Vanderbilt University is seeking a highly motivated and experienced individual for a brand-new position - Director of Development for the Discovery Team. This role co-leads a team of road warriors responsible for high-volume discovery, qualification, and solicitation across the country. This team of 10+ front line fundraisers is fast-paced, collaborative, and impact-driven; it is strategically focused on rapidly enhancing the university’s donor pipeline while simultaneously developing early career fundraisers to enrich Vanderbilt’s talent pipeline.

This unique leadership role plays a key role in onboarding, mentoring, and coaching discovery officers while also maintaining a robust prospect portfolio and travel schedule as a fundraising generalist, charged with closing major gifts of $100K or greater in support of all university schools and priorities.

If you are a tested front line fundraiser, a self-starter, and you are interested in gaining management and coaching experience as part of a supportive and successful team, we invite you to apply for this unique and impactful role.

The Department of Development and Alumni Engagement (DAR) assists Vanderbilt University in securing the resources, both human and financial, that are required to achieve its mission and goals. The Department is responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individuals and organizations whose charitable objectives are consistent with those of Vanderbilt University’s teaching and research programs.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Co-Lead a Team to Fundraising and Professional Success: manage day-to-day team activity including trip planning, team meeting design, facilitation between discovery officers and gift officers in other units, guiding prospect strategy development, facilitating prospect referrals between teams, and ensuring high-quality data entry by the team.

• Develop and Hone Onboarding and Continuous Learning Activities: assist with recruitment, hiring, and retention to keep the team fully staffed and collaborate internally to craft training materials, deep dive tutorials, and coaching through roleplay, mentorship, and structured practice sessions.

• Contribute as a Frontline Fundraiser: qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects from a portfolio of 55-75 alumni and parents to close 7-9 six-figure gifts and reach an individual goal of $1M annually; travel regularly with and independent from team members to conduct 100+ visits each year.

• Support Leadership Annual Giving Strategy: assist with coverage plans to ensure 100% prospect management of leadership annual donors; play an active liaison role between Discovery and regional, school, and unit teams; support ongoing strategy development by assessing regional coverage, discovery reach rates, efficiencies, and ROI for the program.

• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Relationships:

This is a new position on a growing team that reports to the Executive Director, Discovery and Leadership Annual Giving. This role has direct supervision of 3-5 team members.

Qualifications

The Director of Development must be a professional and polished fundraising officer who understands, and is able to articulate, the nature and importance of a major research university, and in particular, the significant role philanthropy plays within this larger academic community. Leading candidates will possess the following qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent work experience, is required. An advanced degree is preferred.

• Five or more years of development experience, or the equivalent, is required, with a proven track record of successful major gift solicitations, preferably within a non-profit setting.

• Willingness and ability to personally solicit gifts of $100,000 and larger.

• Strong understanding of development strategies and best practices.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire donors.

• Strong preference for residing in Nashville to facilitate close collaboration with local stakeholders and donors.

• Excellent organizational skills, oral and written communications skills and the ability to articulate the needs, interests and accomplishments of Vanderbilt University to a wide range of audiences.

• Interpersonal skills and judgment suitable for exercising appropriate discretion and demeanor when dealing with alumni, parents, friends, and employees.

• Ability to exercise good judgment in the handling of confidential information.

• Ability to use current computer technology, such as Windows, Excel, Word, and Vanderbilt’s donor management system.

• A proven record of achievement in major gift fundraising from individuals

• Good written and oral communication skills, specifically in the areas of proposal and presentation development.

• Demonstrated success in working across teams and disciplines – facilitating solutions and driving forward priorities.

• Familiarity with Vanderbilt and/or solid understanding of a major research university environment is preferred.

• The capacity to perform in an intellectually rigorous and complex academic environment.

• Ability to work independently, take initiative, manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and adapt to ever-changing priorities.

• Exhibit personal characteristics enabling effective interaction with important constituencies and possess a genuine commitment to the advancement of education, research, and to the principles governing Development and Alumni Relations.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.

Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.

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Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education. Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.