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

Position Summary

The Prospect Development Specialist is an internal liaison between internal DAR Partners and Prospect Development, and the Specialist will provide strategic focus and direction to Major and Leadership Annual Giving development officers and frontline fundraising teams. Prospect Development is the strategic arm of Vanderbilt’s DAR operation, and the Specialist will manage, track, and report out on constituent and prospect pools which influence development officer and Dare to Grow campaign activity.

By leveraging a solid understanding of the university’s vision and philanthropic priorities, the Specialist is expected to lead efforts which increase the pipeline for major and lead annual gifts and optimize fundraising activity for assigned development officers and fundraising teams. Typical day-to-day duties include, but are not limited to, building and maintaining assigned portfolios and pools of prospects, leading biannual portfolio reviews, directing monthly opportunity and activity audits, preparing travel list or contact list requests, and other ad hoc projects which support the university’s major gift and leadership annual giving programs. These projects support an information-driven culture which derives conclusions and trends through structured analysis of internal and external data.

The Specialist will be expected to work collaboratively with appropriate DAR staff members in scenarios which involve prospective donors who have giving interests in multiple areas. The Specialist will leverage DAR’s Prospect Development Optimization Guide to foster coordination and collaboration between fundraising teams to create the best possible match between a donor’s interests and Vanderbilt’s priorities. The Specialist will develop and foster relationships with internal fundraising teams, engagement teams, and external partners and thought leaders. 

The Specialist will demonstrate initial competency of Level I Relationship Management functions, Level I Data Science functions, and Level I Leadership functions, defined by APRA International Body of Knowledge, but will also gain exposure to Prospect Research, Pipeline Development, and additional Data Science functions on an as-needed basis. The Specialist is expected to demonstrate competency of Level II Relationship Management functions, Level I Data Science functions, and Level I Leadership functions by the end of their first year.

The Specialist will have the option for a Hybrid schedule (1 Days in Office, 4 Days Home) if the candidate is local, but Fully-Remote candidates will also be considered, with the expectation of occasional travel to campus.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Possess and demonstrate a solid, detailed knowledge of the university’s prospect pool, prospect development business processes, and the proper use and function of information in DAR’s database Ensure compliance with the Prospect Optimization Guide with focus on roles and responsibilities for the prospect development teams and the development officers Recommend portfolio moves which enhance prospect and donor lifetime value to Vanderbilt, and/or perceived engagement with or affinity to Vanderbilt In coordination with assigned team(s) and/or development officer(s), review all prospect development requests for assignment in school or unit areas, and ensure accuracy of appropriate data points in database Proactively initiate projects designed to discover and analyze new and emerging prospect segments Manage the planning and execution of projects related to analysis of fundraising team portfolios. Assist DAR leadership with analysis on overall portfolio movement, health, and viability In conjunction with Information Management (IM) team, the Director, Data Analytics, and the Director, Prospect Management, develop and prepare monthly reports for DAR leadership team to track major gift prospect activity Use data visualization, reporting, and analytical techniques as required to analyze and describe groups of prospects or constituents Direct the prospect tracking and moves management program for the university prospects rated $25,000 to $1,000,000 by reviewing/analyzing contact reports, changes in prospect records, and proposal status Provide prospect development oversight on wealth screening results/analysis, including pool analysis, distribution, tracking, and follow-up of potential $25,000 to $1,000,000 screened prospects to leadership annual giving officers

Supervisory Relationships:

This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports to the Director of Prospect Development. 

Education and Certifications:

Bachelor’s degree is required.

Qualifications:

Three years of fundraising experience required; five years of relevant experience preferred Preference for experience within Vanderbilt University or Vanderbilt’s Development and Alumni Relations team Preference for Academic/University fundraising Experience Preference for experience working with frontline fundraisers Ability to manage/maintain prospect development system and ensure compliance with related guidelines Exceptional database skills, preferred especially with Salesforce CRM and Ellucian Advance Trailhead Certification(s) are preferred but not required Intermediate to advanced experience/comfort with Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and professional office software (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Zoom) Beginner to intermediate experience with visualization software (e.g. Tableau, PowerBI) is preferred but not required

Key Characteristics of a Successful Team Member in this Work Unit: 

Expects and delivers excellence, is proactive and focused on creative problem solving, and places a high value on learning and improving. Holds oneself accountable, takes responsibility for failures as well as successes, and recognizes that trust is required to hold a team together.   Shares information, communicates proactively, asks for advice and considers it thoughtfully. Genuinely values teamwork and co-workers.  Manages time, activities, and outcomes well so that progress stays on track.  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.