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ABOUT US

Established in 1914, Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a renowned hub of learning and exploration—a source of daily inspiration for its dedicated workforce. As the highest-rated museum in Canada and among the top ten in North America, our employees take immense pride in their association with us. Museum roles span a wide spectrum, encompassing diverse professions such as computer programmers, graphic designers, educators, and curators. We seek individuals who exemplify unwavering dedication to service excellence and hospitality—those who go the extra mile to ensure our Visitors and Members feel truly welcomed and appreciated.

OUR BENEFITS

We offer medical, dental, vision, and Employee Assistance Programs benefits.
We offer a health spending account to support the healthcare needs of our employees.
Based on their role, ROM employees enjoy at least 15 vacation days.
Personal days are provided for employees to take time off for personal matters and well-being.
Permanent full-time employees receive exclusive membership benefits.
Uniforms are provided, cleaned, and maintained by ROM for specific positions.
Exclusive discounts to over 200 attractions via Attractions Ontario.
Our employee benefits package includes a defined benefit pension to help you create a secure future. The CAAT Pension Plan provides a predictable lifetime retirement income, survivor benefits, early retirement options, and more without the stress of making investment decisions.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

At ROM, we consider equity, diversity, and inclusion foundational to our institutional success. We seek to foster a workplace that reflects the diversity of the city and province in which we are located and welcome all qualified and experienced candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, age, sex, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

ROM is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. Upon request, suitable accommodations are available under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) to applicants invited to an interview. If you require accommodation or have general inquiries, don't hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected].

Philanthropic Research Specialist

Toronto, ON, Canada

Full Time

ROM GOVERNORS

Mid Level

Are you passionate about culture, the arts, natural history, and science? Are you keen on how these elements aesthetically come together to tell the many stories of humanity? Join our team at ROM and consider a fulfilling career as a Philanthropic Research Specialist.

ROM Governors is a strategic partner to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), passionate about its role in advancing ROM’s mission through inspired philanthropic and sponsorship relations. ROM Governors is committed to being the country’s top cultural foundation because of its success in building highly engaged, impactful donor and other community relationships.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President (AVP), Philanthropic Research, and working closely with a counterpart on the research team, the Philanthropic Research Specialist plays an integral role in advancing ROM Governors’ fundraising and sponsorship priorities. The Specialist delivers high-quality prospect research, analysis, and intelligence to support major gift fundraising, sponsorship development, leadership engagement, and long-term pipeline growth.

This role requires strong analytical judgment, intellectual curiosity, and sector knowledge to identify, assess, and contextualize individual, corporate, and foundation prospects. The Philanthropic Research Specialist synthesizes complex information into clear, actionable research products that inform fundraising strategy, guide relationship development, and strengthen donor engagement across ROM Governors.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Prospect Research:

Proactively identify and evaluate individual, corporate, and foundation prospects to support targeted fundraising initiatives and sustained pipeline development. Lead prospecting for projects as requested by Philanthropy, Corporate and Executive Leadership team.
Conduct in-depth biographical and financial research and apply analytical judgment to assess capacity, affinity, and engagement potential and create concise and informative prospect profiles.
Produce strategic briefings, relationship mapping, and background materials for board and committee meetings, fundraising events, and planning discussions. Fulfill other specific research requests as needed for staff and volunteers.
Produce strategic prospect research on corporations to identify key business objectives, financial capacity, potential risk management, and the most appropriate contact for outreach. Proactive and creative ideation to help develop new sponsorship opportunities if applicable throughout the research process
Work collaboratively with fundraisers and executive leaders to clarify research objectives, advise on prospect strategy, and manage research projects through completion.

Media monitoring and business intelligence:

Provide ongoing media and business intelligence, including daily news and obituary monitoring, to identify developments relevant to donors, prospects, and institutional priorities.
Use tools such as Meltwater and Google Alerts along with superior knowledge of metadata tagging and Boolean search terms to effectively scan news for articles critical to ROM Governors.
Monitor trends and best practices in prospect research and philanthropy, introducing tools, approaches, and insights that strengthen team effectiveness.
Maintain an understanding of fundraising and the philanthropic sector to contribute to strategy discussions.

Data and CRM:

Ensure research data integrity and accuracy within the CRM, applying best practices for documentation, sourcing, and updates. Maintain accurate information in donor records as updates are identified.
Contribute to the creation of SOPs and other training documents for users of RE NXT.
Support the AVP, Philanthropic Research with prospect management, portfolio development and CRM implementation as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

A University degree, preferably a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) or similar.
A minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in prospect research.
Experience working with a CRM database, preferably Raiser’s Edge NXT or another Blackbaud product.
Experience using prospect research tools such as iWave (Kindsight), CharityCAN and GrantConnect.
Exceptional online research skills, including proficiency with Boolean search techniques.
Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills

SALARY AND TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Start Date: ASAP
Status: Full-Time Permanent
Employee Group: ROM Governors
Schedule: 35 Hours per week
Probationary Period: Six (6) Months
Location: Toronto, ON
Open Date: May 11, 2026
Close Date: Open Until Filled
Annual Salary: CAD 80,000 to CAD 90,000
Work Model: In-Person with flexible work arrangements

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
• We will be reviewing candidate submissions as they are received, and ROM Governors may choose to move forward with interviews before the deadline. Early submission is encouraged.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & ACCESSIBILITY
At ROM, we embrace diversity in our exhibits, communities, and teams. We encourage applications from racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, and those who can further diversify our ideas. We are committed to equitable employment opportunities and a workplace free from discrimination and harassment.

We welcome and accommodate candidates with disabilities throughout the selection process. Please contact us at [email protected] for assistance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ROM does not require “Canadian experience.” International applicants with equivalent experience are encouraged to apply.
ROM uses technology-assisted tools (including JazzHR TalentFit) to support the review and screening of applications. All hiring decisions are made by human reviewers.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that all candidates receiving a verbal job offer will be subject to a background check. This includes a criminal background check and verification of professional references, and other checks depending on the role.

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