Advancement Research Manager

American Ballet Theatre; New York (NY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

American Ballet Theatre seeks a Research Manager to join the Advancement team. You will drive fundraising success through strategic data analysis, donor research, and prospect profiling to identify, qualify, and maximize revenue opportunities.

You will partner with Development staff to analyze individuals, corporations, and foundations, build detailed donor profiles, and produce briefing materials. Strong analytic, communication, and CRM skills are essential to inform strategy and ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• 5–7 years of experience in prospect research, fundraising, or a related field.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and research skills with high attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive and reactive research for prospective and current donors.
• Assess capacity, affinity, and philanthropic inclination of donors and prospects.
• Produce donor profiles, briefings, and research reports for internal stakeholders.
• Partner with Advancement staff to support portfolio strategy, including donor upgrades and moves management.
• Maintain accurate donor and prospect records in CRM systems, with fully integrated research.
• Utilize research tools and data platforms (e.g., iWave, WealthX).
• Support donor stewardship, including correspondence and fulfillment of donor benefits.
• Assist with event preparation, including research and briefing materials.

Skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree

Tools

Salesforce

Tessitura

Raiser's Edge

Excel

Microsoft Office

iWave

WealthX

Candid

Job description

The Research Manager is a key member of the Advancement team, supporting fundraising efforts through strategic data analysis (to identify donor prospects), prospect research (to qualify prospects, , and donor research (to build in-depth profiles of current donors). Working closely with Development staff, this role is responsible for identifying, qualifying, and analyzing individuals, corporations, and foundations to inform fundraising strategy and maximize revenue opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive and reactive research through Identification, qualification, and analytics for prospective and current donors.
• Be able to assess capacity, affinity, and philanthropic inclination of donors and prospects.
• Produce clear, concise donor profiles, briefings, and research reports for internal stakeholders.
• Partner with Advancement staff to support portfolio strategy, including donor upgrades and moves management.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor and prospect records in CRM systems, ensuring research is fully integrated and documented.
• Utilize research tools and data platforms (e.g., iWave, WealthX, etc.)
• Support donor stewardship efforts, including correspondence, acknowledgments, and fulfillment of donor benefits
• Assist with event preparation, including research, compiling face books with updated photos and bios, guest lists, and briefing materials.
• Monitor news and public sources for relevant donor and prospect updates, sharing insights with staff.
• Provide guidance on research tools and best practices to team members and support interns as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• 5–7 years of experience in prospect research, fundraising, or a related field.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and research skills with high attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Tessitura, Raiser’s Edge) and proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Office.
• Familiarity with prospect research tools and databases (e.g., iWave, WealthX, Candid, etc.).
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively across teams.

ABT is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law.

Disclaimer

• The job description above is intended to set forth the general nature of the work that will be expected of the person who takes on this role. The job description is not, however, meant to be construed as an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities required for this role. From time to time, all personnel may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities as needed.