Prospect Research Manager
The Advancement Entity / Advancement Operations Department is currently looking for a Prospect Research Manager reporting to the Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Advancement Operations. This is a central position that is primarily based on Beirut campus, with occasional commuting to Byblos campus.Role Summary
The Prospect Research Manager is mainly responsible for leading operational prospect research. S/he is responsible for producing high-quality research output to support a growing team of frontline fundraisers, ensuring that donor strategies are informed by accurate, timely, and useful data.
S/he will support the discovery and qualification of new prospects, build balanced fundraising portfolios, and contribute to campaign pipeline development. This role will also collaborate with CRM and analytics colleagues to ensure research data is integrated into LAU’s systems and reporting tools.
The manager supervises the role of Prospect Researcher(s).
Main Duties & Responsibilities
- Sets research priorities, assigns projects, and monitors quality and timeliness of deliverables
- Works closely with the AVP for Advancement on prospect discovery and strategic donor cultivation
- Maintains ethical standards and best practices in prospect research
- Oversees the identification, qualification, and profiling of individual, corporate, foundation, and alumni prospects
- Uses tools such as WealthEngine, iWave, LinkedIn, Foundation Directory Online, and internal CRM data to assess giving capacity and philanthropic interests
- Produces donor profiles, wealth screenings, and executive briefings for fundraisers and university leadership
- Conducts proactive research to discover new prospects aligned with campaign priorities
- Partners with fundraisers to build and maintain strong, strategic portfolios
- Supports moves management and tracks prospect engagement using Raiser’s Edge NXT
- Contributes to campaign pipeline development and reporting
- Works closely with the prospect research team in New York
- Collaborates with the Analytics team to ensure research data is accurately captured and reported
- Coordinates with Directors of Development and the Stewardship & Donor Engagement Manager to align research with donor engagement and recognition strategies
- Supports cross-functional initiatives including alumni engagement scoring and event-based prospecting
- Sets clear goals, expectations, and priorities for the team. Monitors individual and team performance regularly. Tracks progress against objectives and timelines
- Provides on-the-job training and coaching for team members to enhance their skills and effectiveness
- Performs other duties pertinent to this job as assigned by the direct supervisor
Minimum Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 6 years of experience in advancement research, prospect strategy, or fundraising support and analytics, out of which 3 are in a supervisory role
- Proficiency in prospect research tools and CRM systems (preferably Raiser’s Edge NXT)
- Strong analytical, writing, and project management skills
- Familiarity with data visualization tools and digital research techniques
- Ability to work across cultures, time zones, and institutional priorities
- Strategic thinking abilities with a service-oriented mindset
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Arabic
- Strong MS Office skills
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and intellectually curious
- Collaborative leader who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment
- Experience supporting capital campaigns and building prospect pipelines
Work Schedule
The standard work schedule for this position is Monday through Friday, with possible/ occasional attendance after hours and/or during weekends/holidays to ensure business continuity. This role requires collaboration across multiple time zones.
Interested candidates should email their CVs with a letter of interest outlining the applicant’s relevant experience to vacancy2@lau.edu.lb, specifying the job title in the subject line.
CVs should include the exact month and year while listing the candidate’s professional experience and educational background.
Closing date for accepting applications is Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
No applications will be accepted after this date, and only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
The Lebanese American University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.