadership domain with general understanding of Relationship Management and Data Science domains. Demonstrated record of professional involvement in industry organizations.
Proficient computer skills. Experience working with Microsoft Office and Google suite of products. Demonstrated skill in deciding which technology will communicate messages/findings most effectively.
Ability to deal with highly sensitive information, maintain confidentiality, and exercise a high degree of judgment and discretion. Ability to apply themes from ethics statements by Apra, Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and other related associations.