Advancement Research Manager

Feed the Children•Oklahoma City, OK

About The Position

At Feed the Children, we recognize the value of outstanding people, and we are looking for compassionate changemakers to join our team. We pride ourselves on cultivating a collaborative workplace where employees experience productive and rewarding employment and feel engaged in our mission to end childhood hunger. Our passionate team shares a deep sense of purpose, and we dream big to solve complex problems and create positive impact in communities around the world. Feed the Children is recognized by Candid with its Platinum Seal of Transparency and is accredited by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. The organization has received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is consistently recognized on the Forbes Top 100 Charities list. We are currently in search of an Advancement Research Manager to join our Development team! The Advancement Research Manager plays a key role in advancing major and planned giving by integrating prospect intelligence, portfolio strategy, and high-touch donor stewardship. This position is responsible for leading prospect identification and qualification efforts, providing research-driven insights that strengthen frontline fundraising, and ensuring gift officers are equipped with accurate, actionable information to support donor engagement. In addition, the role oversees the processing and stewardship of complex and high-value gifts, including donor-advised funds (DAFs), IRA qualified charitable distributions, and other non-cash contributions, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and exceptional donor care. Serving as a strategic partner to development leadership and gift officers, the Advancement Research Manager strengthens pipeline development, enhances data integrity within the CRM, and supports a seamless, personalized donor experience throughout the giving lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
3+ years in prospect research, development operations, or major gifts support
Experience handling or supporting complex gifts (DAFs, IRAs/QCDs, securities, etc.)
Strong analytical and research skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint required.
Any combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of this job may be considered.

Nice To Haves

Experience with wealth screening and prospect research tools (e.g., iWave, Kindsight, WealthEngine)
Knowledge of IRS guidelines related to charitable giving vehicles
Experience collaborating with finance, legal, or gift processing teams
Background in stewardship strategy and donor experience design

Responsibilities

Manage and lead prospect identification and qualification strategy for Advancement team
Oversee portfolio analysis and pipeline management
Lead staff for research consultants, or vendors, if applicable
Identify, research, and qualify prospective major gift donors using internal and external data sources
Produce concise, actionable prospect profiles, wealth assessments, and briefing materials
Support portfolio development through prospect identification, segmentation, and prioritization
Maintain accurate and up-to-date prospect records within the CRM
Assign and remove qualified prospects to gift officers in the CRM
Recommend assignments for Midlevel and Planned Giving teams
Lead and coordinate stewardship activities for major donors, with a focus on high-capacity and complex gift donors
Partner with vendors to track gifts made through donor-advised funds (DAFs), IRA qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), stock transfers, and other non-cash vehicles
Ensure proper acknowledgment, documentation, and compliance for complex gifts in collaboration with finance and legal teams
Serve as an internal resource on best practices for handling and stewarding complex gifts
Prepare high-quality donor briefings, including giving history, affiliations, and strategic recommendations
Support gift officers in moves management by tracking donor engagement and next steps
Identify opportunities for donor upgrades, renewals, and re-engagement, especially among complex gift donors
Assist in the preparation of proposals, impact reports, and customized stewardship materials
Track and report on complex gift activity (DAFs, IRAs, securities, etc.) and stewardship outcomes
Support both Planned Giving and major giving data entry
Maintain data integrity across CRM system, ensuring accurate coding and tracking of gift types
Develop reports and dashboards to support decision-making and portfolio performance
Provide dashboard with number of qualified major gift prospects added to portfolios, increase in prospects rated and assign, growth in the major gift pipeline value.
Analyze trends in giving vehicles and donor behavior to inform fundraising strategy
Establish an environment of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning, a commitment to quality, welcomes and encourages collaboration, and fosters both intra and inter-departmental dialogue and respect.
Model the type and level of behavior, professionalism and leadership that is in accordance with the values of the organization.
Perform other related duties as required.