Prospet Development Manager

Rhode Island Bar Assn.; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Rhode Island Bar Assn. seeks a Prospect Development Manager to advance a program that integrates prospect research, management, and portfolio strategy to drive donor pipeline growth and campaign success.

You will partner with frontline fundraisers and senior leadership to ensure disciplined move management, data-informed decisions, and Salesforce documentation of moves and stages. The role requires a Bachelor’s degree and 3–5 years in prospect development, with strong analytics and excellent

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 3–5 years of progressive experience in prospect development.
• Experience managing fundraiser portfolios and donor pipelines.
• Strong written, analytical, and communication skills.
• Experience with Salesforce is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate a comprehensive prospect development program across research and management.
• Maintain a donor stage continuum with clear definitions and benchmarks.
• Develop SOPs for prospect development functions.
• Provide strategic guidance on move management and pipeline integrity.
• Produce dashboards and reports on pipeline health and fundraising progress.

Skills

Prospect research

Portfolio management

Move management

Data analysis

Executive briefings

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Salesforce

Excel

Job description

The Prospect Development Manager is an integral member within the Development team, responsible for advancing a comprehensive prospect development program that integrates prospect research, prospect management, and portfolio strategy. This role drives the identification, qualification, tracking, and movement of prospects through the donor lifecycle to support revenue growth and campaign success.

The Manager partners closely with frontline fundraisers and senior leadership to ensure disciplined portfolio management, move management, and donor pipeline integrity, while establishing and maintaining a clearly defined donor stage continuum. This role ensures that all prospect activity is data-informed, systematically documented, and aligned with organizational fundraising priorities.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Prospect Development Strategy & Leadership

• Manage the execution of a comprehensive prospect development program, integrating prospect identification, research, and management.
• Establish, implement, and continuously refine a donor stage continuum (e.g., identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship) with clear definitions, criteria, and benchmarks.
• Develop and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for prospect development functions, ensuring consistency, scalability, and alignment with best practices.
• Serve as a strategic partner to the AVP of Development Operations and Strategy in advancing data-driven fundraising strategies and campaign priorities.

Prospect Identification & Research

• Oversee proactive and reactive prospect research to identify high-capacity individuals, foundations, and corporate prospects aligned with WHHA priorities.
• Synthesize complex information (wealth indicators, philanthropic interests, affiliations) into actionable intelligence for leadership and fundraisers.
• Produce high-quality briefings for executive leadership, including the President’s Office, for meetings, events, and donor engagements.
• Continuously evaluate and refine prospecting strategies to grow and diversify the donor pipeline.

Portfolio & Prospect Management

• Lead the strategic management of fundraiser portfolios, ensuring appropriate prospect assignment, balance, and optimization for performance.
• Conduct regular portfolio reviews with frontline fundraisers to assess engagement strategies, pipeline health, and progress toward goals.
• Establish and monitor portfolio metrics, including caseload size, stage distribution, activity levels, and movement toward solicitation.

Move Management & Pipeline Integrity

• Design and implement a robust move management system that tracks and drives prospect engagement across the donor lifecycle.
• Ensure all prospect activity, moves, and stage transitions are consistently and accurately documented in Salesforce.
• Monitor pipeline progression to ensure timely movement of prospects through stages, identifying and addressing stagnation or gaps.
• Provide strategic guidance to fundraisers on next steps, engagement strategies, and solicitation readiness.

Data, Reporting & Analytics

• Develop and maintain dashboards and reports that provide visibility into pipeline health, portfolio performance, and fundraising progress.
• Analyze trends and data to inform decision-making, resource allocation, and strategy refinement.
• Ensure data integrity and governance within Salesforce related to prospect records, portfolios, and moves.

Collaboration & Support

• Partner with frontline fundraisers to support proposal development, donor strategy, and engagement planning.
• Collaborate with Development Operations, Donor Relations, and Events teams to align prospect strategies with broader engagement efforts.
• Stay current on industry trends and tools in prospect development, incorporating innovations where appropriate.

Other Duties

• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of the Development team and organizational priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience in prospect development, including prospect research and prospect management.
• Demonstrated experience managing fundraiser portfolios, move management systems, and donor pipelines.
• Strong experience with CRM systems required (Salesforce preferred).
• Proven ability to translate data and research into actionable fundraising strategy.
• Excellent written, analytical, and communication skills, with experience preparing executive-level briefings.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• High level of discretion and commitment to confidentiality.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook).