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.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• 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.
• 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.

Qualifications:

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