Manager, Development Research and Operations

About The Position 

The KIPP Foundation raises funds to support tens of thousands of students from Black and Latinx communities coast-to-coast so they will be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to live choice-filled lives. Expanding the set of champions invested in and engaged with KIPP, at the national and regional level, is critical to deliver our ambition. Reporting to the Senior Director, Development Operations, the Manager, Development Research and Operations will play an important role in fueling our plans and advancing educational opportunity. 

The Manager is responsible for identifying and researching potential individual and institutional donors to invest in KIPP at the national and regional levels. They will also manage data surfaced through research, annual campaigns at the Friends Donor Level (Up to $25,000), and other projects within Development Operations.  

Development Operations is a collaborative, service-oriented group within the Development team, focused on providing the front-line fundraisers with the data, analytics, reporting, research, systems, processes, and training needed to do their jobs effectively. 

Responsibilities 

Prospect Research 

• Conduct comprehensive fundraising research to identify individuals, corporations, and foundations with the capacity to make major and principal gifts to KIPP Foundation. Utilize various resources including internal and external databases, wealth screening tools, AI, and publicly available information to gather prospect data. 

• Work closely with the frontline fundraising team to align prospect research efforts with fundraising goals and priorities. As requested, provide support to fundraising staff in prospect identification and cultivation strategies. 

• Assist with meetings and events preparation, including creating well-written and researched profiles, event bios, and briefs that are provided to Foundation fundraisers and senior leadership. 

• Support fundraisers in tracking donor interactions, solicitations, and outcomes to measure portfolio progress. 

• Proactively suggest targeted wealth screening to conduct and/or new prospects to research based on knowledge of KIPP, the charter school and ed reform sectors, and of KIPP supporters. 

• Working closely with the Senior Director, participate in regular portfolio management meetings with fundraisers, ensuring that accurate and up-to-date records of prospect information is reflected in the database. 

Friends-Level Giving & Development Operations 

• Working closely with the Senior Director, Development Operations as well as the Vice President, Individual Giving, operationalize plan for frontline fundraisers to secure annual fundraising gifts from individuals in their portfolios, using a variety of outreach methods. 

• As directed, coordinate and oversee Development Operations projects from inception to completion, ensuring they align with goals and expectations. 

• For all projects, develop detailed project plans, including scope, timelines, and resource allocation, to guide team efforts and track progress. 

• Facilitate communication among project stakeholders to maintain transparency and project alignment. 

• Monitor project performance, identifying any issues or risks, and implement timely solutions to mitigate impact on project deliverables. 

• Conduct project reviews and create reports to document learnings and provide insights for continuous improvement.