Job Information
Vanderbilt University Senior Director of Donor Experience in Nashville, Tennessee
Vanderbilt University is seeking a highly motivated and experienced individual for a brand-new position on a brand-new team – Senior Director of Donor Experience. This new and exciting role is responsible for building out a comprehensive donor engagement strategy and executing a tactical plan to recognize and steward gifts from $2,500 up to six-figures, including the launch of a new donor society, revamped communications, and highly collaborative efforts to upgrade and retain leadership annual giving donors.
This role is responsible for marshaling efforts across departments and functions to create a cohesive donor experience that unifies brand, messaging, and touchpoints including acknowledgements, impact communications, development officer outreach, and event activity. This key role is part of an invigorated initiative to strengthen Vanderbilt’s donor pipeline by thinking creatively, working flexibly, and executing activities with urgency to effectively engage supporters and drive new fundraising results.
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.
Work Environment: Strong preference for candidate residing in Nashville but will consider remote work.
Duties and Responsibilities
Strategy Development: Develop and hone the overall strategy and tactical plans for the One Vanderbilt Society and donor engagement efforts collaboratively with leads from stewardship, annual giving, marketing and communications, and others with a focus on growing leadership annual giving, enhancing donor retention, and driving upgrades to grow the major gift pipeline.
Collaboration: Work flexibly across team and department lines to lead engagement efforts for donors under six-figures by consulting teams and leadership for direction and feedback, proactively involving other teams to effectively collaborate and integrate the society, and problem-solving creative solutions to challenges that arise. Partner with colleagues in annual giving and across schools and units to ensure a unified approach to donor acknowledgement activity.
One Vanderbilt Society: Champion the launch and ongoing management of Vanderbilt’s new giving society as the key brand to recognize and engage donors who give $2,500+ across any area of the University by leading and executing rollout plans, brand updates, and ensuring the society’s inclusion across university marketing.
Surprise and Delight: Develop creative ways to engage donors through communications, content, and unexpected gifts, that go beyond a transactional, give-to-get mindset deepening their connection to the university.
Support Frontline Fundraising: Create and maintain materials and tools that are easily deployed among frontline fundraising teams to inform, solicit, and steward leadership annual giving donors, drawing from all schools and university priority areas.
Integrated Events: Identify ways to collaborate with existing efforts around the Dare to Grow Campaign, Reunions, and virtual programming to recognize and engage donors, provide immersive content experiences, and deepen connections.
Dashboards, Processes, Reporting: Play a central role alongside analytics, project management, and information management teammates to develop relevant dashboards, reports, and processes that support the ongoing management of the One Vanderbilt Society. This includes implementing an acknowledgement process and other structures and strategies related to retaining, upgrading, and integrating leadership annual giving level donors into portfolios.
Impact Storytelling: Work across school and unit lines to facilitate the creation of compelling impact stories that enrich One Vanderbilt Society content, leadership annual giving solicitations, and provide a framework for personalized donor stewardship at scaled giving levels.
Other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Relationships: Once hired, this position will recruit additional roles with the potential to grow over the next 2-3 years as the program develops. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development Operations and Pipeline Enhancement.
Qualifications
The Senior Director, Donor Experience must be a polished development professional who understands the value of high-quality, thoughtful donor engagement to drive sustainable fundraising success. Leading candidates should have:
A bachelor’s degree or the equivalent work experience.
Eight or more years of experience, or the equivalent education and work experience, in a related field with a proven track record of managing complex programs, campaigns, or development activities.
Relevant experience in stewardship, marketing, communications, annual giving, alumni relations, and/or events is highly preferred. Individuals with experience outside of higher ed who have proven excellence in their respective career fields, and have demonstrated the ability to transfer those knowledge, skills, and abilities to the needs of a dynamic development and donor relations team will be considered.
Strong understanding of development strategies and practices.
Excellent communication skills: strong writing, editing, and an interest in expressing and demonstrating impact.
Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills with the ability to provide updates to university leadership, interact with donors/prospects as needed, and comfort in leading meetings and facilitating conversation internally and externally.
Top-notch organizational skills, experience managing complex projects simultaneously, and a consistent record meeting deadlines. Ability to work independently, take initiative, manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and adapt to ever-changing priorities.
Demonstrated success in working across teams and disciplines – facilitating solutions and driving forward priorities.
Creative curiosity; interest in brainstorming and problem-solving, but also gathering information and distilling it to actionable recommendations to build out detailed plans.
Good judgment in the handling of confidential information.
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.
Values the importance of equity as an organizational operating principle and is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Some evening and weekend work, as needed.
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.