Prospect Development Officer

This position will be based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or Washington, D.C. FIRE operates on a hybrid work schedule that allows for a mix of in-the-office and remote work for eligible employees. Fully remote work will not be considered for this position.

About FIRE

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s mission is to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.

Position Description

FIRE is looking for an entrepreneurial, curious, and highly motivated individual who loves our mission and wants to introduce it to people who have not yet discovered us. In this role, you will identify individuals with the potential to become significant philanthropic partners ($10,000+), figure out what aspects of FIRE’s work will resonate with them, and create thoughtful ways to bring them into our community.

You will have considerable ownership over how you build FIRE’s prospect pipeline. One day you might uncover a promising donor through research; another, you might map a connection through FIRE’s existing network, craft a personalized introduction, attend an event, or develop a strategy for reaching prospective supporters in a new city.

Your goal is to turn promising names into relationships, and relationships into donors who are excited to advance FIRE’s mission.

There is no single background that we are looking for to fill this role. You might be early in your career and eager to prove what you can do, or you might be a seasoned development professional looking for an opportunity to build something. What matters most is that you believe in FIRE’s mission, are energized by finding and connecting with new potential supporters, and have the drive and creativity to turn opportunities into results.

If that sounds like you, we want to hear from you!

What You’ll Do

• Find FIRE’s next major donors. Identify, research, and qualify individuals with the capacity and inclination to make significant gifts to FIRE, using prospect research, relationship mapping, AI, and good old-fashioned curiosity.
• Turn prospects into relationships. Build and manage a portfolio of prospective donors, develop individualized strategies for engaging them, and conduct thoughtful outreach through emails, letters, phone calls, meetings, referrals, events, and other creative approaches.
• Open doors through FIRE’s network. Work with existing donors, board members, staff, and other friends of FIRE to uncover connections, secure warm introductions, and expand the universe of people who know and support FIRE’s work.
• Create compelling ways to introduce people to FIRE. Learn what motivates individual prospects and develop personalized emails, letters, presentations, briefings, and other materials that connect their interests with the parts of FIRE’s mission most likely to resonate with them.
• Know the landscape and spot opportunities. Keep a finger on the pulse of the news, issues, debates, and influential people relevant to FIRE’s mission. Use that knowledge to spot emerging opportunities, identify potential supporters, and find creative ways to introduce FIRE to people who should know us.
• Build and continually improve FIRE’s new donor pipeline. Partner with Philanthropy Officers and Development leadership to move promising relationships forward, determine when opportunities should transition to forward-facing fundraisers, track results in Salesforce, and experiment with new tools and approaches to make FIRE’s prospecting more effective.

The expected start date for this position is ASAP.

This position could involve approximately 15% of travel.

Qualifications

The path you took to get here is less important than whether you have the qualities to succeed in this role. Most importantly, you must believe deeply in FIRE’s mission and be able to communicate that enthusiasm in a way that gets other people excited about our work. A successful candidate will have a good work ethic, be a self-starter, and have the ability to work independently.

A candidate must also be able to demonstrate:

• An entrepreneurial, results-oriented mindset.
• Organized enough to turn hustle into results. 
• Excellent interpersonal instincts.
• An understanding of how to personalize FIRE’s mission and stories.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The confidence to initiate. 
• Resourcefulness and intellectual curiosity.
• Persistence and follow through.
• A working knowledge of donor database platforms like Salesforce (preferred, not required). 
• A working knowledge of donor prospecting methods (preferred, not required).

Salary and Compensation

Because we are intentionally considering candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, education, and experience levels, the projected salary range for this position is $50,000–$85,000. Compensation within that range will reflect the successful candidate’s experience, skills, and qualifications. FIRE conducts periodic evaluations where employees may receive raises or bonuses for outstanding work. FIRE also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid comprehensive health, dental, and life insurance for employees, a Section 125 Flexible Spending Account option, matching retirement contributions, and a generous paid time-off plan.

Applications

Applicants should provide a resume, cover letter, a writing sample, salary requirements, and contact information for at least two professional references. All applications are confidential.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

FIRE is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

As part of FIRE's hiring process, all candidates receiving a conditional offer of employment will be required to undergo a background check as permitted by and in compliance with federal, state, and local law.