Senior Officer, Prospect Research & Management

About the role

The Senior Officer, Prospect Research & Management plays a key role in supporting the IRC’s sustainability by shaping team-level strategies and contributing to broader PRM planning. They are responsible for delivering advanced research and analysis, aligning research strategies with organizational goals, and providing expert strategic advice to senior staff and frontline fundraisers on US-based donors.

Responsibilities

• Produce and oversee the quality of confidential biographical, financial, and due diligence research profiles on US-based HNWI donors and prospects, applying advanced online and electronic sources and ensuring outputs meet the highest standards;
• Lead high-value pipeline development for fundraisers focused on the US market, applying sophisticated prospecting methodologies to identify, rate, and qualify HNWI donors capable of transformational financial support;
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to senior frontline fundraising colleagues in the US, aligning research strategies with organizational goals and providing expert input on donor and prospect management to drive increased support for the IRC’s clients;
• Develop and implement data-driven research strategies that align with organizational goals, integrating qualitative analyses and sector trends into actionable plans for prospect/donor management, opportunity development, and maximized revenue;
• Drive innovation in tools and methods supporting prospect research and portfolio management, including relationship mapping, analytics, and other appropriate metrics; proactively identify and evaluate new tools to meet strategic needs, and lead on process improvement initiatives within operational areas;
• Manage and optimise a suite of resources (e.g. CRM, subscription databases, media tools) to respond to strategic opportunities, and contribute to the procurement and development of new tools in line with team priorities;
• Lead and manage special projects (e.g. vendor screenings, data mining, ad hoc reports, process pilots) and conduct proactive research initiatives that anticipate business challenges and contribute to team-wide problem-solving;
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with prospect research-adjacent teams (Philanthropy account managers, Program Services team) at a senior level, actively seeking and incorporating stakeholder feedback to ensure alignment between operational needs and business objectives;
• Provide line management to PRM Manager and colleagues where feasible/appropriate, supporting their professional development, refining their research outputs, and fostering an inclusive and collaborative team environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree strongly preferred or equivalent experience (ideally 5+ years) applying quantitative and qualitative analysis and business intelligence in support of non-profit fundraising, with demonstrable expertise in US markets and an understanding of broader philanthropic trends;
• Proficiency in internet search engines and sophisticated search techniques, fundraising software, and data retrieval services (e.g. LexisNexis, iWave, Foundation Directory, etc.); able to evaluate and recommend new tools to meet strategic needs;
• Strong MS Office skills (Word, Outlook, and Excel in particular).

Essential Skills and Competencies

• Advanced research and database management skills (Salesforce); able to lead on development and documentation of team protocols and best practices;
• Ability to analyze, interpret, synthesize, and present complex data to senior stakeholders, translating findings into clear, actionable recommendations that align with business objectives;
• Ability to develop and lead proactive prospecting methodologies and strategic research initiatives that support organizational goals, including advanced data mining, sophisticated constituent database queries, and process improvement;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to present detailed findings to senior stakeholders and to support junior colleagues in developing their own communication and stakeholder engagement skills.