Portfolio Management Manager

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA)*, the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for the University of Wisconsin-Madison is seeking at Portfolio Management Manager. The Portfolio Management Manager provides leadership for a team of Portfolio Management professionals and assists the AVP in driving quality and innovation in strategic portfolio management and stakeholder engagement. This is a hybrid role that will require you to work in our Madison, WI office location at least two days weekly.

Who is WFAA?

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA) is a private, nonprofit corporation that encourages individuals and organizations to make gifts to the university and to connect with the UW. In 2014, the UW Foundation merged with the Wisconsin Alumni Association® to better serve a growing population of UW alumni and donors. We believe that private support grows out of good relationships between campus leaders, faculty and program staff who need support, and the alumni and friends who want to invest in UW–Madison. We provide important engagement opportunities to link UW–Madison alumni to each other and to their alma mater, building a strong community of Badgers.

Diversity and Inclusion:

Just as the university community benefits from differing viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences, inclusion and diversity are imperative for the success of our mission. WFAA values people and the differences that they bring to the organization, and creates an environment in which all staff members and constituents feel respected and have opportunities to thrive.  

Portfolio Management Operations

• Provide thought leadership and innovation in portfolio management best practices, identifying client business needs and developing appropriate products and strategies to drive business outcomes.
• Prioritize, assign and monitor progress of Portfolio Management prospect requests and projects.
• Serve as a strategic and operational partner with the Prospect Development and Development team leaders in the management of fundraiser portfolios.
• Oversee the delivery of consulting to maximize the use and value of portfolio management tools, including the development and implementation of guidelines and policies to support effective prospect management and portfolio optimization.
• Serve as Portfolio Management functional lead and subject matter expert for CRM, business intelligence tools and reporting. Keep current on new features and participate in future system development, including design, testing, training and communications.
• Establish and maintain prospect tracking protocols, ensuring timely and strategic movement through the donor pipeline.
• Collaborate with colleagues on prospect pool analysis, prospecting, portfolio management and analysis, pipeline management, data visualizations, CRM and business intelligence tools, and reporting.
• Acquire knowledge about the people, programs and priorities of the University’s schools, colleges and units, and apply this knowledge to the Portfolio Management program.
• Perform Portfolio Management Analyst responsibilities for a specified client set including consultation with development clients in regular portfolio consultation meetings to advise on portfolio composition, discuss portfolio activity and fulfill prospect identification needs.

Human Resources Management

• Recruit, interview and select highly talented and qualified staff for open positions.
• Orient, train, mentor, coach and develop staff members, encouraging an appropriate level of independence and supporting professional growth.
• Identify the current and long-term development/training needs of individuals and groups, and provide or facilitate access to appropriate development experiences.
• Establish and monitor performance measures and take steps needed to ensure staff meet or exceed the established goals.
• Ensure that the relationship between Portfolio Management Analysts and their clients and colleagues are successful.
• Establish, communicate, monitor and reinforce staff accountabilities and performance expectations.
• Provide ongoing feedback and recognition as well as periodic formal performance appraisals to staff as part of a comprehensive performance management system intended to inspire accountability, success, continuous improvement and professional growth.
• Collaborate with staff on their work, providing guidance, problem solving, insight, etc. to support their success.
• Communicate, support, and apply WFAA policies and procedures in collaboration with Human Resources and other management team members.
• Review expense reports.
• Develop and implement systems for identifying and satisfying communication needs of staff, including organizing and leading staff meetings.
• Foster a positive work environment, characterized by open communication, collegiality, support, accountability and motivation to optimize staff performance, satisfaction/morale and retention.

Prospect Development Team Operational Support

• Work with AVP to identify and implement improvements to policy, procedure, training, best practices and reporting.
• Provide input to annual budget for subscription tools and oversee their usage.
• Collaborate with team leaders to develop and lead team meetings and engagement events.

Professional Development

• Participate in appropriate professional development activities, including leadership development.
• Participate in APRA International and/or chapter functions.
• Adhere to APRA Ethics and Professional Standards
• Present information on portfolio management function during staff training and orientation sessions.
• Share expertise and represent WFAA in peer groups and professional organizations, raising the profile of WFAA and the profession.

Required Qualifications:

• 3 + years of experience in prospect management, or equivalent experience in sales or information related field within an academic, nonprofit, or corporate environment.
• 1 + year of leadership/supervisory experience required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to present to small and large groups and translate between technical and business concepts. Experience in synthesizing information to balance the interests of multiple parties and act in a decisive and timely manner. Ability to work with various internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong computer skills, including advanced Microsoft Office skills, intermediate to advanced CRM knowledge, some SQL or other query development experience. Understanding of information management in a database structure, particularly the ability to store, manipulate and retrieve data; ability and expertise in discerning data quality discrepancies that require further investigation.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a cross functional team and manage a service-oriented program.
• Demonstrated project management and strategic thinking skills.

 Other Qualifications:

• Understanding of major gift fundraising, the ability to leverage decision support, business intelligence and analytics, and training experience preferred.

At WFAA, we are dedicated to creating an inspiring, creative, and respectful work environment for our employees. We offer competitive pay and an outstanding benefits program, including a generous 10% 401k contribution after just one year of service! Join us and be part of a team that values your growth and well-being. Click here to learn more about our employee benefits! 

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer *The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is the “doing business as” name of the merged organization comprising the University of Wisconsin Foundation (supportuw.org) and the Wisconsin Alumni Association (uwalumni.com). Its legal corporate name is registered as the University of Wisconsin Foundation.