Remote Research Operations Director Jobs in Portland, OR

Priority Application Deadline

July 10, 2026

FLSA Status

Exempt

Starting Salary

$126,831 - $168,508 (Step I - Step II)

*More information about salary structure below

Work Location

Remote or Hybrid

*Note: remote candidates from states outside of Oregon may need to be employed through a Professional Employer Organization 

The Managing Senior Director of Prospect Development is a strategic leader who sets the vision for an integrated prospect development program-encompassing prospect identification, research, and prospect management- ensuring alignment with campaign and institutional goals. The role champions a culture of data integrity, portfolio health, and continuous improvement, enabling fundraisers to effectively qualify, prioritize, and engage highcapacity prospects. The Senior Director is responsible for building, leading, and advocating for a highperforming, industryleading prospect development team that drives fundraising excellence.

This role also serves as a key partner to Advancement leadership, including the President's Office and Transformational/Principal Gifts teams, delivering actionable intelligence, portfolio strategy, and data-driven insights to advance the Foundation's most critical philanthropic priorities.

Direct Prospect Identification Research, and Prospect Management, Functions

• Serve as the primary strategic advisor on prospect development to senior leadership, including the President's Office and Transformational Gifts function, ensuring alignment of prospect strategy with top institutional priorities
• Oversee the development and health of prospect portfolios, ensuring appropriate segmentation, assignment, movement, and balance aligned with fundraising capacity and strategy
• Lead Foundation-wide prospect identification strategy, including principal, transformational, and grateful patient pipelines
• Provide oversight of high-integrity data supporting prospect identification, portfolio management and tracking, due diligence, feasibility studies, fundraising priorities, and grateful patient and family pipeline development
• Establish and enforce data integrity standards across prospect records, research outputs, and portfolio data to support accurate reporting and decision making.
• Develops and implements policies and standards for Prospect Development that drive strategic insight and support gift development at all levels.
• Direct and continuously refine grateful patient prospect identification strategies, leveraging HIPAA compliant clinical data, screening, and partnerships with healthcare stakeholders
• In partnership with Data Solutions & Insights, deliver forward-looking analytics, modeling and scenario planning to help identify the best prospects for the foundation and to guide campaign strategy and leadership decision making.
• Supervise the development and execution of prospect identification plans, including electronic screening, data enhancements, and proactive media review
• Provide leadership in prospect lifecycle management, including identification, assignment, movement, and clearance processes.
• Review and evaluate new tools and vendors in Prospect Development

Leadership of Prospect Development Team

• Build, lead, and advocate for a high-performing, collaborative, and innovative Prospect Development team recognized as industry experts
• Establish a team culture centered on strategic partnership, accountability, continuous learning, and service excellence
• Recruit, coach, and develop staff to function as trusted advisors to fundraisers and leadership, rather than transactional support 
• Establish clear expectations tied to portfolio health, prospect identification, and strategic impact
• Create professional development pathways that position staff as leaders in prospect research, analytics, and prospect management disciplines
• Actively represent and elevate the Prospect Development function across the organization, ensuring appropriate understanding of its strategic value and influence  
• Lead change management efforts related to process improvements, new tools, and evolving industry practices   

Liaise with President's Office & Transformational Giving

• Partner closely with the President's Office and senior advancement leadership on transformation and principal gift research and strategy, portfolio design, and pipeline development
• Lead campaign prospect strategy, including identification of lead prospects and development of robust pipelines aligned with institutional priorities
• Oversee campaign data infrastructure with a focus on accuracy, transparency, and insight into pipeline strength and gaps

• Demonstrated ability to set vision and lead strategic prospect development program spanning prospect identification, research, and prospect management.
• Deep knowledge of prospect lifecycle management, including identification, qualification, assignment, movement, and clearance processes.
• Superior competencies with business and financial sources; ability to retrieve, organize and analyze complex information
• Demonstrated understanding of prospect rating and wealth analysis
• Ability to understand and effectively manage complex issues in a multi-tiered, academic medical institution
• Exceptional ability to influence without authority and build partnerships with senior leaders, physicians, trustees, and fundraising teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex information into actionable insights
• Strong team-building and people management skills; capable of setting priorities, mentoring staff, and fostering a positive, inclusive, and accountable work environment
• Culturally responsive; ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in prospect development, prospect research, analytics, or related strategic functions within higher education, healthcare fundraising, nonprofit, or similar environments. Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing prospect development teams
• Significant experience leading or shaping prospect management strategy and portfolio optimization at scale.
• Demonstrated experience supporting principal and transformational gift initiatives and advising senior leadership.
• Strong experience working with complex relational databases and fundraising CRMs.
• Hands-on expertise using prospect screening tools and research platforms (e.g., iWave, DonorSearch, LexisNexis).
• Proven success in developing, mentoring, and retaining high-performing teams.
• Experience establishing or leading data governance and data integrity initiatives.
• Experience collaborating with data analytics or business intelligence teams to deliver insights and modeling.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficient skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint; advanced skills preferred
• Experience working in a relational database (Kindsight AdvancementRM, Salesforce, or other complex fundraising CRM preferred)

We want to emphasize that there is no such thing as the perfect candidate; candidates who do not have all of the required experience are encouraged to apply. 

• Occasional hours outside of normal work hours for meetings or programs
• Prolonged use of a computer