Hiring, Developing and Retaining a High- Performing Fundraising Team: Getting It Right from Day One

Hiring, Developing and Retaining a High- Performing Fundraising Team: Getting It Right from Day One Erin Martinovich, Managing Director, The Fund for Babson, Babson College Greta Morgan, Director of Development, College of the Holy Cross Jim Kenny, Director, Major and Planned Giving, Wheaton College (MA) Mark Jones, Director of Business Development, Advancement Resources

Session Overview Introductions, session goals and definition of terms Setting the stage: The needs and challenges before us How institutions are responding The process: 1. Hiring 2. Onboarding and initial training 3. Developing, promoting and retaining Q&A Takeaways (including samples and templates)

Setting the Stage Trends in advancement staffing Turnover: Its cost and consequences A broad spectrum of responses: From neglect to herding cats to STM What is STM (strategic talent management)? CASE Strategic Plan and the CASE Curriculum and Content Task Force The challenge of impatience

5-Year Yield How MGOs Develop 12% 10% 9.70% 8% 6% 4% 2% 1.72% 1.90% 2.82% 0% 0 2 Years 2 3 Years 3 4 Years >4 Years Source: Bentz Whaley Flessner Years of Experience

Hiring Marketing Position How to promote your office/your institution Partnership with HR department Use of office-wide network(s) (LinkedIn, etc.) Understand Core Competencies of the position Create an Interviewing Grid to be used by all interviewers

Hiring Be Strategic about Interview Teams Look at diverse areas to help with interviewing Trusted individual on interview team Meet with them prior to set of interviews Determine 1 2 questions that everyone will ask each the candidate Provide guidelines to team Interview Questions Competency Based Interview Questions (PDF in resources) Written feedback from each interviewer Reference Checks

Recruitment Brochure

On Boarding Extensive work prior to arrival arranging details Focus on making them feel a part of the team and giving them key information Avoid over-programming and allow them to drive some education Schedule example and new hire checklist online resource Access to information Share portfolio and train on database to access files and information Have multiple times scheduled with supervisor to provide time for questions to be answered without having to ask Communicating their arrival Allow them to determine how they want to do that with their prospects matching their personality (calls, emails, letters) Identify key prospects and territories for them

On Boarding Institutional Knowledge Create many opportunities for them to learn about the institution through its people so they can have specific examples to show philanthropic impact Making Visits Get out of the office in the first month by having them come with you on visits Have them schedule a trip and accompany them on within first 8 weeks Ask them to go on visits with other staff in the division

Developing, Promoting, and Retaining Set the expectation for professional development Use mid- and year-end review for more than just performance and program goal setting for each of your employees Understand the professional track that your employee wants to follow. Use that, as well as an understanding of their skills and abilities, as you build your annual plans and review staffing Recognize the intersection between goals and skills Institutional goals change annually, and it is your responsibility each year to review your current staffing structure and job descriptions, ensure that the roles still support the end goals, and adjust them based on both current employee skills and long term goals, as well as institutional needs

Developing, Promoting, and Retaining Understand professional motivation when guiding an employee When developing staff, one size fits all does not work. You need to be intentional about understanding the goals, motivations and style of our employees so that you can be a positive force in their professional development. For example, Babson has created the Thriver Program

Developing, Promoting, and Retaining Discuss the potential for conference attendance and select the most appropriate conference for their current role or where they are in their career When attending a conference as a group, review the schedule prior to the conference and select the sessions each will attend. Avoiding cross-over allows a team to collectively learn more from the conference When an institution invests in an employee attending a conference, set the expectation the attendee will present to their team, or to their greater department, on important take-aways Don t forget webinars! Consider bringing in a larger audience for webinars that allow many colleagues to tune in, and spend time immediately at the end of the session brainstorming. Consider creating a shared calendar for training/resources that all team members can access allows for more shared resources particularly when there isn t a dedicated budget Connect with your Human Resources department for existing professional development opportunities, and encourage your employees to take advantage of those that exist right on campus. Many times, a talent management position in HR will offer programs for teams that can be done easily, and conveniently CLTP Coaching for Leadership and Teamwork Program

Developing, Promoting, and Retaining Foster a culture of recognition it doesn t just need to come from top down. Too often in our field, we may recognize the large achievements, but the day to day wins go unnoticed or unmentioned. Human Resources has a pool of dedicated funds for spot bonuses, where any faculty or staff member can recommend a colleague for a spot bonus. Nominal amount, but often that provides incredible stewardship for a colleague who s done something really well. Within Advancement, each team has a recognition toolkit includes silly things like lifesavers, motivational sticky notes. Promotions are a highly effective tool to reward excellent performance and to retain an individual Encourage your colleagues to get involved in the campus community

About Advancement Resources Privately funded Research-grounded Donor-centric Process-based Questioning everything

About Advancement Resources 19 years of experience in development training 2,300+ workshops delivered 82,000+ participants trained Clients in US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and UK Additional services include: 1:1 clinics for academic leaders, researchers and others Development professional consultative coaching Strategic partnerships

About Advancement Resources Provides a consistent approach to fundraising for development professionals, academic leaders, board members, volunteers and healthcare professionals

Key Concepts and Ideas The two essentials: (1) Time

How MGOs Develop 12% 10% 9.70% 5-Year Yield 8% 6% 4% 2% 1.72% 1.90% 2.82% Source: Bentz Whaley Flessner 0% 0 2 Years 2 3 Years 3 4 Years >4 Years Years of Experience

Key Concepts and Ideas The two essentials: (1) Time (2) Training Professional development vs. training Skill-building and reinforcement

How MGOs Develop

Relevant Quotes A goal without a plan is just a wish. -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Relevant Quotes If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else. -Yogi Berra

Relevant Quotes If your development staff doesn t know where it s going, it will end up someplace else. -Mark W. Jones

Key Concepts and Ideas The two essentials: (1) Time (2) Training Professional development vs. training Skill-building and reinforcement The importance of strategy and planning Consequences of not having a plan Making things happen when resources are limited

Resources Time & Training: Two Keys to Sustained Fundraising Success: https://www.advancementresources.org/blog/industry-insight/110/timeand-training-two-keys-to-sustained-fundraising-success.aspx Some Thoughts, Advice and Resources for Onboarding and Training Fundraisers: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/some-thoughts-advice-resourcesonboarding-training-jones-j-d-/ A Checklist: 11 Ways to Train and Develop Your Staff from Day 1: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/checklist-11-ways-train-develop-yourstaff-from-day-1-mark-w-jones/ Maximizing the Return on Your Investment in Staff Development: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/maximizing-return-your-investmentstaff-development-mark-w-jones/

Takeaways