Senior Prospect Research Manager

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

Public Rights Project (PRP) is a national nonprofit organization that helps local government officials fight for civil rights. We build their capacity to protect and advance civil rights, convene and connect them on key issues, and provide legal representation to help them win in court for residents. Since 2017, we've recovered over $46 million in relief for marginalized people; built a network of over 1,300 government offices, elected officials, and community-based organizations in 50 states; trained 130 prosecutors and government lawyers in 24 states; and secured court victories on abortion, immigrant, workers’, and voting rights. Learn more about our work. 

JOB SUMMARY

Public Rights Project (PRP) is seeking a Senior Prospect Research Manager to strengthen our foundation for ambitious revenue growth. As a key member of our four-person development team, you will focus on research to support institutional giving while advancing our individual donor pipeline. You will lead prospect identification, research, and data analysis to ensure PRP pursues the right funders with the right strategies, creating systems and processes for data-driven prospecting, synthesizing complex information into actionable insights, and partnering closely with frontline fundraisers to meet goals and move opportunities forward. Reporting to the Director of Institutional Giving, this behind-the-scenes yet mission-critical role will be central to helping PRP achieve its revenue targets.

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, analytical professional who loves turning complex data into clear insights that fuel fundraising success. You will bring experience in prospect research and fundraising systems with a knack for building processes that keep a busy fundraising team moving forward. You’re excited to engage with PRP’s mission to help find supporters who will champion our work and have a commitment to social justice, responsible governance, and a strong democracy. This is an exciting opportunity to use your subject matter expertise within a collaborative, fun, and data-driven development team during a pivotal moment of organizational growth.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Prospect Identification & Research

• Proactively research, identify, and organize new potential institutional and major individual donors using demographic, philanthropic, and financial data and in alignment with PRP’s strategic goals.
• Conduct peer benchmarking, philanthropic landscape scans, and comparative analysis of peer organizations to inform research.
• Partner with program staff at PRP to understand strategic organizational initiatives and ensure strong alignment of prospects to programmatic goals.
• Build and maintain a robust donor prospect pipeline to diversify and expand PRP’s base of committed institutional and major donors.
• Prepare detailed profiles and research briefs to inform funding priorities and cultivation strategies.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Transform data and research into compelling case narratives, briefing memos, donor talking points, and internal communications for development staff and executive leadership. 
• Track and analyze trends across democracy, civil rights, and social justice philanthropy to guide PRP’s fundraising strategy.
• Create reports and dashboards to monitor progress toward revenue goals.

Database & Systems Management

• Maintain and update accurate prospect and donor information in PRP’s Salesforce CRM.
• Assess current prospecting and wealth screening tools (e.g., iWave); provide recommendations for additional resources and ensure their integration with internal systems.
• Remain informed of advances in prospect research, AI tools, data science, wealth screening, and philanthropy trends; propose and adopt new methods when needed.
• Partner with the development operations team and the Salesforce team to improve systems for data efficiency and quality.
• Build and manage prospect assignment processes to avoid duplication and ensure coordinated engagement across the team.

Strategic Support & Collaboration

• Provide actionable data analysis and reporting insights to support portfolio management, moves management, and overall fundraising strategy.
• Work closely with front-line fundraisers and leadership to identify viable institutional and individual prospect streams, anticipate needs, and recommend next steps in cultivation.
• Collaborate with colleagues across development to align research with donor stewardship and campaign strategies.

Process Improvement, Confidentiality & Ethics

• Develop and refine policies for prospect research and data management to strengthen consistency and accountability.
• Uphold strict ethical standards and data privacy regulations (including GDPR) in all research activities, including recommended fundraising and compliance guidelines.
• Stay informed about emerging issues in donor research, including AI-driven tools, data security, and funder ethics.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• 4–6 years of experience in prospect research, fundraising strategy, or related nonprofit development roles.
• Experience with prospect research tools (iWave, Candid, or similar) and CRM systems (Salesforce strongly preferred; Raiser's Edge, EveryAction, or equivalent).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of philanthropy and fundraising best practices; understanding of good government, social justice, civil rights, and democracy funding landscape strongly preferred.
• Systems-oriented mindset, with proven success in creating and improving processes.
• Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, collaborative, and data-driven environment.
• Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize complex data into actionable insights.
• Understanding of funder ethics or data security and awareness around using AI responsibly. 
• Strong project management skills; ability to manage multiple searches simultaneously and deliver results on a deadline. 
• A belief in the power of state and local government to make positive, progressive change in the world.
• A passionate commitment to economic, racial, gender, and environmental justice.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Other duties as assigned.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP:
Reports to the Director of Institutional Giving

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Requires sitting, talking and listening for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Fully remote organization and team. This role may require travel a few times a year to PRP events or meetings. We currently have remote staff in Oakland, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), and Washington, DC, as well as other cities.

COMPENSATION
The determined salary range for this level 4 role is set at $102,000 - $153,000. For internal equity, PRP can not engage in salary negotiations outside of this range.

PRP HIRING COMMITMENT:  
PRP is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. A diverse and inclusive workplace, both at PRP and within the government offices we serve, is a key ingredient for achieving our mission of building equitable enforcement capacity within state and local government. 

We aim to assemble a team that reflects the world we live in and the communities we serve with respect to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and immigration status. People with personal or family experience with the type of harms we seek to combat, including wage theft, predatory lending, fraud, discrimination, and environmental degradation are particularly encouraged to apply.

APPLICATIONS:
Please submit a resume through the PRP website, along with a response to the following question by October 31st: What draws you to PRP and what is one unique capability or characteristic that you would bring to the Senior Prospect Research Manager role, based on your experience?