Manager, Operations & Research
About The Position
The Manager, Operations & Research serves as the operational and analytical backbone of Catalyst Mobility’s philanthropy function. The role builds and maintains the systems, processes, financial planning, data management, and prospect intelligence needed to support sustainable philanthropic growth and effective fundraising operations. It combines philanthropy operations, business planning, financial management, and prospect intelligence to enable growth, improve decision-making, and strengthen organizational effectiveness. Reporting to the Head of Philanthropy & Private Funding, the Manager is responsible for forecasting, budgeting, CRM administration, pipeline management, reporting, prospect research, and fundraising analytics. The role works closely with the Manager, Emerging Partnerships & Growth and the Manager, Engagement & Stewardship, and coordinates with Finance, communications, and program teams. Success is measured by operational excellence and system adoption; accurate forecasting, budgeting, and pipeline reporting; the quality and growth of qualified prospects and funder intelligence; and improved fundraising decisions, cross-functional coordination, efficiency, and visibility into organizational performance.
Requirements
- At least 5 years of experience in philanthropy, fundraising operations, grant management, nonprofit administration, business operations, prospect research, or a related field.
- Experience managing CRM systems and fundraising databases.
- Experience with budgeting, forecasting, reporting, or financial planning.
- Experience conducting research and synthesizing information into actionable recommendations.
- Experience managing multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional organizational and project-management abilities.
- Experience developing reports, dashboards, and performance metrics.
- Ability to interpret complex data and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and functions.
- Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, CRM platforms, and reporting tools.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with Salesforce or comparable CRM systems.
- Experience in foundation, corporate, individual giving, or institutional philanthropy.
- Knowledge of prospect-research methodologies and philanthropic landscape analysis.
- Experience with grant budgeting and financial management.
- Experience developing operational systems and business processes.
- Experience supporting executive decision-making through data and analysis.
Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain philanthropy revenue forecasts, pipeline projections, and fundraising performance models.
- Coordinate grant budget development and philanthropic financial planning; partner with Finance on forecasting, grant budgeting, revenue tracking, and financial reporting.
- Track progress toward annual fundraising goals and revenue targets; support annual planning, portfolio reviews, and departmental performance tracking.
- Develop financial reports and analyses for leadership decision-making, and monitor portfolio health to identify revenue risks and growth opportunities.
- Administer philanthropy CRM systems and related reporting tools; maintain data integrity, fundraising records, portfolio tracking, and pipeline management processes.
- Develop and manage dashboards, reporting systems, and performance metrics.
- Establish and maintain operational procedures, workflows, templates, and documentation; identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
- Coordinate operational processes across philanthropy, finance, communications, and program teams, ensuring leadership has accurate, timely, actionable data.
- Research foundations, corporations, family offices, donor-advised funds, and individual giving prospects; identify, qualify, and prioritize funding opportunities.
- Build and maintain prospect pipelines aligned with strategic priorities and growth objectives; monitor philanthropic trends, funding opportunities, and emerging funders.
- Develop prospect profiles, briefing materials, relationship maps, and funder intelligence reports; support cultivation planning through targeted research and opportunity analysis.
- Partner with the Senior Manager, Emerging Partnerships & Growth to identify and advance high-potential opportunities.
- Conduct portfolio gap analyses and recommend prospecting priorities; maintain prospect and opportunity dashboards, tracking tools, and pipeline reports.
- Support annual prospecting goals, pipeline targets, and revenue growth strategies.
- Analyze fundraising performance, pipeline health, and portfolio trends; develop reports and presentations for leadership, executive audiences, and board reporting.
- Track key fundraising performance indicators and organizational metrics; identify portfolio trends, opportunities, and risks and recommend actions based on data.
- Support continuous improvement through analysis and performance measurement.
Benefits
- 100% company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits.
- Short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance.
- Retirement plan with generous company contributions.
- Flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care.
- Three weeks of vacation time in the first year of employment.
- 11 paid company holidays.
- Paid sick time.
- Paid family leave.
- Employee development and growth investment.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
