Assistant Director, Development and Alumni Engagement - Athletics

The Assistant Director, Development and Alumni Engagement is a key member of the Athletics Development team within the Department of Alumni Relations (DAR) at Vanderbilt University. This position will focus on securing philanthropic gifts, enhancing alumni engagement, and expanding annual giving programs to drive greater levels of support. The Assistant Director will be responsible for soliciting gifts of $25,000 and larger to benefit Vanderbilt University, and increasing engagement with former student-athletes through the Black & Gold Club.

About the Work Unit:

The Department of Development and Alumni Relations (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. You can visit our website for more information:  https://www.vanderbilt.edu/dar/

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Actively cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts by:

• Conducting 100+ visits (electronically or in-person as deemed appropriate) annually with prospects capable of making annual gifts and pledges of $25,000+ 
• Effectively communicating results of prospect visits to appropriate personnel, such as other development staff, with particular emphasis on major donor prospect identification
• Qualifying 4-8 major donor prospects each year
• Using data to identify prospects for annual gifts and larger
• Support retention and increased giving of current leadership donors                      

Enhance engagement with VU Athletics and the Black and Gold Club:

• Serve as a Vanderbilt Athletics brand ambassador to student-athlete alumni for assigned sports, through effective, timely and of-service communication.
• Collaborate with the communications team to develop and implement a comprehensive communications plan for assigned sports.
• Collaborate with the special events team to plan, promote, and execute student-athlete alumni events for assigned sports. 
• Responsible for event marketing and responding professionally and timely to alumni.
• Manage volunteer communities for assigned sports to increases alumni participation and engagement through peer-to-peer outreach.
• Cultivate relationships with alumni through activities such as birthday cards, care packages, thank you gifts, stewardship, and planning special donor events such as lunches and dinners.
• Maintain alumni lists, volunteer lists, event calendars, timelines & event attendance.
• Assist with ad hoc data analysis, reports, and requests such as alumni and donor lists

Establish oneself as a knowledgeable staff member by:

• Learning the Vanderbilt mission and being knowledgeable about Vanderbilt and the Regional Philanthropy and Engagement responsibilities to the mission
• Attaining an in-depth understanding of the development programs and their goals in Regional Philanthropy and Engagement.

Cultivate relationships with Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) staff, Deans and administrators, and colleagues within Vanderbilt University as a whole.  In addition, cultivate relationships with external constituencies such as alumni, parents, and friends of the University by:

• Collaborating with DAR staff to build and maintain best practices in giving
• Establishing a sound working relationship with DAR staff to enhance collaboration.  This includes working with major gifts officers, operations/advancement services, school leadership, reunion teams, and the DAR leadership team.

Enhance departmental performance standards by:

• Performing as a team player
• Maintaining a level of reliability that generates stability in the department
• Meeting or exceeding department performance standards
• Fostering a spirit of cooperation

Contribute to departmental efficiency by:

• Understanding and effectively communicating departmental policy and procedures
• Clearly communicating concerns and questions to supervisor and staff
• Soliciting guidance from supervisor and co-workers when uncertainty arises
• Conveying thoughts to supervisor on improving departmental performance
• Performing other duties as assigned

Approach each situation with a professional attitude by:

• Exercising good judgment in discussing issues and results
• Maintaining composure and a calm demeanor during challenging situations
• Respecting the need for confidentiality of donors and colleagues

Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for this role will include:

• Fundraising goals (individual and team)
• Number of visits
• Number of gifts closed
• Alumni, parent, and corporate giving
• Others TBD

The Assistant Director will work in collaboration with other members of DAR staff to be successful and support university-wide objectives, along with a commitment to being donor-centric.  Will work diligently with donors and volunteers to identify their peers to help increase the Vanderbilt sphere of influence.

Establish oneself as a knowledgeable staff member by:

• Attaining an in-depth understanding of the development programs and their goals in Regional Philanthropy and Engagement
• Learning the Vanderbilt mission and being knowledgeable about Vanderbilt and the Regional Philanthropy and Engagement’s responsibilities to the mission
• Collaborating with DAR staff to build and maintain best practices in soliciting major gifts

Enhance departmental performance standards by:

• Maintaining a level of reliability that generates stability in the department
• Meeting or exceeding department performance standards
• Fostering a spirit of cooperation
• Understanding and effectively communicating departmental policy and procedures
• Clearly communicating concerns and questions to team
• Conveying thoughts/ideas to the leadership team on improving departmental performance

Approach each situation with a professional attitude by:

• Exercising good judgment in discussing issues and results with the team
• Maintaining composure and a calm demeanor during challenging situations
• Respecting the need for confidentiality of donors and colleagues
• Performing other duties as assigned

Work Environment

This position is expected to be in the office in Nashville unless traveling for business purposes.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Assistant Athletics Director/Sr. Director of Development and Alumni Engagement.

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent, is necessary 

Experience and Skills:

• Two years of development or relevant experience, or the equivalent, is necessary
• Two or more years of experience in development or alumni relations preferred, with direct donor contact experience 
• Willingness and ability to personally solicit gifts of $25,000 and larger
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• 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
• Experience with trip planning, domestic travel, and scheduling “discovery” appointments with individuals (i.e., donors, prospects, clients, customers that applicant may have never met before)
• 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
• Routine overnight travel is required
• Some evening and weekend work, as needed 
• Driving is considered an essential job function for this role. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license and a satisfactory driving record. Vanderbilt University engages a third party to provide up-to-date notifications regarding negative changes to motor vehicle records.
• The capacity to perform in an intellectually rigorous and complex academic environment
• The ability to apply sound judgment in all situations is required, as are excellent organizational skills with a meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and adapt to ever changing priorities are essential
• 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 
• Values the importance of equity as an organizational operating principle and is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

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.