Director of Development Research

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

. Lead day-to-day operations of Vanderbilt’s development research function .

Posted 10/9/2026full-timeNashville • Tennessee • United StatesLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in prospect research and development, with a strong focus on managing research initiatives, supervising staff, and improving research methodologies. Proficient in data analytics and CRM systems, ensuring compliance and ethical standards in fundraising environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Prospect Research ExpertiseProject ManagementStaff Supervision and DevelopmentData AnalyticsSalesforce CRM Proficiency

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Prospect ResearchData AnalyticsResearch MethodologiesQuality Control ProcessesFinancial AnalysisPhilanthropic Data AnalysisProject ManagementResearch Standards DevelopmentTurnaround Time ManagementWealth Indicator Assessment

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsCustomer Service SkillsAttention to DetailCommunication SkillsRelationship Building

Tools & Technologies

Salesforce CRMTableauApsonaWindowsExcelWordPowerPoint

Industry Keywords

Higher Education AdvancementHealthcare PhilanthropyNonprofit FundraisingEthical Information GatheringAPRA Guidelines

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Tableau

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead day-to-day operations of Vanderbilt’s development research function
Set priorities, allocate resources, delegate requests, and balance competing deadlines
Supervise, coach, develop, and evaluate the Associate Director of Development Research and other assigned staff
Participate in hiring, onboarding, training, professional development, and performance management
Establish research quality, responsiveness, communication, turnaround-time, workload-management, and conduct standards
Manage complex, high-visibility research initiatives involving DAR leadership, schools, colleges, units, regional development, campaign planning, and cross-functional teams
Partner with frontline fundraisers and internal clients to produce relevant, concise, actionable research
Establish and improve research methodologies, templates, documentation, and quality-assurance processes
Review research deliverables including briefings, capacity verifications, and due-diligence reports
Serve as a principal-level research resource for senior DAR and university leaders
Lead proactive prospect-identification projects for leadership, major, and principal gifts
Research and analyze potential individual, corporate, and foundation funders
Assess wealth indicators, business interests, philanthropy, relationships, leadership roles, and affinity areas
Translate complex information into recommendations on prospect assignment, qualification, engagement strategy, solicitation readiness, and next steps
Provide guidance and training on research products, prospect information, ratings, and CRM data
Improve data quality, governance, reporting, usability, research coverage, automation, and operational efficiency
Support Salesforce CRM, Tableau, Apsona, screening tools, and other research and reporting systems
Develop and monitor measures of service quality, turnaround time, client satisfaction, research coverage, and pipeline impact
Collaborate on due diligence and reputational-risk assessment
Safeguard confidential donor and prospect information and ensure compliance with university policies, ethical standards, and APRA guidelines

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent, is required
Five years of experience, or the equivalent, is required
Seven years of progressively responsible experience in development research, prospect development, advancement services, fundraising strategy, data analytics, or a related field is preferred
Experience supervising, coaching, and developing professional staff while maintaining significant individual-contributor responsibilities is preferred
Experience in higher education advancement, healthcare philanthropy, or another complex nonprofit fundraising environment is strongly preferred
Expertise in prospect research, including public records, IRS and SEC filings, financial and investment information, philanthropic data, business ownership and corporate structures, screening tools, and other prospect-intelligence sources
Ability to analyze, interpret, synthesize, and present complex biographical, financial, philanthropic, and reputational information
Ability to balance hands-on research with team leadership and manage changing priorities and competing deadlines
Strong project management, planning, organizational, and attention-to-detail skills
Experience developing research standards, quality-control processes, templates, workflows, and service models
Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and customer-service skills
Ability to build productive relationships and collaborate strategically with fundraisers, senior leaders, system administrators, and other stakeholders
Advanced proficiency with Windows, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
Experience with Salesforce CRM, Tableau, Apsona, or comparable systems is preferred
High degree of integrity and discretion, with commitment to confidentiality, ethical information gathering, responsible stewardship of sensitive information, and equity, diversity, and inclusion

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible work environment
Hybrid work option for candidates in the Nashville area
Remote work option with travel to Nashville approximately three times per year
Professional development and growth opportunities
Equal-opportunity employment