Director of Development Research, RPD at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN

Job description

The Director of Development Research provides operational leadership and strategic direction for Vanderbilt University’s development research function within Research and Prospect Development (RPD), reporting to the Executive Director of RPD. As both a people manager and an active individual contributor, the Director leads research in support of principal, major, and leadership-level fundraising; supervises and develops research staff, including the Associate Director of Development Research; and manages the department’s research priorities, standards, methodologies, and deliverables. The Director personally conducts and oversees high-priority research involving principal-level donors and prospects, due diligence, and other complex projects. In partnership with frontline fundraisers, DAR leadership, schools, units, and other university stakeholders, the Director translates complex biographical, financial, philanthropic, and reputational information into actionable recommendations that support prospect identification, leadership engagement, and fundraising strategy. The Director is a key point person for principal-level research and high-sensitivity requests. About the Work Unit : Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) advances Vanderbilt University’s mission by engaging alumni, donors, and partners to build meaningful relationships and secure philanthropic support. DAR plays a vital role in supporting the university’s strategic goals through fundraising, stewardship, and alumni engagement. The division operates in a dynamic, data-driven environment that requires strong collaboration, operational excellence, and ongoing innovation to achieve evolving institutional objectives. You can visit our website for more information: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/dar/ Key Functions and Expected Performance: Research Leadership and Team Management Lead the day-to-day operations of the development research function, setting priorities, allocating resources, delegating requests and projects, and balancing competing deadlines in alignment with RPD and DAR objectives. Directly 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 clear expectations and service standards for research quality, responsiveness, communication, turnaround times, workload management, and professional conduct. Serve as project manager for complex or high-visibility research initiatives involving DAR leadership, schools, colleges, units, regional development, campaign planning, and cross-functional teams. Partner with frontline fundraisers and other internal clients to understand strategic objectives and ensure that research products are relevant, concise, actionable, and appropriately tailored to the audience. Negotiate competing priorities, changing deadlines, and client needs while maintaining appropriate service and quality standards. Delegate research requests and projects appropriately while maintaining accountability for workload balancing, timeliness, and quality. Establish and continuously improve research standards, methodologies, templates, documentation practices, and quality-assurance processes to promote accuracy, consistency, and appropriate source documentation across RPD. Review and oversee the quality of research deliverables, including briefings, capacity verifications, due diligence reports, and other offerings. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, learning, inclusion, and excellence; assess staffing, workflows, and service capacity and recommend improvements to the Executive Director. Identify opportunities to improve research coverage, efficiency, automation, screening practices, and use of emerging technologies. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned. Individual Contribution and Principal-Level Research Serve as a principal-level re