Research Director

Director of Prospect Research and Portfolio Management (LCV) Posted on February 18, 2020 General Description: LCV believes our earth is worth fighting for because everyone has a right to clean air, water, and a safe, healthy community. To ensure those rights are protected, we help people use their power to shape policy, hold politicians and polluters accountable, and influence elections. Our over 2 million members, our volunteers and staff, and our more than 30 state affiliates (together, the Conservation Voter Movement) work for a more just and equitable democracy, where people—not polluters—determine our future. This movement is an influential national network with unparalleled influence in Washington, DC, in state capitals, and in communities around the country. We are unmatched in our ability to ensure meaningful action on our key issues. We aim to bring people and communities together across racial, geographic, political, religious, economic and other differences toward collective goals instead of dividing us from one another. Responsibilities: Leads the development and implementation of a top-notch Research and List Management program which partners with LCV’s Major Gifts Team to ensure that all portfolios have sufficient appropriate prospects in key markets to allow us to hit our ambitious fundraising goals. Ensures prospect research briefings are timely, accurate and focus on key details for maximum fundraising results. Applies expertise to improve and expand upon existing research systems and protocols to streamline and make the overall process more efficient. Identifies and qualifies high-level major donor prospects and is responsible for the quality and accuracy of the major donor portfolios and outreach lists used by LCV’s president, executive team and the Major Gifts Team. Proactively identifies points of access to high net worth prospects ($100K+ capacity) and other potential connectors who already have relationships with the LCV family of organizations. Develops and implements a strategy and process for a regular and consistent refresh of contact information for prospects to ensure access to donors is as easy and streamlined as possible for major gifts officers. Grows the 2020 donor pyramid with research-confirmed high net worth individuals and helps plan for future multi-year investments. Develops a broad awareness of LCV and LCVEF’s programs to support the identification of individuals whose philanthropic interests align with our work. Manages the ongoing development of the prospect and donor base using donor models and analyzing donor trends to maintain a constant influx of quality new prospects in portfolios with confirmed affinity and capacity. Ensures the racial diversity of each Major Gift Officer’s portfolio and continues to identify new prospective donors of color. Works with the Major Gifts Team to establish cultivation and solicitation strategies for current and prospective major donors. Conceptualizes and expands prospecting methodologies to support LCV’s fundraising goals. Maintains database coding of suspects and prospects to ensure accurate tracking of the donor pipeline. Works with fundraisers to provide expertise and guidance on accurate interpretation of information and assists with forming cultivation and stewardship plans. Maintains an overall knowledge of top donors and prospects. Contributes to organizational and department efforts to infuse racial justice and equity into all aspects of our work, including our fundraising. Other duties as assigned. Qualifications: Work Experience: Required - 5-7 years of experience in a robust major gifts research program, including tracking and management of the research process in a donor database. Experience creating and maintaining donor pipeline and tracking procedures in donor databases. Strong experience with donor databases. Experience managing staff. Preferred - Issue advocacy or political experience. Skills: Required - Extensive knowledge of research tools and techniques. Excellent analytical skills and an advanced level of proficiency in Excel. Adept at maintaining systems for easy access to information and data. Highly organized with a thorough attention to detail. Skilled at clearly communicating and supporting relevant conclusions drawn from the analysis and synthesis of disparate data sources. Ability to communicate database tracking procedures and systems to staff with various levels of technical skills. Strong multi-tasking skills, including organization, flexibility to shift priorities based on urgent needs, and confidence to ask for help. Extremely motivated by goals to produce excellent results and exceed expectations. Preferred - Familiarity with Target Analytics or other donor modeling. Knowledge of Salesforce, Tableau and/or SQL. Knowledge of tools like iWave, WealthEngine, FoundationSearch, LexisNexis, and political giving databases. Cultural Competence: Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about difference, and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms. Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture. Understands how environmental issues intersect with racism, economic and social inequality in the U.S. and has a passion for working to dismantle these systems. Conditions: Able to work hours exceeding stated office hours to get the job done; ability and willingness to travel for annual staff retreat and state league conference, as well as state trainings as needed. The location of this position is flexible. LCV is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a racially just, equitable and inclusive workplace. #J-18808-Ljbffr