Background
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a not-for-profit institution that exhibits, collects, preserves, and researches contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora; conceives and hosts international exhibitions; develops supporting educational, discursive and enriching programmes; encourages intercultural understanding; and strives for access for all. The museum’s galleries feature rotating, temporary exhibitions with a dedicated space for the permanent collection. The institution also includes the Centre for Art Education, the Centre for Moving Image, and a Project Space for emerging artists. It opened to the public in September 2017.
Located in the newly developed Silo District of the V&A Waterfront, one of Africa’s most
visited cultural and historical sites, Zeitz MOCAA is poised to become the premier arts
institution on the continent, with Cape Town positioned as an international cultural hub.
Key Responsibilities of the Role
Reporting to the Proposal Writer/ Head of IA, this role is responsible for providing high-quality donor and funder research, intelligence and information. Support to executive museum staff and teams engaged in fundraising, communications, marketing, and relationship development. The role also involves identifying, analysing and qualifying potential donors as well as ensuring the accuracy and integrity of data entered into the database. sourcing potential new donors and funders.
Prospect Identification and Qualification
- Identify potential donors and funders (“prospects”), including assessing philanthropic capacity and inclination.
- Conduct proactive research on individuals, organisations, government entities with philanthropic potential.
- Compile a comprehensive list and profiles of potential donors and funders within specified criteria, including wealth indicators, previous charitable giving history, and alignment with the museums mission.
- Consistently apply in-house prospect/donor rating and assessment methodologies.
- Create profiles outlining the philanthropic capacity and inclination of each potential donor, using various research methods such as wealth screenings, social media analysis, and philanthropic databases.
- Propose prioritization of potential donors based on their capacity and alignment with fundraising priorities to optimize fundraiser outreach efforts.
Research and Reporting
- Provide accurate, up-to-date prospect reports and due diligence summaries for fundraising activities.
- Maintain and update the prospect pipeline, tracking key metrics such as new prospects identified, and research requests completed.
- Compile and present actionable insights from multiple data sources to support fundraising strategies.
- Develop high-quality briefing materials and biographies tailored to specific events, meetings, and donor engagement opportunities
- Conduct comprehensive research and analysis on potential donors, including reviewing financial records, philanthropic claims, assess corporate affiliations, media presence and any potential conflicts of interest or reputational concerns.
- Provide regular updates and reports on newly identified prospects, ensuring fundraisers have access to the most current information for their prospecting efforts.
Strategic Support and Campaign Planning
- Provide tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for fundraiser donor portfolios.
- Collaborate with fundraisers to develop and implement personalised cultivation plans for key donors.
- In collaboration with the Chief IA Officer/Head of IA, manage and support prospect portfolios, including donor mapping and campaign planning.
- Stay informed on philanthropic trends relevant to the cultural, museum, and African arts sectors
Database Management
- Regularly update prospect records in the CRM system with new information obtained through research, interactions, or other sources.
- Conduct regular data validation and cleansing to ensure information accuracy and integrity.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date prospect information and records on all prospects research systems.
- Assist in customising CRM fields and attributes to capture relevant prospect details and preferences, enhancing fundraisers' ability to personalise their outreach and engagement efforts.
- Generate reports and dashboards to track engagement metrics, fundraising progress, and portfolio performance
- Assist with training and support to fundraisers on CRM best practices, data entry protocols, and utilisation of system features to optimize prospect management workflows.
Person specification
The ideal candidate is a meticulous and resourceful researcher with a genuine passion for connecting philanthropic opportunities to cultural and artistic causes. They have a sharp analytical mind, thrive on uncovering insights from complex information, and can translate data into compelling, actionable materials for fundraisers and senior leaders.
They are highly organised, able to juggle multiple priorities without losing accuracy or attention to detail, and have a proven ability to maintain clean, reliable donor databases. Their written work is concise, persuasive, and tailored to the audience, whether they are preparing a briefing for a major donor meeting or summarising research findings for strategic planning.
With strong interpersonal skills, they collaborate seamlessly with fundraising colleagues, adapting to different working styles and contributing to shared goals. They are discreet, handling sensitive information with integrity and professionalism, and always mindful of ethical fundraising standards.
What you’ll need to be successful in the role:
Qualifications
- A completed undergraduate degree, such as a Bachelor of Arts (BA), or equivalent, is the minimum requirement.
Experience
- A minimum of 3 years’ research experience in multiple areas of prospect and market research in a fundraising, academic, non-profit, or corporate environment
- Experience in prospect research, development operations or nonprofit fundraising.
Requirements
- After-hours attendance at evening and weekend special events is required
Skills and Competencies
- Strong experience in prospect research.
- Strong administration and coordination skills, with a methodical approach and attention to detail.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the methods of information acquisition, including use of online sources, and print directories/media.
- Ability to organise and manage a diverse range of assignments and projects with high efficiency, yet thorough attention to detail and follow through.
- Demonstrate strong communication skills, both oral and written and ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
- Ability to adjust to changing priorities and meet deadlines.
- Demonstrate competence in a variety of computer applications, including database, spreadsheet and word processing programs.
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately and with discretion.
- Resourceful and independent, but comfortable working within the framework of an integrated fundraising program and team-oriented environment.
- Excellent analytical skills and ability to locate and interpret financial and biographical information from a variety of sources.
- Experience working in a fundraising environment.
As a cutting-edge equal opportunity institution, Zeitz MOCAA celebrates diversity in all its forms including gender, race, creed, and orientation. Zeitz MOCAA is committed to Employment Equity and particularly welcomes applications from suitably qualified Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (HDIs) for this position.
