Manager, Prospect Research & Portfolio Management

The Pew Charitable Trusts • Washington, DC

23d • Hybrid

About The Position

Manager, Prospect Research and Portfolio Management Partnerships The Partnerships team works to scale Pew’s impact in the world by building an engaged community of partners and mobilizing resources to advance our vital work. Position Overview The manager, Prospect Research and Portfolio Management leads a team of researchers responsible for proactively identifying prospects; developing relationship-based prospect research, prospect strategic planning and reporting; drafting, implementing, and managing policies and procedures related to research; overseeing portfolio reviews with fundraisers; building out internal relationship mapping tools; and participating in donor strategy sessions. The manager will translate information and activities related to a dynamic prospect pool into maximized fundraising opportunities for the organization. The objective of the Prospect Research unit within Partnerships is to advance the development efforts at Pew through strategic, thoughtful, comprehensive research and informed analysis of prospects and potential prospects. This position must demonstrate mastery of all aspects of prospect research and relationship management. The manager is based in the Washington, DC office, reports to the senior director, Stewardship and Partnerships Services, and participates in Pew’s hybrid work program with core days in the office and the flexibility to telework the remaining days. Staff also enjoy four telework “flex weeks” per year.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• Generally, 8 years of prospect research experience; with demonstrated project management experience, in a medium to large development operation with a diverse portfolio of prospects.
• Staff, project, and/or consultant management experience is required.
• Demonstrated experience coaching and motivating teams to succeed
• Experience leading and actively practicing a growth mindset in work and interactions.
• Documented success developing sophisticated prospect research and analysis to advance an institution’s fundraising success.
• An understanding of the donor cultivation cycle and the critical role of prospect research at each stage.
• Advanced strategic comprehension skills, including the ability to understand and translate prospects’ personal and philanthropic background and interests and how they align with Pew and its programs.
• Strong oral, writing, and editing skills, with an ability to quickly and effectively convey the intersection of prospects’ and Pew’s interests with clarity and crispness in complex written materials.
• Experience preparing and conducting portfolio reviews for frontline fundraisers.
• Experience handling sensitive information appropriately and with discretion is required.
• Experience managing a research queue and responding to a variety of requests.
• Highly organized with experience handling multiple projects while maintaining clarity of focus and flexibility.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with research requesters to think proactively, identify specific needs, and negotiate appropriate timeframe and format for delivery of results.
• Experience in teaching prospect research skills to individuals with varying levels of experience.
• An interest in keeping abreast of developments in the prospect research field by attending training sessions and communicating with peers through professional organizations, conferences, and electronic forums.
• Sound judgment and integrity; willingness and/or experience with new approaches, such as AI technologies; and a dedication to the mission and objectives of the institution.
• A strong advocate for the vision of Pew.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft software and research and database systems, and the ability to learn technology used at Pew, including Salesforce and PeopleSoft if not already familiar.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supervising staff, including managing performance management processes and providing career development advice and counsel preferred.
• Experience evaluating a prospect’s reputational risk is preferred.
• Knowledge of specific measures for demonstrating return on investment in research is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the ongoing building, strengthening, and increased impact of the Prospect Research unit at Pew.
• Coordinate the efforts of the Prospect Research unit by setting priorities, delegating work, and ensuring that objectives and deadlines are met.
• Lead and manage Prospect Research staff including providing guidance on assigned work, helping to develop annual performance goals, mentoring and supporting professional development plans, and managing performance improvement steps, as necessary.
• Creatively identify, research, and analyze new prospects and existing donors for major and principal gift cultivation and solicitation through review and strategic analysis of media, financial documents, files, databases, on-line information systems, and other resources.
• Prepare thorough, accurate, and concisely written research profiles to include biographical and financial information, potential for philanthropic support, areas of interest and affiliations on individuals; as well as similarly complex research on corporations and foundations.
• Partner with fundraisers to provide timely, accurate, and analytical information to inform the development process, and deliver this specialized research as the basis for interaction among the Pew Board, Executive Office, Partnerships and program directors and staff internally, and with donors and prospects externally.
• Oversee prospect assignment and management in Salesforce.
• Develop and lead an active and ongoing portfolio management practice in collaboration with fundraisers.
• Lead and oversee enhancements to relationship database to strengthen relationship mapping capabilities.
• Conduct reputational risk analysis on prospects as warranted.
• Develop and lead the implementation of prospect screening and data management and mining projects in order to maximize the impact of Partnerships’ available information.
• Provide subject matter expertise for prospect research and facilitate training in research methods across the Partnerships department.
• Develop, implement, and enforce policies, procedures and standards, templates, research request and tracking systems, metrics, methods, and rating formulas relative to prospect research.
• Adhere to all legal privacy requirements and ethical standards upheld by regulatory bodies and professional organizations.
• Collaborate with Pew’s Research Services unit whenever possible to maximize resources.
• Instill confidence in and excitement about prospect research and relationship management among all staff and internal constituent groups by fostering an atmosphere of cooperation, mutual respect, and collegiality; serve as an interactive and synergistic partner with colleagues across the institution so that all work together for the common good.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of Pew, its current programs, history, culture and base of financial support.
• Participate fully in Pew’s systems including the Salesforce constituent relationship management and PeopleSoft financial systems.
• Contribute to and participate in Partnerships initiatives and/or special projects, as needed.

Benefits

• We offer a competitive salary and benefit program, including: comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental, and vision coverage; financial security with life and disability insurance; opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts; retirement benefits to help prepare for the future; and work/life benefits to maintain a good balance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees