Executive Brief

Director of Prospect Research
Georgia Tech Institute for Technology

The Organization: Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute for Technology (Georgia Tech)

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and No. 1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech - At a Glance:

Mission & Values:

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything they do:

  1. Students are our top priority.
  2. We strive for excellence.
  3. We thrive on diversity.
  4. We celebrate collaboration.
  5. We champion innovation.
  6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
  7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
  8. We act ethically.
  9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

Academic Excellence:
  • Georgia Tech is ranked #3 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs. All of Georgia Tech's graduate engineering programs rank in the top 10 (Source: U.S. News & World Report).

  • Scheller College of Business ranks #21 among all Undergraduate Business Programs and #17 for their Part-Time MBA (Source: U.S. News & World Report). 

  • Computer Science ranks #6 by U.S. News & World Report's Undergraduate Program Rankings#7 by U.S. News & World Report's Graduate School Rankings, #17 by Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and #28 in The Guardian's QS World University Rankings.

  • In the category of Statistics and Operational Research, Georgia Tech ranks #9 in The Guardian's QS World University Rankings. Georgia Tech's graduate urban planning program is ranked #6 in the U.S. and #2 in Big City Programs by Planetizen.

Diversity:
  • The Institute is consistently rated among the top universities in the nation for graduation of underrepresented minorities in engineering, physical sciences, and architecture and planning.
     
  • With more than 60 chartered student organizations exploring religious, racial, sexual, and ethnic identity (but open to all), Georgia Tech's students find a way to celebrate, strengthen, and share their part of the robust cultural melting pot that thrives in the university's community.

Georgia Tech Office of Development (DEV)

The Office of Development is committed to securing the philanthropic resources that are transforming Georgia Tech. We engage alumni, friends, families, corporations, and foundations in the life of the Institute and encourage financial investment in Tech's future.

The fundraising team at Georgia Tech currently consists of 100+ professionals who are focused on securing transformative philanthropy (major and principal gifts) to support the strategic priorities of the Institute and its colleges, schools, and programs including Athletics.

Learn about the groups that make up the Office of Development:
College & School Representatives
College & School Representatives

From endowed chairs and professorships to undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and facilities, donors can support the college, school, or academic program of their choice.

Corporate Engagement
Corporate Engagement

Building partnerships with the corporate community is a top priority for Georgia Tech. Working together, the group grows philanthropy and helps companies connect to Tech through research, recruitment, and diversity initiatives.

Foundation Relations
Foundation Relations

Support from foundations provides vital resources for Georgia Tech strategic initiatives, making it possible for the Institute to advance knowledge across all disciplines.

Gift Planning
Gift Planning

Gift planning begins with a donor's desire to make a gift. Whether the choice is a bequest provision in a will or revocable trust, or a life-income gift, the gift planning team assists with all gifts.

Intercollegiate Athletics
Intercollegiate Athletics

Athletic excellence has long been a source of pride and passion at Georgia Tech. The university wants to become one of the elite athletics programs in the nation with the best combination of athletics and academics.

International Development
International Development

Georgia Tech's vision of leadership in the 21st century is a global one. Moving international efforts to the next level cannot happen without private philanthropy.

Parent Giving
Parent Giving

Parents play a vital role in the life of Georgia Tech. Through advocacy, volunteering, and philanthropy, they have a unique opportunity to become stakeholders in every Yellow Jacket's future.

Regional Development
Regional Development

Regional development representatives travel extensively, connecting with alumni and friends and sharing opportunities for supporting Georgia Tech through private philanthropy.

Reunion Giving
Reunion Giving

Each year, milestone reunion classes celebrate through combined philanthropic giving that advances Georgia Tech and enhances opportunities for students – today and for generations to come. 

For fiscal year 2022, the DEV team’s efforts resulted in over $211 million in new gifts and commitments, which helped to publicly launch Georgia Tech’s largest comprehensive campaign in the Institute’s history Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech which is intended to bring over $2 billion in new commitments and gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other organizations. One of the most significant priorities within Transforming Tomorrow is ensuring access of the brightest undergraduate, graduate and professional students to Georgia Tech, regardless of their socioeconomic background. To learn more about Transforming Tomorrow and the other thematic priorities of the campaign, click here.

