Development assistant Jobs in Yonkers, NY

Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director, Prospect Development, the Assistant Director, Prospect Development is responsible for partnering with fundraisers by providing strategic information and fundraising intelligence that drives effective decision-making throughout the fundraising cycle. This position will manage the prospect research and portfolio management efforts of the Development and Alumni Relations office within the Columbia Business School to support the school’s fundraising priorities. They will operate proactively and reactively to identify and analyze prospects; record interests; organize and maintain news alerts; discover and evaluate tools and resources; offer suggestions for procedural improvements and best practices adoption; including documentation updates; managing portfolios; and building strong relationships with fundraisers. They must work well with all levels of management, both internally and externally. This individual must be an organized and motivated team member invested in advancing the goals of Development and Alumni Relations at Columbia Business School.

The successful candidate will have a passion for excellent customer service and a commitment to exceptional quality, be flexible in nature, have sound judgment with a collaborative style that fosters teamwork and cooperation, and be capable of the utmost discretion in all matters. The team operates with core values of Respect, Inclusion, Service, Empathy and Excellence.

About Columbia Business School :

For over a century, Columbia Business School (CBS) has helped develop leaders and builders of enterprises who drive value for their stakeholders and society at large through our MBA, MS, PhD, and Executive Education programs. We are equally committed to cultivating new scholars and teachers and to creating and disseminating pathbreaking knowledge, concepts, and tools that advance the understanding and practice of management through our faculty research and PhD programs. Our vision is simple : to develop ideas and leaders that transform the world—from the very center of business.

Our ever-evolving curriculum, featuring pioneering courses, STEM certification, and immersive experiential learning, prepares students to excel in key areas such as digital transformation, entrepreneurship, innovation, twenty-first-century finance, the intersection of business and society, and climate and sustainability. The CBS administration enables CBS’ educational and scholarly mission through strategic and operational guidance and support, optimizing School resources through well-designed, transparent processes with a culture of respect for all.

Responsibilities

Prospect Research & Analysis

• Assist with implementing strategies for gathering, analyzing, and presenting prospect intelligence to drive data-informed fundraising.
• Contribute to strategies for expanding the prospect pool by conducting proactive and reactive research to identify, rate, and confirm potential major and principal gift prospects. Utilize online resources, screenings, alerts, reports, relationship mapping, and other tools to support prospect identification efforts.
• Prepare research deliverables, such as briefing materials, for fundraisers and leadership meetings.
• Evaluates existing and potential research tools, making recommendations for their utility, best use practices, and possible enhancements.

Portfolio Management & Support

Collaboration & Teamwork

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.

2-4 years of experience in prospect development or related field.

Understanding of best practices in fundraising, research, prospect identification, and prospect management. Outstanding written and oral communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in higher education or other complex institution; ability to translate complex information to different audiences; Salesforce experience a plus.