The Associate Director of Direct Response will manage an exciting set of campaigns aimed at inspiring philanthropic support to Vanderbilt University.  As an integral member of the Direct Response team, this person is motivated to create exceptional philanthropy experiences for Vanderbilt alumni and friends. The campaigns they manage will have donor count and financial goals and include university-wide priorities.

The ideal candidate will bring solid skills in planning, organization, execution and analysis. They should be a creative and resourceful thinker with strong skills in collaboration and partnership-building. The Associate Director of Direct Response will focus primarily on the growth and refinement of annual giving plans for Vanderbilt Athletics and the Parents Program as well as Giving Day execution.  The goal of these efforts is to increase donor engagement, participation and dollars raised.

The Associate Director confers with university partners in various areas to develop an optimal outreach plan that engages each area; works with partners in communications and information management to deliver on the executional details of the plans; ensures that plans are executed on-time and on-budget, and evaluates program results to inform future plans.

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.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Develop and execute comprehensive annual giving solicitation plans for Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Athletics and various school/unit-based constituencies. These appeals plans will target primarily athletics constituents, parents, alumni and friends.
• Manage all annual giving appeals for assigned schools/units and athletics programs. Communications include direct mail, email, web and social media messages. Assist with idea creation, data preparation, vendor management and all phases of the editing process.
• Collaborate with development partners in communications and within each school/unit or athletics program to ensure an effective outreach plan that retains the voice and character of each individual school/unit or athletics program represented.
• Create effective segmentation strategies that employ annual giving best practices and improve donor participation, engagement and retention.
• Create appeals plan forecasts, review actual outcomes and apply lessons learned to improve and inform future outreach strategies.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree and one (1) year of experience, or the equivalent, is required.
• Preferred, three (3) years of progressively responsible experience developing and executing multi-channel appeals plans in support of fundraising goals for multiple university units.
• Familiarity with annual giving communications best practices.
• Strong project management skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to work with internal partners to develop action plans that are consistent with message, tone and overall advancement programming associated with different schools and units.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines and adapt to changing priorities are essential.
• Experience in collegiate athletics is preferred.
• Values the importance of equity as an organizational operating principle and is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Commitment  to Equality, 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.

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.