Georgia Tech Office of Development (DEV) - Leadership Spotlight:

Leslie Gonnella - Associate Vice President, Development Operations and Services

Leslie Taylor Gonnella
Associate Vice President, Development Operations and Services


Leslie Taylor Gonnella is a seasoned executive-level development professional with a track record spanning over two decades, dedicated to leading the operational and administrative aspects of development and alumni relations programs. With a passion for driving impactful outcomes, Leslie excels in building highly productive and strategic teams that deliver proactive solutions.

Currently serving as the Associate Vice President of Development Operations and Services at the Georgia Institute of Technology since April 2023, Leslie oversees the day-to-day operations of the development division. Her responsibilities include managing diverse teams covering budget and finance, prospect development, information processing, reporting, donor relations, event management, gift administration and facilities. She plays a pivotal role in building and leading the systems and processes that support the division in meeting and exceeding annual fundraising goals.

Prior to her current role, Leslie held significant leadership positions at institutions such as Lehigh University and the University of Chicago. At Lehigh University, as the Associate Vice President & Chief Operating Officer from October 2017 to March 2023, Leslie led operations for the development and alumni relations division, modernizing all operations teams and spearheading division-wide planning efforts overseeing the launch of the $1 billion-dollar campaign. At the University of Chicago, Leslie served in leadership roles for the Medical Center and Hospital supporting grateful patient fundraising, Central operations supporting all schools and units across campus and eventually Booth School of Business, where she served as the Chief Operating Officer and Campaign Director, she oversaw development operations and led the department in the successful launch of a $1 billion-campaign.

Throughout her career, Leslie has demonstrated a unique ability to collaborate with institutional leaders, manage multi-billion-dollar campaigns, build development communications teams, campaign brands and plans, design relationship management systems, and oversee data analytics, reporting, and pipeline development. Her expertise extends to talent management, budgeting, and finance, as well as event management, CRM conversion, gift administration, compliance and policy development.

Leslie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Whittier College and has been recognized as a Fulbright Research Scholar (Budapest, Hungary). Her commitment to excellence, coupled with her strategic mindset and extensive experience, continues to drive impactful outcomes in the field of development and alumni relations.

The Opportunity: Director of Prospect Research

Georgia Tech - Director of Prospect Research - Job Description (PDF Download)

Position Summary

The Director of Prospect Research in the Office of Development (DEV), in partnership with the AVP of Operations and Services and the Director of Prospect Management, plans, leads, implements and coordinates all elements of the Research function, including advising on and determining goals, resources, standards, strategies and tactics for prospect identification, rating, description and summarization; they are responsible for budget planning as well as supervision and thoughtful professional development of Research staff and their work.  They and their team identify and evaluate major and principal gift prospects for strategic engagement and philanthropic support of Georgia Tech.  They conduct and review detailed research using on-line databases, in-house data, and other reference sources.  They design, create, and review written reports compiling and synthesizing this information, and oversee appropriate dissemination and presentation based on audience and situation.  They use prospecting tools such as screening, data modeling, and alerts to build prospect pools and identify targeted groups in line with the needs identified by Prospect Management. They provide analysis and recommend suitable strategies for prospects in relation to institutional fundraising opportunities, and partner with the Director of Prospect Management to ensure identified prospects are placed into and moved along the pipeline. 

The Role and Responsibilities

Responsibilities:
  • Plan, develop, organize, implement, coordinate, monitor and evaluate research efforts.
     
  • Hire, train, evaluate and proactively supervise research staff. Work creatively to ensure appropriate staffing levels for all areas and projects. Thoughtfully design and implement professional development plans for all research staff to demonstrate growth and improvement in identified areas.
     
  • Lead the development of strategic goals and directions for research; participate in setting Operations’ strategic goals and direction. Set relevant goals for research functions.
     
  • Develop and refine efficient methods for understanding and reporting on productivity and tying contribution to Development efforts and progress.
     
  • Conduct detailed biographical, business and financial research on individuals and organizations using on-line databases, in-house data, and other reference sources.  Provide capacity assessments on prospects in ongoing projects and upon request.  Prepare briefings and other formatted reports synthesizing this information as appropriate for a variety of audiences and situations.
     
  • Identify potential donors to Georgia Tech as new prospects for future research and cultivation. Conduct special prospect identification projects in support of identified priorities and initiatives. Review and validate regular screening results. Conduct in-depth analysis on leadership groups, as well as financial results.
     
  • Establish and maintain turnaround and quality control standards for research-specific materials and communications produced by the department. Review outgoing materials for accuracy, content, presentation and consistency with departmental standards.
     
