The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Manager, Prospect Development in the Development Department of the ACLU’s National Office in New York, NY.

The ACLU’s passionate community of donors and activists is stronger than ever. The mission of the ACLU’s Development Department is to unlock the full potential of donors and the ACLU as partners in the creation of a more perfect union. We pursue our mission by building long-term donor relationships and organizational partnerships, by demonstrating impact in response to threats, engaging donors how they wish to engage, taking an interest in our donors and facilitating personal action, being accountable stewards of their funds, and asking donors to consider giving the ACLU their full support. 

Reporting to the Deputy Director, Prospect Development, the Manager, Prospect Development is a critical member of the Nationwide Development Resources unit’s prospect development team. The Manager will be primarily responsible managing a queue of prospect research requests, preparing prospect research for fundraisers, identifying new prospects for major gifts portfolios, portfolio management, coordinating data upload projects, and ensuring that accurate donor information is collected and maintained in the ACLU donor database.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Under supervision of the Associate Director, Prospect Development, manage the nationwide prospect research queue, tracking requests for research from national and affiliate staff, assigning researchers to requests, and following up on deadlines to ensure timely completion. Respond to all general questions directed to the prospect development team via the email queue
Prepare written research profiles, event attendee bios, and qualification lists to support the cultivation of individual and organizational prospects. Discuss findings and strategy recommendations with national and affiliate development staff as appropriate
Identify and evaluate prospects for making major gifts ($25,000+ annual capacity) to support the ACLU’s fundraising goals, and recommend them for appropriate fundraiser portfolios.
1) Execute proactive prospecting methodologies;
2) identify new prospects (through gift upgrade reports, segmentation scores, database screening, news reports, etc.);
3) evaluate identified prospects, applying a sophisticated understanding of wealth indicators and philanthropic inclination; and
4) recommend them for major gifts portfolios based on their ability to financially support the ACLU at a leadership level
Under the supervision of the Deputy Director, Prospect Development, execute portfolio optimization analysis as needed for affiliate or national major gifts portfolios, to assess whether portfolios are achieving benchmarks and key performance indicators
Utilize online databases and resources, in-house data, and other references to conduct prospect research and determine gift capacity ratings
Prepare data exports and uploads for vendor screenings, providing technical support to fundraising staff, and ensuring data hygiene in the ACLU’s CRM
Create and maintain accounts for affiliate and national fundraiser for prospect research vendor resources. Provide customer service troubleshooting for vendor account management
Participate in working groups, prospect development presentations, staff trainings, and onboarding of new nationwide development staff as needed as a team member of the Nationwide Development Resources unit
Stay current regarding best practices for prospect development through professional research association memberships and continued education

In addition to:

Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes
Commitment to the mission of the ACLU
Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Demonstrated knowledge of prospect research and major gifts portfolio management best practices
Strong analytical ability required in order to interpret research needs, perform analysis, create reports and data solutions, and follow-through in a timely manner
Ability to manage multiple project requests simultaneously and meet tight deadlines
Excellent writing and verbal communication skills
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle confidential donor/constituency information with sensitivity and integrity
Commitment to prospect research ethics and the ACLU’s strong privacy principles

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

A minimum of three (3) years’ prospect development experience preferred
Advanced skills in fundraising databases, querying, and Microsoft Excel is strongly preferred
Salesforce experience and experience with major prospect research vendors preferred

COMPENSATION

The ACLU values equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with the ACLU’s compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for this role. The annual salary for this position is $99,612 (Level H), reflective of a position based in New York, NY, where our National offices are headquartered. This salary will be subject to a locality adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.

ABOUT THE ACLU

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.