The Chesapeake Bay Foundation seeks a Senior Prospect Research Analyst in the Development Department to be based at the Philip Merrill Environmental Center located in Annapolis, MD.

 

THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION

Established in 1966, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the largest regional nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to saving the Chesapeake Bay, its rivers and streams, and the wildlife that call it home through education, advocacy, litigation, and restoration. Since 2010, CBF has engaged in a focused effort to defend and implement the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, a binding federal and state collaborative agreement aimed at reducing pollution to the science-based, legally-affirmed levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Blueprint is expected to be fully implemented by 2025. If the states and the federal government achieve Blueprint goals, the Bay will finally—after decades of failed efforts—be removed from the Clean Water Act’s impaired waters list. Successfully implementing the Blueprint depends on a well-informed, engaged, active, and diverse constituency of members, advocates, and volunteers who speak up and take action to save the Bay.

 

CBF has a staff of approximately 210 employees working in offices in Annapolis, Maryland; Richmond and Virginia Beach, Virginia; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C. as well as 15 field education program locations. Our staff and volunteer corps work throughout the region educating students and adults, advocating for clean water policies, restoring waterways, and litigating when necessary.

CBF’s headquarters office in Annapolis, Maryland is the Philip Merrill Environmental Center, the world’s first U.S. Green Build Council’s LEED platinum building. In 2014, CBF opened the Brock Environmental Center—one of the world’s most energy efficient, environmentally smart buildings—in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

CBF has an annual budget of approximately $30 million and is supported by over 300,000 members and e-subscribers. For more information on CBF, please visit cbf.org.

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION

Development

The mission of Development is to provide finan­cial resources for CBF to meet its long-term vision of saving the Bay. It establishes and implements strategies to motivate donors to contribute to the organization’s programs and projects through two primary areas of activity: development and membership.

 

 

CONTEXT OF THE POSITION

 

The Senior Prospect Research Analyst is primarily responsible for identifying and tracking major gift prospects, supporting a robust pipeline of high-net worth individuals, and leading the development and management of associated processes and procedures. The role is also responsible for fielding research requests from the Development team and Executive Office and for providing in-depth research that drives cultivation and solicitation strategies. Additionally, the position will play a key role in the development and documentation of research and prospect management training for the Development team.

 

 

Essential functions include:

 

Fields research requests from the Executive Office, Senior Leadership, Gift Officers, and other staff; and conducts background research and analysis in a timely and effective manner.

  • Prepares comprehensive written biographical and financial profiles on individual, corporate, and foundation donors and prospects in advance of donor meetings.
  • Prepares comprehensive background documents in advance of donor events and boat trips.
  • Assists the Development Operations team with data-related research requests to ensure proper stewardship and maintenance of donor records.

Leads proactive prospect identification efforts to evaluate prospective donors and their interests, relationships, inclination to give, and philanthropic capacity to support major donor and planned giving pipeline development and inform fundraising strategy development.

  • Monitors and analyzes wealth screening and modeling results to identify new individual major and planned gift prospects through data mining efforts.
  • Utilizes available online foundation tools, identifying new corporate, corporate foundation, and foundation prospects.
  • Executes a proactive research routine, utilizing methods such as daily news screens, push technology alerts, and donor lists to identify members with major gift capacity.
  • Prompts follow-up of donor and prospect leads generated by leadership, including the Board of Trustees, President, and Vice President for Development.

Develops a broad knowledge of CBF donors and their interests.

  • Tracks key donors in the news, philanthropic trends, current economic and world events, and evolving prospect research/management practices. Proactively shares appropriate and relevant details that add value to the engagement and cultivation of prospects and donors.
  • Produces various prospect lists designed to match donor interest to fundraising priorities.

Manages the data integrity efforts of the research and prospect management team.

  • Ensures upkeep of donor research and prospect management related data in CRM database, following department and organization developed processes and procedures.
  • Tracks movement within the major gift pipeline to reflect necessary portfolio transitions; and, working with the Development Support Services team, requests changes, fields questions, and ensures portfolio moves are complete.
  • Assist Development Operations team with data-related research requests to ensure proper stewardship and maintenance of donor records.

Leads training and process documentation efforts.

  • Collaborates with the Director of Research and Prospect Management to develop content and lead training sessions among major gift staff and other members of the Development Department on a range of topics related to prospect management.
  • Contributes to the development and upkeep of research and prospect management processes and procedures, ensures documentation is current, and utilizes training opportunities to ensure staff understand these processes and procedures.

 

PREFERRED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

 

  • 2-4 years of related work experience or transferable skills.
  • Knowledge of the fields of prospect research, prospect management, and development.
  • Well-developed writing, research, and proofreading/editing skills. Keen ability to understand and identify good major donor prospects.
  • Understanding of the range of resources available to prospect researchers including, but not limited to, Wealth Engine, Foundation Directory Online, other research software, internet sources, print directories, and town records.
  • Ability to analyze, interpret and synthesize large volumes of data and complex financial, legal, and technical language into easily comprehensible Information, using multiple resources as needed.
  • Ability to work independently, prioritize work, manage multiple tasks, build effective relationships, and meet deadlines.
  • Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite and proficient in Salesforce, or similar CRM systems.
  • Exceptional organization and time-management skills. This is an ideal position for a self-motivated, curious, and focused individual with strong attention to detail.

 

 

Salary Range:  $58,000 – $63, 000

 

To apply, please send resume and cover letter through job posting on CBF website.

 

CBF offers a comprehensive benefits package to include: 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, 2 floating holidays, health, vision, dental, life insurance, and a 403(b) retirement plan with matching contribution.

 

CBF requires that all staff be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  The successful candidate will need to submit verification of vaccination or have a valid religious or medical reason not to be vaccinated.

 

WE ARE COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND JUSTICE

 

Just as biodiversity is the key to a thriving ecosystem, human diversity is the key to saving the Bay. Success depends on people from widely diverse backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, identities, and races taking collective action. Clean water, clean air, and a safe environment are rights we all share.

 

To increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will:

 

  • Recruit and retain a staff, board, and membership that reflect the diversity of people living within the Chesapeake Bay region;
  • Strengthen and broaden the diversity of our partnerships;
  • Celebrate and value the diversity of staff; and
  • Fight to ensure that everyone has equal access to clean water, clean air, and a safe environment.

 

CBF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.