Job Description

About the Department
North Carolina State University (NC State) was founded in 1887 with the purpose of creating economic, societal, and intellectual prosperity for the people of North Carolina. Today it is the largest university in North Carolina with more than 34,000 high-performing students, 8,000 pre-eminent faculty and staff and over 310,000 alumni. NC State is known for its leadership in research, education, and service and as a research extensive university, is recognized for its strengths in science, engineering, and technology. The University consistently ranks among the top public national universities and one of the best values in higher education.

University Advancement amplifies NC State’s local and global impact by nurturing lifelong relationships, championing philanthropy and strengthening the Wolfpack community. Led by Vice Chancellor Brian Sischo, UA fulfills its mission through the operations of four main units: University Development, which seeks and obtains philanthropic support; Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving, which builds and fosters relationships and a culture of philanthropy with alumni and other constituencies; and Advancement Services, which provides information management and other key support functions to all University Advancement units.

The mission of University Development within the Division of University Advancement at NC State is to raise philanthropic support for university goals and priorities that benefit our students, faculty, this campus and ultimately, the state of North Carolina. The department includes the offices of Central Major Gifts, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Gift Planning, Development Communications and Stewardship and Prospect Development.
Wolfpack Perks and Benefits
As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

What we offer:
Medical, Dental, and Vision
Flexible Spending Account
Retirement Programs
Disability Plans
Life Insurance
Accident Plan
Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
12 Holidays Each Year
Tuition and Academic Assistance
And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.
Essential Job Duties
NC State seeks a strategic, collaborative and forward-thinking Director of Prospect Development to lead a high-performing team responsible for prospect research, portfolio management and data-driven insights that inform and advance fundraising strategy. In collaboration with University Development leadership, the Director will help shape the university’s emerging prospect development model, leveraging NC State’s newly launched Kindsight Ascend on Salesforce CRM (Lobo), integrating AI and next-generation tools in preparation for a university-wide comprehensive campaign.

This is a pivotal leadership opportunity to reimagine how NC State identifies and engages philanthropic prospects: blending technology, data and human insight to drive greater alignment across a decentralized advancement ecosystem. The Director will lead efforts to build a unified, innovative and service-minded Prospect Development program that empowers fundraisers, amplifies institutional priorities and embraces continuous learning.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Philanthropy for Comprehensive Campaign Strategy, the Director will play a critical role in shaping strategy for NC State’s next campaign. This role requires strategic vision, strong people leadership and a willingness to explore bold, innovative ideas that advance NC State’s culture of philanthropy.
Other Responsibilities
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead a dynamic, future-oriented Prospect Development team and program dedicated to supporting strategic fundraising across University Advancement
Collaborate with University Development leadership and other campus partners in campaign strategy development including gift pyramid modeling, portfolio alignment and pipeline analysis to support principal and major gift activity
Champion the integration of emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive modeling—to enhance prospect discovery, segmentation and personalization
In partnership with the Advancement Information Technology team, drive business intelligence through the creation and delivery impactful reports and dashboards (e.g. in Tableau) to inform campaign strategy, monitor portfolio performance and support data-informed decision making for UA leadership
Manage and mentor a skilled Prospect Development team, empowering staff with the tools, clarity and support they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving field
Build effective client-facing relationships with fundraisers in both central and college/unit-based advancement teams
Foster a culture of experimentation, curiosity and collaboration—embracing agile practices and encouraging innovative problem-solving across the team
Design and implement scalable research and prospect management practices to grow prospect pools for fundraising teams across UA that enable fundraising success
Build and champion a culture of ethical data stewardship and business intelligence that are transparent and effective in a decentralized environment
Qualifications
Minimum Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of five years of prospect development experience
Minimum of three years of strong, demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills
Other Required Qualifications
Strong, demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills, with experience leading a team while building trust and collaboration across departments
Experience in building effective relationships and collaborating with senior leadership, campus partners and fundraisers to develop aligned strategies, advance shared goals and drive fundraising success
Excellent analytical skills, including the ability to interpret and present complex data, prospecting strategies and new technologies clearly and effectively to a variety of audiences
Expertise in prospect research and prospect management, with knowledge of current best practices, ethical standards and data governance
Demonstrated ability to apply prospect research strategies to identify and prioritize prospects aligned with university initiatives and strategic objectives
Proven experience designing and executing research methodologies, rating systems and portfolio strategies aligned to institutional goals
Ability to identify, evaluate and implement technology solutions, processes and systems that support research and fundraising
Excellent organizational, time management and project management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities and meet deadlines
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to facilitate cross-functional collaboration and influence without authority
High attention to detail, sound judgment and experience handling sensitive and confidential information
Fluency in the use of relationship databases, data tools and software (e.g. Salesforce, Tableau, Excel, subscription research tools)
Experience managing budgets, contracts and vendor relationships
Strong commitment to customer service, continuous improvement and operational excellence
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working in a decentralized fundraising environment, particularly at a large public or research-intensive university
Experience supporting or leading comprehensive campaign strategy, including pipeline analysis, gift table modeling, and prospect segmentation
Experience in frontline fundraising or other external-facing/client-serving role
Experience with Kindsight Ascend on Salesforce CRM
Experience implementing or using AI, predictive modeling or advanced analytics to inform prospect strategy and portfolio optimization
Experience in delivering client-facing services and building effective relationships.