Prospect Development Officer in London

The NSPCC’s mission is to end cruelty to children. Every childhood is worth fighting for. This belief drives our Engagement and Fundraising team to bring in the funds needed to protect children and prevent abuse.

Within the Engagement and Fundraising Directorate, our aim is to maximise resources for the NSPCC’s mission by raising funds, providing the best possible supporter experience, and building long‑term relationships between donors and our cause. We rely on the fundraising support of people across the UK for 90% of our annual income.

The Prospect Development Team sits within the Supporter Management Team within the Philanthropy & Partnerships department but works across the whole of Engagement & Fundraising. The team supports the Philanthropy and Corporate Partnerships fundraising teams in their prospecting and fundraising strategies. Our role is to help colleagues understand their supporters at an individual level and to highlight key trends and milestones in their journeys within the NSPCC. We aim to match opportunities for giving and engagement with our supporters’ charitable interests.

The Prospect Development Team offers prospect research, management, and identification services. The team collaborates with departments within the directorate on projects and initiatives that have the potential to further leverage major giving and corporate income. We also share insight and knowledge on the latest trends in philanthropy and corporate giving with the rest of the directorate, ensuring compliance with sectoral regulations.

As a Prospect Development Officer, your work will make a real difference to people’s lives, while providing an opportunity to develop your fundraising experience within a sector-leading team.

Job Purpose:

• Contribute to maximising income from supporters by carrying out prospect research and identification activities that contribute to fundraising activity.
• Deliver the Prospect Development Team’s strategy for supporting the growth of high-value income from individuals and organisations.
• Work effectively and proactively with other departments in fundraising, particularly Philanthropy and Partnerships, to ensure prospect research activities serve their insight requirements.
• Deliver prospect research profiles, identify new fundraising opportunities, and conduct activities that offer actionable insight.

Key Relationships – Internal:

• Reports to Prospect Development Manager.
• A member of the Prospect Development Team and the Philanthropy & Partnerships department.
• Works closely with colleagues in Engagement & Fundraising to develop information, reporting, and/or fundraising initiatives.
• Engages with staff in other NSPCC functions as necessary to ensure they are fully equipped to understand how potential and existing donors can connect to the NSPCC’s cause.

Key Relationships – External:

• Works with a range of agencies and suppliers that support fundraising research activities.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Devise, agree, and deliver aspects of the Prospect Development Team’s annual business plan and budget alongside the Prospect Development Manager.
• Delivery of business systems and processes within income generation in line with agreed key performance indicators.
• Manage relationships and deliver high-quality support, information, and data to fundraisers for whom you are assigned as lead contact.
• Carry out research through various sources to obtain relevant information for proposals, events, donor strategies, and fundraising communications.
• Analyse and present research findings in written or verbal format, including briefing notes and reports.
• Develop full and accurate research profiles on prospects and donors to make recommendations that contribute to departmental strategic goals.
• Proactively improve business support and information systems affecting fundraising activities.
• Work with the Prospect Development Manager to maximise opportunities for contributing to the NSPCC’s mission.
• Maximise income by sharing knowledge and expertise with others to add value to cross-market fundraising activities.
• Be a key contact for agencies and suppliers supporting fundraising, ensuring agreements are in place.
• Keep up to date on best practices and developments within the charity sector.
• Undertake specific projects and activities as necessary to support the department’s fundraising.

Responsibilities for all Staff within the Engagement and Fundraising Directorate:

• Commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk.
• Update databases and supporter information systems regularly in line with Data Protection legislation.
• Participate in regular department and team meetings, contributing to strategy discussions.
• Adhere to all NSPCC’s service standards, policies, and procedures.
• Demonstrate understanding and commitment to NSPCC’s values.
• Maintain awareness of and comply with NSPCC data protection regulations.
• Take personal responsibility for keeping up to date with NSPCC work to end cruelty to children.

Person Specification:

• Highly developed verbal communication skills to deal effectively with stakeholders and the public.
• Highly developed written communication skills to present complex information clearly.
• Ability to collect data, analyse findings, and present information clearly.
• Proven ability to build and manage relationships with individuals and teams.
• Ability to plan, monitor, and implement projects to agreed deadlines.
• Well-developed numeracy skills for entering and recording data.
• Experience in information provision/prospect research in a customer-focused environment.
• Experience using supporter or customer databases and Windows-based software packages.
• Experience in a research role, preferably in a major charity.

Safer Recruitment:

We are committed to creating a culture that promotes safeguarding and the welfare of all children and adults at risk. Our safer recruitment practices ensure a thorough process of obtaining, collating, analysing, and evaluating information about candidates to ensure suitability for working with children and adults.

Our principles include seeking to recruit the best candidate based on merit, committing to diversity and equality of opportunity, and ensuring reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities.