Manager, Development Prospect Research, Development

About the role:

The Manager, Development Prospect Research plays a vital role in advancing Vera’s ambitious fundraising goals by managing and strengthening our prospect identification, research, and qualification strategies across institutional, major, and principal giving and strategic board development. This role supports frontline fundraisers by delivering strategic insight and timely analysis to build and advance a dynamic pipeline of funders aligned with Vera’s mission.

Working closely with the Development and Executive teams, this position leads the development of tools and processes that ensure prospect data is well-curated, actionable, and integrated into the department’s broader strategy.

1. Prospect Identification and Research

Lead prospect identification, qualification, and due diligence efforts for individual, foundation, and corporate donors.

Conduct and synthesize research on philanthropic capacity, affinity, giving history, networks, and engagement opportunities to support fundraising strategy.

Develop clear, actionable prospect profiles, briefing materials, and strategic recommendations for development leadership, executive staff, and board engagement.

Proactively identify and prioritize high-potential prospects through wealth screening, database analysis, and external research tools.

Provide research support for donor meetings, events, board recruitment, and other strategic engagement opportunities.

2. Strategy and Collaboration

Partner with frontline fundraisers, development leadership, and program staff to align prospect strategy with fundraising and organizational priorities.

Provide strategic recommendations on donor capacity, inclination, and engagement opportunities to inform cultivation and solicitation efforts.

Proactively share prospect intelligence, relationship insights, and emerging funding opportunities with key stakeholders.

Lead targeted prospecting initiatives to identify new donors aligned with priority programs, geographies, and fundraising goals.

3. Systems and Tools Development

Develop and optimize research systems, workflows, and data management practices to improve efficiency, consistency, and data quality.

Partner with Development Operations to maintain accurate prospect data, ratings, and relationship intelligence within the CRM.

Evaluate and recommend research tools, subscriptions, and vendors, and train staff on prospect research methodologies and best practices.

Lead relationship-mapping and network analysis initiatives while staying current on emerging trends, technologies, and practices in prospect research and philanthropy.

4. Portfolio and Pipeline Management

Lead efforts to build, assess, and sustain a diverse, high-quality pipeline of prospective donors.

Partner with fundraisers and leadership to develop and optimize prospect portfolios based on capacity, affinity, and readiness.

Oversee prospect ratings, wealth screening, moves management, and research tracking to support portfolio growth and fundraising performance.

Analyze donor and prospect trends and establish policies and practices that strengthen pipeline management, data integrity, and fundraising effectiveness.

What qualifications are we looking for?

Required:

Bachelor’s degree and 6+ years of relevant experience. In lieu of degree requirement, applicable work or life experience may be considered.

5+ years of experience in development prospect research, donor intelligence, or related nonprofit fundraising roles.

Expertise with donor research methodology and practice, including wealth indicators and data analysis.

Experience with a broad range of subscription research tools.

Preferred:

Strong communicator, able to collaborate across teams and present findings in a concise, compelling way.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring:

Ability to synthesize large amounts of information and provide analysis.

Resourcefulness in pursuing knowledge.

Highly organized, detail-oriented and adept at follow-up while working effectively to meet deliverable due dates.

Demonstrated initiative, resourcefulness, and problem-solving skills.

Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Strong communication skills, both oral and written.

Committed to protecting donor data and sensitive or proprietary information.

Willingness to learn new systems and technology.

Committed to Vera’s mission of advancing justice and equity, and you bring a lens of inclusion and cultural competency to your work.

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and enjoy building systems that support strategy and growth.

Drives learning and professional growth in prospect development and philanthropy.

Location:

Please note this role will report to either our Brooklyn, NY (preferred) or Washington, DC office. Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month.

Compensation and Benefits:

The compensation range for this position is $100,000 - $105,000 .   Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute’s total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff - both personally and professionally - is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time. To learn more about Vera’s benefits offerings, click here .

Application Process:

To receive further consideration for this career opportunity, applicants are asked preliminary questions about logistics, their interest and qualifications. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional details about their experience via a phone screen/form in advance of an invitation for a virtual or in-person interview with the team. Some searches may explore scenarios during the interview process and/or an assessment prior to reference checks and a hiring decision.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People, Place, and Culture / [ JOBTITLE] Vera Institute of Justice 34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232 Fax: (212) 941-9407 Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission. No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

Vera is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org .