Manager, Prospect Research & Portfolio Dev.

The Franklin Inst•Philadelphia, PA

4d•$65,000 - $75,000

About The Position

The Franklin Institute seeks a collaborative, analytical, and detail-oriented Manager, Prospect Research & Portfolio Development to support prospect research, prospect development, donor pipeline management, and portfolio optimization within the External Affairs team. Reporting to the Director of External Affairs Operations and Strategy, this role identifies, qualifies, and prioritizes individual, corporate, and foundation prospects with major gift potential and provides data-driven insights to inform fundraising strategy and decision-making. The Manager conducts prospect research and wealth analysis, supports donor qualification and portfolio management processes, and prepares donor briefings, prospect profiles, and performance reports. In collaboration with frontline fundraising staff, the External Affairs Operations team, and organizational leadership, the role helps maintain a robust donor pipeline, supports moves management activities, and advances fundraising initiatives aligned with The Franklin Institute's strategic priorities and campaign goals.

Requirements

Proficiency with CRM and fundraising database platforms such as Blackbaud Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or similar systems, including constituent records, prospect assignments, and moves management data.
Experience with prospect research, wealth screening, and donor intelligence tools such as Windfall, DonorSearch, iWave, LexisNexis, Foundation Directory, WealthEngine, or comparable platforms.
Strong analytical and research skills, including evaluating wealth indicators, philanthropic giving history, business affiliations, and engagement data to assess donor capacity, affinity, and propensity to give.
Intermediate to advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including synthesizing complex information into concise profiles, briefings, reports, and presentations for diverse audiences.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to collaborate across departments and interact professionally with donors, volunteers, board members, and organizational leadership.
Demonstrated organizational and project management skills, including managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, maintaining attention to detail, and adapting to changing needs in a fast-paced environment.
Experience supporting donor pipeline management, prospect qualification, portfolio review, and fundraising strategy through data analysis and research-driven recommendations.
Sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism in handling confidential donor and organizational information.
Familiarity with AI-assisted research and productivity tools, including synthesizing information from multiple sources, summarizing financial, philanthropic, and public records information, and drafting research summaries while ensuring accuracy and fact-checking.
Ability to work independently and contribute as an active member of a collaborative, results-oriented team.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
3–5 years of experience in prospect research, prospect development, advancement services, fundraising operations, donor analytics, development operations, portfolio management, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing reports, dashboards, and data visualizations.

Responsibilities

Conduct prospect research and prospect development by analyzing wealth indicators, philanthropic giving history, professional affiliations, engagement data, and publicly available information to assess donor capacity, affinity, and inclination.
Support wealth screening, prospect identification, and qualification initiatives with the External Affairs Operations Manager; evaluate results and recommend prospects for qualification, assignment, cultivation, or disqualification.
Identify and qualify new major gift prospects to support a donor pipeline aligned with fundraising priorities and campaign goals.
Manage the Mission Wow! campaign pipeline, maintain accurate moves management records, and support donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship with frontline fundraisers.
Coordinate and facilitate prospect and portfolio management review meetings, presenting research findings, qualification recommendations, and portfolio insights.
Analyze donor pipeline, portfolio performance, and fundraising activity data to identify opportunities to improve qualification, assignment, engagement, and portfolio optimization.
Produce prospect profiles, donor briefings, research reports, fundraising dashboards, and portfolio analyses for fundraising staff and organizational leadership.
Maintain accurate prospect, donor, relationship, and portfolio records in the CRM, ensuring data integrity and adherence to prospect management standards.
Create and maintain documentation, procedures, and training resources for prospect research, donor pipeline and portfolio management, wealth screening, and fundraising operations; assist with onboarding and staff training as needed.
Stay current on trends, tools, technologies, and best practices in prospect research, prospect development, advancement services, fundraising analytics, and philanthropy.