Prospect Development and Operations Manager

Location: New York City Office and Hybrid

Reports to: Chief Development Officer

Status: Full-Time, Hybrid

Position Summary

The Prospect Development and Operations Manager is responsible for the comprehensive management of The Perlman Music Program’s fundraising operations, including gift processing, donor acknowledgment, database management, prospect research, and analytics. This role serves as the backbone of the development team, ensuring data integrity, timely donor stewardship, and strategic insights that drive fundraising success. The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, analytically minded, and passionate about leveraging data to support mission-driven work.

The Organization

Founded by Toby Perlman in 1994, The Perlman Music Program (PMP) offers musical training to young string players of rare and special talent. With a faculty led by Itzhak Perlman, PMP is developing the future leaders of classical music within a nurturing and supportive community.

PMP offers a year-round curriculum of programs and performance opportunities for exceptional string players ages 12 and up, focused on community building, musical excellence, and each child’s individual needs. Two signature summer residency programs – the Summer Music School and the Chamber Music Workshop – are hosted on PMP’s historic waterfront campus on Shelter Island, NY. A fall chamber music retreat, a winter residency in Sarasota, FL, and a biennial spring travel program in Tel Aviv are also offered to the student community, along with moments of mentorship and connection throughout the year. Concerts are regularly hosted in private and public venues in New York City, the East End of Long Island with occasional events in Florida, the West Coast, Chicago, and more. The administrative team is primarily based in the NY/Metro area, with a permanent office in New York City.

To learn more about PMP, visit perlmanmusicprogram.org.

Key Responsibilities

Gift Processing and Administration

• Process all incoming donations promptly and accurately, including checks, credit cards, wire transfers, stock gifts, and online contributions.
• Record gifts in the donor database with proper coding for designation, campaign, appeal, and acknowledgment requirements.
• Reconcile gift entries with finance department records on a monthly basis.
• Process pledge payments and send reminders for outstanding commitments.
• Manage recurring gift programs and process monthly sustainer donations.
• Coordinate with the finance team on gift acceptance policies, year-end procedures, and audit support.
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit financial regulations and maintain accurate gift documentation.

Donor Acknowledgment and Stewardship

• Generate timely and personalized acknowledgment letters for all gifts, ensuring compliance with IRS requirements.
• Coordinate with development staff on personalized thank-you notes and special acknowledgments for major donors as part of a larger stewardship strategy
• Manage donor communications including tax receipts, year-end statements, and pledge reminders.
• Maintain acknowledgment schedules and tracking systems to ensure no donor is overlooked.
• Prepare materials for donor recognition programs, including annual reports, donor walls, and recognition events.

Database Management and Reporting

• Serve as administrator of the donor CRM system, ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and integrity.
• Establish and maintain data entry standards, protocols, and best practices for the development team.
• Conduct regular data hygiene activities including duplicate detection, address updates, and record merging.
• Create and maintain constituent profiles with comprehensive contact information, giving history, and relationship notes.
• Generate standard and custom reports for fundraising campaigns, donor retention, pipeline analysis, and board presentations.
• Produce weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual fundraising reports with analysis and trends.
• Prepare lists and queries for mailings, events, and targeted solicitations.
• Track fundraising metrics and key performance indicators; provide analysis to inform strategy.

Prospect Research and Analytics

• Conduct prospect research on individual donors, foundations, and corporations to identify giving capacity and philanthropic interests.
• Develop donor profiles and briefings for development officers and executive leadership ahead of cultivation meetings.
• Analyze giving patterns and trends to identify opportunities for upgrades, lapsed donor reactivation, and planned giving prospects.
• Research corporate matching gift programs and assist donors with submission processes.
• Monitor wealth screening results and provide actionable insights to the development team.
• Build and maintain a prospect pipeline with capacity ratings, engagement levels, and assignment tracking.
• Research foundation and corporate grant opportunities aligned with organizational programs.
• Stay current on prospect research best practices, tools, and ethical guidelines.

Strategic Support and Process Improvement

• Partner with the Chief Development Officer to set fundraising goals and track progress against targets.
• Provide data-driven insights to inform fundraising strategy and resource allocation.
• Develop dashboards and visualizations to communicate fundraising performance to staff and board leadership.
• Identify opportunities to streamline development operations and improve efficiency.
• Support grant reporting requirements by pulling relevant donor and program data.
• Assist with special projects including capital campaigns, event planning, and strategic initiatives.
• Train development staff on database use, reporting tools, and data management protocols.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in nonprofit development operations, database management, or related fields.
• Proven expertise with donor CRM systems (Bloomerang, Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, DonorPerfect, or similar).
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret data, identify trends, and present findings clearly.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas) and reporting tools.
• Familiarity with AI tools (Gemini, ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, etc.)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of IRS regulations regarding charitable contributions and tax receipts.
• Ability to handle confidential donor information with absolute discretion.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with ability to manage multiple deadlines.

Preferred:

• Experience with prospect research databases (iWave, DonorSearch, WealthEngine, Foundation Directory).
• Experience with data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI).
• Knowledge of SQL or database query languages.
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) or willingness to pursue certification.
• Experience in higher education, arts, or sciences fundraising.

Competencies

• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Technical aptitude and systems thinking
• Relationship management and customer service orientation
• Process improvement mindset
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Adaptability in a fast-paced environment

Work Environment

PMP operates from an office on the Upper West Side in NYC, with the development team currently working two days per week from the office and three days remotely. Evenings and weekends, as well as occasional travel to the Shelter Island Campus is optional.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary commensurate with experience, $80,000-$100,000
• Selection of Benefits:
• Comprehensive medical benefits through Anthem, dental through Guardian, and vision through VSP, all with options for employee only/spouse/children/family plans
• Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts plans in addition to life and disability insurance
• Paid time off, including 15 days PTO, 13 federal holidays, plus one optional holiday
• Retirement benefits include 100% match up to 3% of annual salary

How to Apply

Please send a cover letter, resume, and three references to [email protected] . Include “Prospect Development and Operations Manager” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.