Manager, Prospect Research

Job Summary

The Manager, Prospect Research leads prospect research and analytics to support major and principal gift fundraising. The role identifies and evaluates prospective donors, provides strategic prospect intelligence to fundraising teams, maintains accurate prospect information, and develops reports that support donor cultivation and fundraising decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive research to identify individuals, corporations, and foundations with major-gift capacity and philanthropic interest.
• Use internal and external databases, wealth-screening tools, and public sources to develop prospect profiles and research briefs.
• Partner with fundraising teams to align prospect research with fundraising goals and priorities.
• Prepare prospect profiles, briefing materials, and research reports for fundraising staff and leadership.
• Track prospect interactions, solicitations, outcomes, and portfolio activity.
• Maintain accurate prospect information and data integrity within fundraising CRM systems.
• Manage and update prospect research and wealth-screening data.
• Provide guidance and training on fundraising database tools and prospect research processes.
• Manage relationships with third-party prospect research platform vendors.
• Analyze financial information, wealth indicators, and prospect data to support fundraising strategies.
• Stay current with prospect research, philanthropy, and fundraising best practices.

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in prospect research, fundraising operations, or nonprofit capacity building.
• Strong prospect research and analytical skills.
• Experience with fundraising databases and CRM systems.
• Experience with prospect research and wealth-screening platforms.
• Ability to interpret financial information and wealth indicators.
• Strong research, reporting, project management, and organizational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and changing priorities.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with teams.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.