Prospect Specialist

Classification & Regular Hours

Hours per Week: 35

Salary Grade 14: $65,050 - $76,550, commensurate with experience

About Western

Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.

About Us

The Advancement Operations department is a partner in the areas of constituent database and technology services, prospect management, research and pipeline, data analytics and storytelling, gift and pledge management, records and document management, and financial reconciliation and reporting. In addition, we provide support to the annual planning process as well as budget management, human resources and facilities support for University Advancement.

An integral part of Advancement Operations, the Prospect Management team, leads the identification and population of prospect pools for assignment at all giving levels, to support a strong pipeline in meeting fundraising goals. The team conducts regular analysis of prospect portfolios assigned to the development team and ensures business, system and reporting processes are in place to evaluate pipeline progress. Through the work of the prospect pipeline team, all departments across University Advancement understand the shared responsibility of the prospect management system and effectively use the system to monitor and evaluate program strategy.

Responsibilities

The Prospect Specialist will strengthen the effectiveness and alignment of fundraising efforts by analyzing and guiding prospect portfolios. The role will ensure all portfolios contain the most likely prospects with the greatest capacity and that those prospects are actively moving through the prospect and donor engagement lifecycle.

By conducting regular reviews of fundraiser assignments and overall portfolio analysis, the role will help maintain a balanced and optimized pipeline. Working within Advancement Operations, the role serves as both a portfolio strategist and data specialist, analyzing fundraising portfolios, providing insights to fundraisers, and supporting the integrity of prospect assignment practices across the division.

Through data-driven insights and collaboration with fundraisers and fundraising teams, the role will support the consistent application of best practices to optimize fundraising activities, supporting a strong development pipeline and improved fundraising outcomes.

Qualifications

Education:

• Undergraduate degree of Library & Information Services, Data Analytics, or related field
• Masters of Library & Information Services, Data Analytics or related field is preferred

Experience:

• 3 years demonstrated experience in advancement, prospect development, or fundraising operations
• Experience in portfolio management and data analysis in a higher education or non-profit context
• Experience preparing reports, running queries, and managing projects with competing timelines

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• In-depth knowledge of prospect lifecycle frameworks, fundraising pipeline strategy, solicitation stages, and the alignment of prospect assignments with institutional advancement priorities
• Expertise in data interpretation, trend analysis, and the generation of actionable insights to evaluate portfolio health, performance indicators, and pipeline optimization
• Understanding of nonprofit or university advancement operations
• Ability to collaborate across internal and external boundaries to meet common objectives, improve outcomes and support work beyond one's own unit
• Ability to make decisions and recommendations that are clearly linked to the organization's strategy and goals
• Ability to communicate with technical staff, non-technical staff and demonstrate expertise related to data analysis
• Critical thinking and analytical skills to assess complex higher education issues of concern to stakeholders, including the media, the public, and prospective donors
• Competency to maintain confidentiality and treat sensitive information with discretion
• A desire to grow and advance skills, which is demonstrated by attending conferences, workshops and other professional developmental opportunities to enhance performance
• Proficiency in CRM systems (e.g., Blackbaud, Salesforce) and advanced computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite and other software as required to achieve the objectives of the role

Western Values Diversity

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

Please Note:

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.