  • Develop and maintain an ongoing, collaborative relationship with Prospect Management, Information Services, Principal and Major Gift leadership and officers. Develop particular knowledge about Georgia Tech and its programs, projects, personnel and initiatives. Proactively monitor and prepare for key initiatives and events that would benefit from research analysis and briefing materials.
     
  • Onboard and train current and new Development and related staff on understanding and interpreting research products and initiatives.
     
  • Train and coach Research staff on research and analysis information resources, techniques and standards.
     
  • Methodically update and oversee the updating of paper, online and imaged files and CRM records on constituents.
     
  • Gain and maintain proficiency in the use of commercial databases, free Internet resources, and internal systems.  Regularly assess and advise on the most effective combination of tools and products in the marketplace; make recommendations on budgetary allocations for best resource usage. Oversee subscription testing and maintenance and vendor relationships. 
     
  • Assist in maintaining internal systems and products, including contributing to the upkeep of departmental Intranet and other sites.
     
  • Gain and maintain awareness of issues within the development profession, particularly relating to ethics, privacy and compliance, and of the goals and activities of Georgia Tech and its peer institutions. Define and implement procedures and policies on ethics and confidentiality, and appropriate dissemination of information.
     
  • Monitor and participate in relevant listserves, publications and professional groups to maintain a strong knowledge of developments in the field of research and related functions. Identify and attend relevant meetings, conferences, and related training opportunities of vendors and professional organizations.
     
  • Serve on administrative teams as appointed.
     
  • Perform related duties and assist AVP and related partners with projects as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications

Skills and Abilities:
  • Demonstrated experience as a self-directed leader who can shape existing pieces and processes into a definitive integrated program.
     
  • Demonstrated superior and collaborative skills to navigate a variety of personalities is essential.
     
  • Proven ability to prioritize and work independently, responsibly, and meet deadlines.
     
  • Experience and references demonstrating creative and flexible research skills and ability to analyze, interpret, summarize and present information effectively.
     
  • An understanding of the development process in multiple types of environments, and experience with a high-functioning operation strongly preferable.
     
  • Ability to communicate effectively; exceptional and succinct writing/reporting skills are essential and will be tested.
     
  • Ability to make effective and persuasive presentations to internal and external groups and individuals.
     
  • Excellent interpersonal and relationship building and maintenance skills and ability to function well within multiple teams.
     
  • Proven ability to actively and sensitively manage or lead a team or functional area.
     
  • Ability to apply principles of logical thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems while maintaining creativity in problem-solving.
     
  • Ability to apply an ethical code and good judgment, and to handle confidential materials and situations with sensitivity and discretion.
     
  • Mastery and curiosity around research resource materials and prospect management theory and methodologies consistent with APRA’s Advanced Body of Knowledge; ability to use on-line databases creatively and effectively.
     
  • Experience with Blackbaud CRM preferred, particularly the ability to query and extract data, and to make appropriate data management recommendations.
     
  • Required proficiency in information management and “poweruser” knowledge of standard Windows applications such as Excel and Access. Understanding of Advizor or PowerBI and similar reporting and visualization tools preferred.
Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in prospect research and or/prospect identification.
     
  • Five or more years of experience in prospect research and/or prospect identification.

Applications & Nominations

The Georgia Institute for Technology has partnered with Boyden Executive Search. For more information about this opportunity or to submit a cover letter and resume, please email:

Lisa Vuona
Managing Partner, Boston
lvuona@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Lisa Vuona has decades of experience in executive search and human resource management, primarily in the non-profit, healthcare and education sectors. She is distinguished by her track record and network, and by her approach, which combines the strategic power of data with a finely tuned ability to understand the client’s organization and identify high-caliber leaders who fit the culture.

Jill Coran
Executive Search Consultant, Boston
jcoran@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Jill began as a recruiter, transitioning seamlessly to Human Resources Management after several successful years. She has diverse experience in the dot com, biotechnology, and media industries. After taking time to raise her children, Jill returned as a Human Resource Manager for a multimedia company. In this role, she excelled in recruiting, administering benefits, and managing employee relations. Jill's passion continues to be connecting top talent and organizations, both locally and nationally.

Don’t check off all the boxes or meet every single requirement? We have learned that potential candidates hesitate when applying for a job unless they meet every single requirement. Boyden Boston is dedicated to inclusivity and valuing diversity and equity in the workplace. If this opportunity excites you, but your background may not be a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply.

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