Engagement Officer, DAR

The Engagement Officer is responsible for executing high-volume outreach with current and prospective donors for cultivation, engagement, and direct solicitation of gifts of $1,000 and larger.

Using creative tactics and taking an entrepreneurial approach, this front-line role identifies opportunities to strengthen relationships between alumni and the university for long-term support through outreach and conversation. This work is critically important to developing Vanderbilt’s major and planned pipeline and providing unrestricted support for individual schools and units across campus. This role is part of an innovative new approach to building engagement among current and potential donors through unique and personalized interaction.

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.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Engage and cultivate loyal and leadership donors and prospective donors through high-volume, thoughtful personalized outreach:

• Manage a large portfolio of current or prospective donors for solicitation, stewardship, and occasional cultivation through personalized outreach via phone, email, and virtual meetings.
• Directly steward milestone gifts (reaching 5, 10, 15 years of giving, or surpassing $5k, $10k) through thoughtful outreach with personalized content to illustrate the impact of the donor’s gift.
• Conduct 150 qualification meetings annually with current and prospective donors virtually or via phone to assess capacity, interest in volunteering, and opportunities for further engagement to hand off alumni to school-based development teams or alumni volunteer managers.
• Conduct 20 to 30 targeted outreach touches daily to engage, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors or potential donors.
• Independently and creatively develop content to share with donors based on existing resources, visits to campus, participation in campus activities, and other easy-to-access resources that can help better connect donors to the areas they support in meaningful ways.
• Take an entrepreneurial approach to identify new prospective donors, pockets of alumni engagement, and outreach methods; consistently test and evaluate outreach efforts to maximize results.

E stablish oneself as a knowledgeable staff member by:

• Learning the Vanderbilt mission and being knowledgeable about Vanderbilt
• Attaining an in-depth understanding of Vanderbilt’s programs and efforts to increase engagement and fundraising university-wide.

Cultivate relationships with Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) staff, Deans, and campus leaders from across Vanderbilt University by:

• Collaborating with DAR staff to build and maintain best practices in giving and engagement
• Establishing a sound working relationship with DAR staff to enhance collaboration. This includes working with school and unit-based major gift officers planned giving officers, advancement services units, school leadership, reunion teams, alumni relations teams, and DAR leadership.
• As a generalist, taking the time to learn and understand each school/unit, campus, student life, and all aspects of the Vanderbilt experience to better connect with alumni and enhance communications with donors regularly.

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
• 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

Education and Certifications:

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

Qualifications :

• One year of relevant experience, or the equivalent, is necessary and interest in front line development/fundraising work is desired
• Willingness and ability to connect, engage, and directly solicit prospects
• Passion for making connections and having conversations daily with new people; driven to meet high-volume metrics with urgency and to make an impact
• Energized through social interactions and comfortable with making direct asks of alumni and having purposeful conversations that build relationships and have an impact on goals and metrics
• 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
• Value of the importance of equity as an organizational operating principle and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion