Prospect Research Manager

Unite America seeks a full-time Prospect Research Manager to join our Investor Relations team, supporting a first-of-its-kind, cross-partisan philanthropic community that aims to mobilize resources to scale the democracy reform movement.

Strategy & Operations is the magic that keeps the Investor Relations team organized and accelerating. The Manager will support day-to-day operations for the IR team and own the end-to-end prospect pipeline from lead sourcing, through research and qualification, to maintaining the donor meeting calendar and generating meeting briefings for fundraisers, ensuring that the pipeline is always fully populated so that UA can exceed its fundraising goals.

The ideal candidate will be a highly agile team player and keen analytical thinker with the ability to effectively execute a range of tasks with support from other Investor Relations team members and leadership. Additionally, the ideal candidate will be organized, communicative, poised, and have a track record of being successful in a fast-paced and highly demanding environment.

Unite America encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply.

The position is based at Unite America’s headquarters in Denver, CO. Unite America offers a stipend for new hires willing to relocate.

RESPONSIBILITIES

This role reports to the Senior Director of IR Strategy & Analytics.

• Own UA’s Prospect Pipeline: The Manager is responsible for monitoring, populating, qualifying, and curating UA’s prospect pipeline so that the Fundraising team always has a deep well of qualified prospects. Partner with fundraisers to support management of their portfolios - responding to research requests, working together on briefings, and collaborating on prospect lists.
• Own UA’s Prospect Research Function: The Manager is expected to proactively generate and maintain Research Profiles for new prospects and Meeting Briefings in advance of all Fundraisers’ external meetings. Assess capacity, interests, philanthropy, and relationships to identify quality new prospects and opportunities with existing donors.
• Moves Management Coordination: Administrative tasks related to pipeline management, e.g. curating the team’s donor and prospect meeting calendar; during team meetings, taking notes and generating follow up tasks; coordinating execution of grant requirements and reporting; managing invoice tracking and donor acknowledgement process. And, specifically for the Head of the Department, supporting data entry into Salesforce.
• Data Management: Develop processes and systems to store research, data, and ensure effective use. Create lasting and ad hoc custom reports and dashboards in Salesforce, e.g. a list of prospects by city, for the IR team and its stakeholders.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Support communication and project alignment among fundraisers, events, marketing, and strategy teams, enhancing integration and operational efficiency. 

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will possess the attributes described below. If you don’t meet every qualification listed but believe you’d bring strong value to the role and our team, we encourage you to apply.

• Functional Experience: At least 3+ years of work experience that demonstrate the skills below. Experience in sales operations, fundraising operations, prospect research, or a related field is a plus.
• Analytical and Critical Thinking: Able to manage an important business process (the prospect pipeline) and to make and substantiate determinations on nuanced subjects like a prospect’s affinity for UA’s mission.
• Project Management: Capable of managing projects effectively, with superior attention to detail. Ability to create project plans, establish clear goals and objectives, effectively manage timelines and resources, and problem solve to keep projects on track.
• Research & Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to draft professional documents and donor briefings for Fundraisers in advance of their meetings.
• "Self-Starter" Orientation: Proactive, determined, self-directed, and possesses a "can-do" attitude.
• Organization and Time Management: Able to manage a high volume of varied tasks while ensuring all are completed on time, escalating risks and blockers before they create delays.
• Professional Discretion: Exhibits a high degree of professional discretion when working with high-profile individuals, ensuring maximum confidentiality is maintained.
• Authentic Commitment to Our Mission & Intellectual Curiosity: Demonstrates passion for American democracy and election reform, regardless of prior experience in the field. Shows genuine desire and curiosity about the issues.
• Humility, Respect, and a Commitment to Working Across Difference: Committed to inclusivity and adept at working with diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. Excited to collaborate with a team that spans political persuasions and ideologies, contributing to further diversity.
• Technical Proficiencies: Proficient in Google Suite (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Sheets, Slides, etc.) preferred. Experience with Salesforce is a plus.

OUR ORGANIZATION

Unite America is a non-partisan, philanthropic venture fund (composed of several legal entities) that invests in candidates, campaigns, and organizations in order to advance nonpartisan election reforms that will foster a more representative and functional government capable of solving America’s most pressing challenges.

Founded in 2014, Unite America and its 30+ person team has grown to be a leader in the democracy reform movement. The organization has existed in its current form, and with its current primary focus, since 2019; in that time, we have successfully mobilized tens of millions of dollars from scores of philanthropists to candidates and reform campaigns across the country. In 2024, Unite America mobilized over $70M to the election reform movement.

Recent victories where we played a leading or a major supporting role to win: a major anti-gerrymandering campaign in Virginia; a first-of-its-kind,top-four nonpartisan primary system in Alaska that helped elect one of the most ideologically diverse slate of statewide officeholders in recent history; and a ballot initiative in Nevada to implement Alaska-style reforms in that state. We are poised to dramatically scale our impact in the years to come.

At Unite America, we are working to build a more representative and functional government that puts voters first and reflects the diversity of our country, and an inclusive democracy in which leaders embrace problem-solving over fueling divisiveness. Likewise, we have a vision of building an organization that reflects diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives; a culture of working across differences toward common goals; and a workplace where everyone feels included, respected, and heard. To that end, Unite America is proud to have made diversifying our team, ensuring more equitable opportunity, and fostering a culture of belonging a priority. Our organizational values reinforce this commitment as we work to model the leadership we seek, solve problems together, and take care of one another, to name a few.

The Investor Relations Team

The Investor Relations team at Unite America is the driving engine responsible for engaging a national, cross-partisan network of political philanthropists to mobilize over $100M in new resources to the democracy reform movement over the coming years.

We seek to bring a philanthropic venture capital model to scaling a movement that has, to date, remained too disparate and undercapitalized. To do so, we serve as a one-stop shop for philanthropists who want to maximize their impact but do not have the capacity or expertise to conduct their own diligence. The Investor Relations department packages investment opportunities into a cohesive portfolio, convenes our philanthropic community and engages prospective donors, and reports back to them on progress and results.

• Competitive Compensation (est. $70-$90k)
• 401(k) Plan (with up to a 3% employer contribution match)
• Health Care Plan (medical, dental, and vision)
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (vacation, sick days, public holidays, and team-wide wellness days)
• Family Leave (maternity, paternity, and adoption)
• Paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff
• Training & Professional Development
• Wellness Resources
• Opportunity to join an inclusive, vibrant, and diverse team
• Last but not least, the chance to make a real difference in guaranteeing a strong democratic future for our country!

The priority application deadline for this position is July 11th, 2025. Applications submitted after this date will still be reviewed, but preference will be given to applicants who meet the deadline.