Since 2022, one of America’s top-ranked teaching universities transformed its hiring through a partnership with Duffy Group, achieving 14 successful searches and 16 key hires. More recently, Duffy Group was tasked with finding a Director of Advancement Services to overcome the shallow vetting of an earlier name-generation service. Through strategic storytelling, Duffy Group identified 216 potential candidates, culminating in a hire so exceptional it warranted a Senior Director title. Now, the university is poised to elevate its fundraising efforts to unprecedented heights.

The Challenge

The university’s early recruitment efforts included using job postings and internal networks, but they failed to attract suitable candidates. The challenges were multifaceted:

• Job postings and internal networks fell short. The university struggled not just to attract talent, but to attract the right talent.
• The late-stage loss of a candidate suggested deeper problems in keeping candidates engaged and committed through the entire hiring process.
• An external name-generation service provided a broad but poorly vetted candidate list, revealing the lack of thorough screening and vetting.
• The previous service’s pipeline included more than 100 names, requiring Duffy Group to source candidates not already on the list, creating a roadblock from the gate.
• The role required extensive higher education experience, which necessitated a nationwide search and further complicated the relocation process.

It was clear a more strategic and meticulous approach was needed.

The Scenario

The school’s Associate Vice President for University Advancement turned to Duffy Group after internal efforts and a name-generation service produced a long list of inadequately vetted candidates. These candidates were matched primarily on resume qualifications, lacking a deeper understanding of the institution’s story and culture.

Recognizing these gaps, the Associate Vice President for University Advancement enlisted Duffy Group for a more tailored and effective recruitment process. While Duffy Group had a proven record of successful placements at the university, this marked their first collaboration with the Department of Advancement.

The Solution

Duffy Group tackled the challenge with a robust, strategic recruitment plan:

• Leveraging the university’s strengths and opportunities, Duffy Group crafted a narrative that captivated candidates, even those not actively seeking new roles, significantly enhancing the institution’s offer.
• Weekly check-ins with the hiring leader ensured constant engagement, alignment and timely updates, keeping the process on track and addressing concerns swiftly.
• Instead of lateral hires, Duffy Group targeted candidates ready for a step-up in their careers, attracting highly motivated and exceptionally qualified individuals.
• In-depth screenings ensured candidates were skillfully qualified and culturally aligned with the university’s values, minimizing mismatches and ensuring high-quality placements.

The Outcome

Duffy Group’s strategic approach delivered outstanding results. Within a short time, they identified 216 potential candidates, submitted four top-tier candidates and conducted three interviews. This process led to an exceptional out-of-state hire, so impressive she was given a Senior Director title.

The Associate Vice President for University Advancement praised the partnership, emphasizing the value of Duffy Group’s expertise. This hire has set the advancement department on a path to elevate their fundraising initiatives, securing a prosperous future for the university.

“[The candidate] will officially start tomorrow morning and we are all excited to start working together. Yes, I would be willing to let others on campus and in my network know about you and the Duffy Group. As you saw, this work takes a team approach and we appreciated all of your help identifying solid candidates for our open position. Hope all is well with you and we cross paths soon.”
Associate Vice President for University Advancement

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