Senior Officer, Prospect Research and Strategy (P4)

Save the Children US•Washington, DC

7d•$96,050 - $133,475•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Senior Officer, Prospect Research and Strategy, you will be integral to our work in helping vulnerable children achieve a brighter future. You will play a pivotal role in our mission to drive transformative fundraising initiatives. Reporting to the Managing Director, Research, this position is at the heart of our efforts to secure major and principal gifts that enable us to make a lasting impact on children's lives worldwide. This role provides strategic input on philanthropic trends and new ways of giving, new donor markets, works across divisions to develop and qualify Individual Philanthropy Giving ‘s (IPG) pipeline of prospective high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and delivers concise, accurate, and timely donor research reports.

Requirements

Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience, plus 7+ years of progressive experience in prospect research, philanthropic intelligence, fundraising strategy, or related disciplines.
Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders, lead cross-functional initiatives, and drive organizational outcomes without direct authority.
Knowledge of Blackbaud CRM or similar donor database software.
Demonstrated ability to write clear, concise, organized, and comprehensive research briefings.
Ability to collect and research data; design workflows and procedures.
Proficiency in using research tools such as Lexis Nexis, Relationship Science, Wealth-X, or other similar platforms.
Understanding of financial documents, including SEC forms, to conduct comprehensive wealth analyses.
Demonstrated ability to analyze philanthropic patterns, trends, and relationships among individuals, corporations, and foundations.
Professional proficiency in MS Office suite.
Professional proficiency in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to fundraising and partnership teams, translating complex prospect, donor, corporate, and foundation intelligence into actionable engagement strategies while providing consultation, guidance, and training that strengthen prospect strategy, portfolio management, and fundraising effectiveness across the organization.
Strategically identify, qualify, and research prospective and existing individual donors to expand our major and principal gift opportunities.
Support portfolio and pipeline development by identifying high-potential prospects, surfacing relationship pathways, and recommending prioritization strategies based on capacity, affinity, timing, and organizational fit.
Analyze donor data and insights to inform frontline fundraisers in their cultivation strategies.
Collaborate with research peers, fundraisers, and operations leadership to develop and execute innovative research strategies.
Develop concise, insight-driven research briefings, profiles, and strategic memos that distill complex information into clear implications, recommended actions, and talking points for fundraisers and senior leaders.
Engage with Trustee Relations team to identify potential board members and conduct comprehensive research to support the development of our board pipeline.
Serve as the functional lead for Prospect Research & Strategy, establishing best practices, methodologies, and quality standards that strengthen organizational fundraising performance.
Act as a strategic liaison across Individual Philanthropy, Corporate Partnerships, and Strategic Foundation Partnerships to align needs with organizational priorities.
Lead complex, high-visibility research initiatives and special projects that support organizational fundraising goals, campaign priorities, board engagement, and strategic partnerships.
Partner with senior fundraising leaders to inform portfolio strategy, prospect prioritization, and long-term pipeline development through data-driven analysis and strategic recommendations.
Champion the responsible use of AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies to improve prospect identification, due diligence, analysis, reporting, and research effectiveness.
Evaluate potential vendors to identify new opportunities that align with our organizational needs.
Utilize predictive modeling to identify prospects and forecast giving behavior, leveraging past tendencies, interests, and demographics.
Provide leadership in prospect data governance, partnering with Advancement Operations and Business Technology to strengthen data quality standards, reporting capabilities, and research infrastructure.
Partner with other teams, including, Business Technology, Midlevel Giving, Corporate Partnerships, Strategic Foundation Partnerships, and the Office of the President to implement data-driven initiatives that enhance agency functionality.
Conduct comprehensive due diligence on corporate and foundation prospects and partners, assessing philanthropic potential, mission and values alignment, reputational considerations, ESG/public accountability signals, partnership history, and potential risks to inform go/no-go decisions and engagement strategy.

Benefits

Flexible schedules
Generous PTO
11 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays
Hybrid working opportunities
Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family
A variety of paid leaves: caregiver, parental/adoption, critical child illness and fertility benefits
Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees
A retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)
15 safety and wellness days annually (if hired on or after July 1, safety and wellness days prorated to 8 days)
Mental health benefits and support through Calm and company-hosted events
Employee Assistance Program: free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services
Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships