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Entry Level Museum Development Officer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Vanderbilt University

Discovery Officer

Nashville, TN · On-site

... entry-level, externally facing front-line fundraising role which serves as a training ground for gift officers for schools and units and prioritizes a holistic approach toward staff development.

City of Fife

Entry Level Police Officer

Fife, WA · On-site

$6.8K - $8.9K/mo

Police Officer Position Hiring Levels: Entry Level Police Officer: 0 years' experience as a fully ... museum district. And, Mount Rainier really is as close as it looks. Fife covers roughly 5.7 square ...

City of Fife

Entry Level Police Officer

Fife, WA

$6.8K - $8.9K/mo

Police Officer Position Hiring Levels: Entry Level Police Officer: 0 years' experience as a fully ... museum district. And, Mount Rainier really is as close as it looks. Fife covers roughly 5.7 square ...

City of Fife

Entry Level Police Officer

Fife, WA

$91K - $119K/yr

Police Officer Position Hiring Levels: Entry Level Police Officer: 0 years' experience as a fully ... museum district. And, Mount Rainier really is as close as it looks. Fife covers roughly 5.7 square ...

Elixir Technologies

Security Officer -Day

New Orleans, LA · On-site

$14.75 - $17.50/hr

Security Officer The National WWII Museum is currently seeking a Security Officer for the day shift ... professional development * Employee assistance program The National WWII Museum is an Equal ...

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Entry Level Museum Development Officer information

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How much do entry level museum development officer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level museum development officer in the United States is $74,448.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $58,500.00 and $84,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.
What are the most commonly searched types of Museum Development Officer jobs? The most popular types of Museum Development Officer jobs are:
Entry Level Museum Development Officer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Museum Development Officer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $74,448 per year, or $35.8 per hour.
Discovery Officer

Discovery Officer

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • On-site

Full-time

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.

Vanderbilt University rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 38 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

203rd of 555 rated colleges and universities

Job description


Please excuse any formatting errors on this job description. This is a known systems issue we are working on fixing.
The Discovery Officer is part of the National Discovery Team and is a road warrior role responsible for a high-volume of prospect discovery, qualification, and solicitation across the country. This team is fast-paced, collaborative, and impact-driven; its strategic priority is to rapidly strengthen Vanderbilt's donor pipeline and raise funds for all areas and priorities in the short-term, while investing in long-term relationship building with prospects to build the foundation for future campaigns. This is an entry-level, externally facing front-line fundraising role which serves as a training ground for gift officers for schools and units and prioritizes a holistic approach toward staff development.
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. You can find more information at www.vanderbilt.edu/dar/
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
Execute a national strategy to discover and qualify as many prospects as possible.
  • Conduct 33 discovery visits quarterly to qualify prospects for capacity and affinity
  • Travel 2-3 times per month to a portfolio of regions in the continental United States
  • Identify prospects with the ability to make a major, planned, or principal gift to VU
  • Hand-off active referrals to school/unit fundraising teams and work collaboratively with regional and school/unit gift officers on strategies for a targeted region
  • Devise, develop, and test different outreach strategies to increase contact rates and visits, leveraging email, text messaging, phone calls, and LinkedIn
  • Leverage visits and prospect relationships to identify new leads and tap new personal networks

Raise funds for all schools, units, and priorities by soliciting gifts of $2,500, $25,000, and higher.
  • Conduct 5 visits quarterly to solicit new commitments of $25,000 and higher
  • Solicit all prospects for leadership annual gifts of $2,500+ and multi-year commitments with strategies to upgrade
  • Work collaboratively with planned giving staff for new bequests and other blended gifts
  • Steward donors with thoughtful updates and personalized attention throughout the year

Actively participate in professional development, training, developing yourself as a VU fundraiser.
  • Champion a generalist mindset to be informed and comfortable discussing schools, units, centers, and priorities across the university with stories, examples, and engaging content
  • Hone fundraising pitches and conversational tactics using open-ended conversation, thoughtful follow-up, and mission-centric messaging to engage prospects in VU's philanthropic goals
  • Participate fully in professional development opportunities, including informal mentorship and more formalized onboarding and training programs through the Development and Alumni Relations Academy
  • Seek continuous improvement and learning across job functions and external activities from prospect outreach, discovery visits, crafting intentional conversations, making asks, and managing follow-up

Contribute to an outcome-driven team.
  • Measure individual performance and growth through a personalized gift officer scorecard with clear goals and real-time tracking; benefit from a performance-based bonus model annually
  • Embrace a positive work-culture with the goal of balancing travel, in-office days, and flexible work arrangements
  • Support colleagues on the team and throughout the organization to meet their goals, share fundraising credit, and collaborate on prospects with multiple affiliations and interests
  • Other duties as assigned

Work Environment:
This position will be hybrid located in the Nashville area. The expectation will be 1 day in the office per week, or more depending on business needs.
Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Director of Development, Discovery Team.
Education and Certifications:
  • Bachelor's degree, or the equivalent, is necessary

Experience and Skills:
  • One year of relevant experience, or the equivalent, is necessary and an 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
  • Some evening and weekend work, as needed
  • Driving is considered an essential job function for this role. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license and a satisfactory driving record. Vanderbilt University engages a third party to provide up-to-date notifications regarding negative changes to motor vehicle records.

About Us
At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of "America's Best Large Employers" as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.
We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.
Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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