Associate Director, Prospect Development

Position Overview

Are you an expert prospect research strategist ready to shape executive intelligence and principal giving pipelines at one of the world's leading health sciences institutions? The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is seeking an exceptional, highly autonomous Associate Director of Prospect Development to serve as the lead operational and research strategist supporting UCSF's Executive Office, Principal Giving Strategy team, and Volunteers program. Reporting to the Executive Director of Prospect Development within University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR), you will assume operational ownership of executive-level portfolios for the Vice Chancellor and Associate Vice Chancellor. In this technical leadership role, you will design and manage proactive principal gift pipelines ($10M+), execute deep-dive network mapping, and vet high-caliber candidates for the UCSF Foundation Board and Benioff Children's Hospital Foundation Board. Acting as a strategic intelligence partner, you will combine deep analytical rigor with high-level stakeholder collaboration, translating complex wealth analytics and predictive modeling into executive decision intelligence that unlocks visionary philanthropy.

Why This Role Is Unique

• Executive Portfolio Ownership: Directly manage the operational tracking, review cadences, and intelligence pipeline for UCSF development executive leadership (Vice Chancellor and Associate Vice Chancellor).
• Principal Giving & Board Recruitment Scope: Drive network mapping and deep-dive intelligence for UHNW principal gift prospects ($10M+) and vet high-level leadership candidates for university foundation boards.
• Technical & Operational Leadership: Serve as a recognized subject matter expert across UDAR, integrating modern AI tools, predictive analytics, and data sets to optimize institutional pipelines.
• Matrixed Strategic Advisor: Bridge the gap between data science and frontline execution, providing matrixed guidance to interdisciplinary teams without administrative overhead.
• Premier Collaborative Culture: Embedded within UDAR's innovative Prospect Development team at UCSF's 2001 The Embarcadero location with flexible hybrid work options.

Desired Mindset & Competencies

• High-Level Strategic Agility: Proven ability to navigate opaque financial structures, evaluate UHNW prospects ($10M+), and frame delicate findings with exceptional diplomacy and neutrality.
• Modern Tool & AI Innovation: Enthusiastic about leveraging artificial intelligence tools, automation, and advanced research engines to streamline intelligence production.
• Executive Stakeholder Engagement: Superior interpersonal and political acumen to build seamless peer relationships with executive leadership, foundation board leads, and senior fundraisers.

*Note: Salary commensurate with internal equity based on education, scope, and experience

Department Overview

At UCSF's Office of University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR), we're proud to be the kind of place where great ideas can come from anyone, and you can do the most impactful work of your career alongside fantastic colleagues. From our pioneering work in the AIDS crisis to the creation of a silicon brain, you will experience the world-class nature of our work and the difference it makes.

UDAR is a team of innovative professionals who partner with world-class scientists, healthcare providers, and philanthropists to advance breakthrough research and life-changing patient care. We're one of the nation's top fundraising organizations, home to smart, driven people who care deeply about UCSF's mission to advance science and transform health.

Our success comes from the combined talents of many roles: frontline fundraisers who build transformative partnerships with donors; alumni relations professionals who nurture lasting connections with the UCSF community; writers and designers who help tell the university’s story; researchers and analysts who provide critical insights; and operations and information systems experts who keep us running smoothly.

What makes UDAR special? A commitment to growing talent from within, celebrating collective wins, and creating an environment where our staff thrive. Our culture of team-based fundraising is distinctly collaborative, and we're always eager to embrace fresh approaches.

Regardless of your role at UCSF, you'll be part of a unified team operating at the very top of its game.

Read more about UCSF here

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in prospect research, prospect development, development operations, or pipeline analytics in a higher education or complex non-profit environment.
• Advanced knowledge in prospect research analysis, strategy, and best practices, with deep expertise in evaluating, synthesizing, and interpreting complex wealth indicators, financial data, corporate disclosures, and biographical information to assess prospect capacity ($10M+ level) and inclination for principal-level giving.
• Advanced knowledge of confidentiality, regulatory, and university policies governing research activities, with proven ability to deal with highly confidential matters with diplomacy, tact, and sensitivity.
• Proven technical skills required to utilize multiple complex research systems, CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, Advancement CRM platforms, or Blackbaud CRM/RE NXT), and primary prospect research engines (e.g., LexisNexis, RelSci, iWave, WealthX, SEC filings, real estate databases) to synthesize complex data sets into executive-level research findings.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing artificial intelligence platforms and modern tech tools (e.g., generative AI tools for synthesis, automation, or advanced data discovery) to streamline research workflows and enhance research intelligence output.
• Proven project management and program coordination skills to lead interdisciplinary initiatives, prioritize personal and team deliverables, manage project timelines, and drive cross-functional programs through from inception to completion without direct-report authority.
• Interpersonal skills to work collaboratively and integrate with multidisciplinary teams across the organization; ability to build and maintain strong peer-level relationships with frontline fundraisers, executive leadership (Vice Chancellor/Associate Vice Chancellor), and industry colleagues.
• Advanced analytical abilities and problem-solving skills to quickly evaluate complex, opaque financial structures (e.g., private equity, venture capital, offshore assets, private holdings) and apply sound, defensible judgment in capacity estimation and risk assessment.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills to frame complex prospect data into concise, executive-level research profiles, strategic evaluations, and pipeline updates for senior leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

5–7+ years of experience in an academic medicine or complex university system, with a proven track record supporting principal gift strategies, executive portfolios, and cross-functional team initiatives.

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