Prospect Researcher in London

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do.

You will receive:

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric Vehicle Scheme (subject to terms)
• Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,100 employees and over 20,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning. As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future. St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid.

Job Summary: At St John Ambulance, we're committed to saving lives through first aid, healthcare, and volunteering. To continue growing our impact, we're looking for an experienced Prospect Research Manager to lead and develop our prospect research function within the Philanthropy and Partnerships team. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of fundraising by identifying and qualifying high-value prospects, providing strategic insight, and ensuring our fundraising teams have the intelligence they need to build lasting relationships with donors, corporate partners, and trusts and foundations.

Working as part of the Fundraising, Brand and Communications Directorate, you'll develop a strategic roadmap for prospect research, oversee due diligence to help protect the charity's reputation, and work closely with colleagues across fundraising and data to maximise the potential of our Microsoft 365 CRM. Your expertise will help drive sustainable income growth while ensuring our data, processes, and practices meet the highest standards of quality, compliance, and data protection.

About You: You'll be an experienced and strategic prospect research professional with a strong understanding of how insight, data, and relationship-building can support successful fundraising. You'll combine excellent research skills with a proactive approach, using your expertise to identify opportunities, provide valuable intelligence, and help shape fundraising decisions.

To be successful in this role, you'll bring:

• Significant experience of undertaking prospect research and due diligence within a charity, fundraising, or commercial environment, with the ability to identify and assess new opportunities.
• Strong research and analytical skills, with experience using a range of research tools, databases, and CRM systems to produce accurate, insightful reports and recommendations.
• The ability to develop and implement effective strategies, systems, and processes that improve ways of working and support organisational goals.
• Experience building strong relationships and collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels, including briefing and influencing senior leaders.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly, produce high-quality written reports, and tailor messages for different audiences.
• A thorough understanding of data protection principles, fundraising compliance, and ethical approaches to prospect research and donor engagement.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, work independently, and deliver high-quality work to deadlines.
• A proactive and opportunity-focused approach, with the ability to spot potential, contribute positively to a team environment, and demonstrate St John Ambulance's HEART values.
• Strong IT skills, including experience using Microsoft Office applications and CRM databases.
• A good standard of education, including GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths (Grade 4/C or above), is required.

About the Role: Lead the development and delivery of St John Ambulance's prospect research strategy, creating a roadmap that supports fundraising priorities across philanthropy, corporate partnerships, trusts, and foundations. Manage the prospect research function, identifying and qualifying high-value funding opportunities while providing strategic insight to help maximise fundraising income. Conduct high-quality prospect research, network mapping, and due diligence, ensuring all recommendations align with the charity's ethical fundraising policy and protect its reputation. Build and manage fundraising pipelines by identifying new prospects, tracking opportunities, and working closely with fundraising colleagues to move prospects successfully through the cultivation journey. Develop and embed effective processes for prospect referral, research, and data management, ensuring accurate CRM records, GDPR compliance, and the adoption of fundraising best practice. Collaborate with colleagues across St John Ambulance and The Order of St John, presenting research findings, sharing expertise, and helping to build prospect research capability across the fundraising team.