Director of Innovative Engagement

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of diverse individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health recognizes that diversity is essential for excellence and innovation. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your diversity of culture, thinking, learning, and leading is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Development

Job Summary:

The Director, Innovative Engagement is a new position to oversee donor retention and growth efforts for the VUMC Annual Giving team and donor giving societies. This role is tasked with proactively identifying first-time donors and creating a meaningful donor experience with VUMC that compels retention and increased giving over time. Through digital and in-person prospecting, cultivating, soliciting and renewing a portfolio of first-time donors (200 - 250 individuals), this position will help to improve overall retention rates and gradually build a prospect pipeline for the VUMC Development Team. This position will also help to grow VUMC’s donor giving societies through intentional retention and upgrade strategies. This position will be focused on a proportional level of program strategy vs. operational delivery and reports to the Executive Director of Annual Giving.

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Vanderbilt University Medical Center Development

Reports To: Senior Director, Digital Marketing & Fundraising Strategy

Purpose:

Through the exceptional capabilities and caring spirit of its people, Vanderbilt University Medical Center leads in the delivery of exemplary health care, improving the lives of individuals and communities regionally, nationally and internationally. We combine transformative educational programs, compelling scientific discoveries, and distinctive personalized care to achieve this goal.

To consistently achieve excellence in medical science and health care, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Development builds relationships and encourages philanthropic contributions to directly impact today’s work and to secure a strong future of service. Enthusiastic and timely support from our philanthropic partners enables the Medical Center as a nonprofit academic medical institution to excel in conducting groundbreaking research, training future leaders and providing compassionate care to patients.

Summary:

The Director, Innovative Engagement is a new position to oversee donor retention and growth efforts for the VUMC Annual Giving team and donor giving societies. This role is tasked with proactively identifying first-time donors and creating a meaningful donor experience with VUMC that compels retention and increased giving over time. Through digital and in-person prospecting, cultivating, soliciting and renewing a portfolio of first-time donors (200 - 250 individuals), this position will help to improve overall retention rates and gradually build a prospect pipeline for the VUMC Development Team. This position will also help to grow VUMC’s donor giving societies through intentional retention and upgrade strategies. This position will be focused on a proportional level of program strategy vs. operational delivery and reports to the Senior Director, Digital Marketing & Fundraising Strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as a primary point of contact for unassigned Canby Robinson Society members and prospects
• Partner with the Direct Response team to develop effective solicitation strategies for members of VUMC’s donor giving societies
• Develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive strategic plan focused on donor retention in a way which contributes to growing a culture of philanthropy
• Manage a portfolio of 200 – 250 VUMC first-time donors
• Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of donors through digital and in-person interactions
• Partner with the Direct Response team to develop effective solicitation strategies focused on renewal
• Implement strategies to encourage upgraded giving for members of the VUMC giving societies
• Track fundraising results and trends to ensure efficiency, successful approaches, and continuous improvement
• Ensure timely entry of donor touch points into the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database
• Proactively identify and upgrade prospects, and make referrals to the Major and Principal Gifts and Planned Giving teams
• Collaborate with the Stewardship and Events teams to maximize donor retention and engagement
• Demonstrate commitment to VUMC’s mission and values in all aspects of the job

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent experience) (Required)
• 3 years experience (Required)
• 5 years development and fundraising experience preferred in a non-profit environment, or healthcare setting
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience in managing a portfolio and/or demonstrated success in cultivating and stewarding relationships
• Must be collaborative, organized, detail-oriented, accurate and efficient; excellent project management skills and follow through
• Strong verbal and written communications skills
• Previous experience with CRM’s database strongly preferred

Our professional administrative functions include critical supporting roles in information technology and informatics, finance, administration, legal and community affairs, human resources, communications and marketing, development, facilities, and many more.

At our growing health system, we support each other and encourage excellence among all who are part of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth, appreciation of benefits, and a sense of community and purpose.

Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment. Breadth of Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area. Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues:- Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.- Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one’s own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Delivering Excellent Services:- Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them.- Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions.- Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees’ effectiveness. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Managing Resources Effectively: - Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure.- Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area.- Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Fostering Innovation:- Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches.- Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges.- Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

Work Experience:

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level:

3 years

Education:

Bachelor’s

Vanderbilt Health recognizes that diversity is essential for excellence and innovation. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and to the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. EOE/AA/Women/Minority/Vets/Disabled