[Hiring] Development Lead @Rocky Mountain Institute

Role Description

The Development Lead – Prospect Research and New Business Development leads funder research, prospect development, active pipeline management, and research operations across fundraising verticals, including individuals, foundations, corporate philanthropy, corporate fee-for-service engagement partners, and the public sector.

This is an experienced Lead / senior individual contributor role for a candidate who can assess RMI's current state, strengthen standards, and help mature the prospect development function. The role supports unrestricted and general operating revenue growth by improving how prospects are identified, prioritized, tracked, and advanced; how prospect data is captured and surfaced in Salesforce or related data warehouse/reporting environments; and how AI, automation, and prospect intelligence are used responsibly to support better fundraising decisions.

The ideal candidate brings dedicated prospect development practice, data fluency, Apra-informed standards, and experience supporting prospect discovery across individual, foundation, corporate, and public-sector revenue streams. Individual/HNWI research experience is especially valuable given RMI’s unrestricted giving goals.

This role is part of RMI's Development & Strategic Engagement team and reports to the Director of New Initiatives & Partnerships (Strategic Services).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 5 years of dedicated experience in prospect research, prospect development, fundraising operations, donor services, advancement services, or a related nonprofit development function.
• Familiarity with the Apra Body of Knowledge, Apra-informed ethical research standards, and current prospect development practices; Apra membership, training, or equivalent professional development preferred.
• Experience identifying and qualifying prospects across fundraising verticals, including individuals/HNWIs, family offices, family foundations, donor-advised fund holders, institutional foundations, corporate philanthropy or fee-for-service partners, and public-sector funders; individual giving experience preferred.
• Experience with prospect research tools and methods, including DonorSearch, WealthX, Foundation Directory/Foundation Center, Relationship Science, Salesforce, screenings, relationship mapping, public records, due diligence, and moves-management support.
• Strong data fluency, including Salesforce reports/dashboards, segmentation, data mining, database overlays, data hygiene, pipeline reporting, and comfort partnering on Salesforce or data warehouse improvements.
• Experience using or evaluating AI-enabled research tools, workflow automation, data enrichment tools, or vendor systems to improve research speed, accuracy, and decision-making.
• Demonstrated analytical, project management, writing, collaboration, and stakeholder-management skills, including sound judgment with sensitive information; disciplined prioritization; due diligence and judgment; and ability to build shared ownership of next steps across a matrixed team.
• Experience working in the environmental, climate, clean energy sector, or adjacent mission-driven sector is preferred but not required.

Requirements

• Lead and evolve RMI's prospect research and prospect development work across the revenue portfolio, maintaining centralized prospect lists and pipelines.
• Identify, evaluate, and recommend U.S. and global prospects across revenue streams.
• Apply Apra-informed best practices in capacity, inclination, affinity, and readiness analysis.
• Own cross-vertical new business development workstreams.
• Actively manage program-specific and cross-program prospect pipelines.
• Conduct pipeline analysis, reporting, and financial pipeline reviews.
• Partner with Relationship Managers and program colleagues to prioritize prospects.
• Translate prospect and pipeline data into clear recommendations.
• Serve as a steward of high-quality prospect and pipeline data in Salesforce.
• Partner with Development Operations and data/technology colleagues.
• Develop standardized capacity, inclination, affinity, and readiness rating practices.
• Use AI and automation responsibly to reduce duplicative manual work.
• Identify, streamline, document, and improve internal processes.
• Promote knowledge-sharing and consistent adoption of prospect research processes.
• Train Development, Strategic Engagement, and Program colleagues on prospect research tools.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision insurance
• 403b retirement match with immediate vesting
• Group life, AD&D, and short- and long-term disability
• Optional voluntary life, AD&D and accident plans
• Health savings or flexible spending accounts
• Fertility and hormonal health support
• Mental health and wellness support
• Comprehensive leaves of absence (including generous parental leave)
• Generous paid time off and sick leave
• Paid sabbatical leave
• Regional holidays with at least one extended break in each geography
• Work from home and home technology allowances
• Learning & development opportunities (LinkedIn Learning and an annual individual professional development budget)
• Potential for bonuses and merit increases
• Discount marketplace (gym memberships, pet insurance, etc.)
• Hybrid / remote work options
• Team retreats and geographic meetups
• Rewards and recognition programs