Director of Prospect Strategy & Research

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About the Role

Harvard Business School, located on a 40-acre campus in Boston, was founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University. It is among the world's most trusted sources of management education and thought leadership. The Director of Prospect Strategy & Research provides leadership for the institution’s prospect strategy and research function in support of fundraising priorities and long-term pipeline development.

Building upon a strong foundation of prospect research expertise and fundraising support, the Director will help advance the organization’s prospect strategy capabilities by strengthening the integration of research, analytics, technology, relationship intelligence, and operational best practices. The Director will lead efforts to develop scalable approaches to prospect identification, qualification, ratings, and prospect prioritization across a large and diverse alumni population. The role ensures research resources are focused on the highest-value opportunities while leveraging technology, data, and process improvements to expand prospect coverage and support fundraising success.

Reporting to senior advancement leadership, the Director will oversee staff, establish operational priorities and service models, foster professional development, and partner closely with fundraising leadership, analytics, and advancement operations teams.

Responsibilities

• Prospect Strategy and Pipeline Development
  • Provide leadership for prospect identification, qualification, ratings, screenings, and prospect prioritization efforts.
  • Develop scalable approaches to prospect identification and prioritization that leverage research, analytics, constituent engagement data, screenings, and emerging technologies.
  • Partner with fundraising leadership to support portfolio strategy, pipeline development, and fundraising planning.
  • Support proactive prospecting efforts focused on strategic industries, alumni segments, affinity groups, and emerging opportunities.
  • Establish frameworks that help ensure research resources are focused on the prospects and opportunities where strategic analysis adds the greatest value.
  • Collaborate with advancement partners to identify opportunities to broaden prospect coverage and strengthen fundraising pipelines.
• Research, Ratings, and Relationship Intelligence
  • Oversee prospect research, ratings, screenings, and constituent intelligence activities.
  • Support the continued development of relationship intelligence and network-based approaches to prospect strategy.
  • Ensure research products are relevant, actionable, and aligned with fundraising priorities.
  • Maintain quality standards and consistency across ratings, screenings, prospect identification, and research practices.
  • Evaluate and refine methodologies used to assess prospect capacity, engagement, and philanthropic potential.
• Operations, Technology, and Innovation
  • Provide leadership for workflows, service models, and operational processes that support prospect strategy and research activities.
  • Develop metrics, dashboards, and reporting that provide visibility into team activities, outcomes, and organizational impact.
  • Evaluate opportunities to leverage automation, AI-enabled tools, screening resources, and other technologies to improve efficiency and expand prospect coverage.
  • Partner with analytics and advancement operations teams to support data-informed decision making and prospect prioritization efforts.
  • Identify opportunities to streamline processes, reduce administrative burden, and improve the deployment of research resources.
• Staff Leadership and Development
  • Recruit, manage, coach, and develop prospect strategy and research staff.
  • Establish clear expectations, goals, and professional development opportunities.
  • Support the documentation of methodologies, workflows, and best practices.
  • Foster consistency in ratings, screenings, prospect identification, and research practices.
  • Create an environment that encourages collaboration, continuous learning, innovation, and professional growth.
  • Build trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents.
• This role is responsible for other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in prospect research, prospect development, fundraising strategy, advancement operations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing staff.
• Strong understanding of major gift fundraising, prospect management, and prospect development principles.
• Experience working with prospect research tools, screening resources, and constituent data.
• Experience developing operational processes, metrics, and service delivery models.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and collaborate across teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education advancement.
• Experience supporting campaign planning and fundraising strategy initiatives.
• Experience integrating analytics, prospect scoring, or predictive models into prospect strategy efforts.
• Familiarity with relationship intelligence and network analysis methodologies.
• Experience implementing technology solutions, workflow enhancements, automation initiatives, or AI-enabled tools.
• Experience leading organizational change or process improvement efforts.

Schedule

This is a hybrid position requiring a minimum of 3 days per week onsite at Harvard Business School’s Boston campus. Standard hours are 40 hours per week, with specific onsite days determined by business needs and subject to change with appropriate notice.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, including parental leave.
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one.
• Retirement plans with university contributions.
• Wellbeing and mental health resources.
• Support for families and caregivers.
• Professional development opportunities, including tuition assistance and reimbursement.
• Commuter benefits, discounts, and campus perks.

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. Learn more about these and additional benefits.