Philanthropy Officer

Philanthropy Officer - Prospect Research We are delighted to be supporting a leading charity with the appointment of an Philanthropy Officer - Prospect Research to join its fundraising team. The successful candidate will combine prospect research, donor intelligence, relationship management and fundraising coordination to help identify and develop new philanthropic opportunities. A significant part of the role will involve researching prospective donors, understanding their interests, networks and capacity to give, and using this insight to strengthen the fundraising pipeline and inform cultivation strategies. Alongside prospect research, the postholder will manage a portfolio of mid-value prospects and existing supporters, supporting them through cultivation, stewardship and solicitation. The role will also provide essential fundraising administration and coordination, ensuring donor information, communications, financial processes and pipeline activity are managed accurately and effectively. Key Responsibilities Conduct proactive prospect research to identify new individuals and philanthropic prospects with potential Research prospective and existing donors, identifying their philanthropic interests, giving history, professional and personal networks, areas of influence and potential alignment with the Appeal. Translate prospect research into actionable donor intelligence , providing clear recommendations to inform cultivation, engagement and solicitation strategies. Support prospect qualification and prioritisation, helping to build and maintain a strong and well-researched fundraising pipeline. Undertake appropriate background research and due diligence on prospective and existing supporters, ensuring information is accurate, relevant and handled sensitively. Maintain comprehensive and up-to-date prospect and donor records, ensuring all activity, research, interactions and next steps are accurately captured. Proactively manage an assigned portfolio of mid-value donor prospects and existing supporters , developing relationships and securing philanthropic income for the Appeal. Develop tailored stewardship and cultivation plans based on individual donor interests and motivations. Coordinate donor meetings, cultivation opportunities and engagement activities, including preparing research-led briefing materials and ensuring timely follow-up. Support the planning and delivery of donor events and other cultivation activity linked to the Appeal. Coordinate the supporter journey, ensuring donors receive timely, relevant and high-quality communications throughout their relationship. Support the preparation of compelling funding proposals, presentations, donor reports and impact communications. Coordinate programme updates and impact information, ensuring donors can clearly understand the difference their support is making. Provide effective fundraising administration, including gift processing, donation recording, acknowledgements and responding to supporter enquiries. Maintain high standards of data quality and ensure supporter information is accurate, timely and compliant with data protection requirements. Proactively use and maintain the fundraising CRM, ensuring records provide an accurate reflection of donor relationships, prospect activity and the wider pipeline. Support financial administration, including invoices, purchase orders and monitoring income and expenditure. Work collaboratively with fundraising colleagues and wider teams to develop compelling cases for support and maximise philanthropic opportunities. Keep informed of fundraising trends, emerging prospects and best practice in prospect research and donor development, making recommendations where appropriate. Ensure all fundraising activity complies with relevant policies, regulations, the Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice and organisational best practice. Person Specification We are looking for a research-led and relationship-focused fundraiser who combines excellent analytical skills with the ability to build strong supporter relationships. You will ideally have: Experience in prospect research, fundraising research, development, donor relations, business intelligence or a related field . Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to identify relevant information from a wide range of sources. Experience researching individuals and organisations to assess philanthropic interests, connections, capacity and potential. The ability to turn research findings into clear, concise and actionable recommendations for fundraisers and senior stakeholders. Strong attention to detail and excellent information management skills. Experience maintaining accurate donor, prospect or customer records within a CRM system; experience with Raiser's Edge or a similar database would be advantageous. Experience managing or supporting a portfolio of donors, prospects or stakeholders. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with