Portfolio Manager

Vanguard Charitable; Malvern (Chester County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard Charitable is seeking a seasoned Client & Relationship Specialist within its Private Philanthropy team to support complex donor activity, transactions, and relationship continuity for high-value donors.

You will independently coordinate multi-million-dollar movements, apply controls, and partner with Relationship Managers to deliver exceptional donor service while navigating risk and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• CAP designation required within 18 months of hire.
• Minimum five years in financial services, philanthropy, wealth operations, or complex client service.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary/secondary contact for donor portfolio, supporting complex philanthropy and transactions often exceeding $10M.
• Coordinate, monitor, and execute multi-million-dollar donor transactions with established controls.
• Perform quality checks on transactions and documentation to ensure donor intent and compliance.
• Identify risks, dependencies, and delays; escalate and coordinate with internal teams to resolve.
• Support Relationship Managers/Executives to sustain donor engagement and continuity.

Skills

Donor relationships

Wealth operations

Salesforce

Communication

multitasking

Education

Bachelor’s degree

CAP designation (within 18 months)

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Provides advanced client service and operational support for complex, high-value philanthropic relationships within Vanguard Charitable’s Private Philanthropy team. Independently coordinates and executes grants, contributions, and investment-related transactions, while supporting Relationship Executives/Managers and ensuring service continuity for donors. Applies sound judgment, adheres to established controls, and escalates risks or issues to ensure accurate execution, regulatory compliance, and an exceptional donor experience.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Client & Relationship Support (35%)

• Serve as a primary or secondary point of contact for assigned portfolio of donors, supporting complex philanthropic activity and transactions often exceeding $10M.
• Participate in donor, advisor, and family office conversations alongside Relationship Managers/Executives to support relationship continuity and engagement.
• Maintain strong knowledge of assigned donor relationships, including philanthropic intent, historical activity, transaction patterns, service preferences, and timing sensitivities.
• Identify and elevate new growth opportunities to Relationship Managers/Executives to support proactive relationship opportunities and donor expansion.
• Provide proactive support by anticipating operational needs, managing donor communications, monitoring daily activity, and maintaining continuity during Relationship Manager/Executive absence.

Operational Transaction Support (35%)

• Independently coordinate, monitor, and execute transactions, including multi-million-dollar asset movements and other high-value donor activity.
• Apply established processes and internal controls to ensure accurate processing, documentation, reconciliation, system entry, and follow-through.
• Identify transaction issues, dependencies, risks, or delays; escalate appropriately and partner with internal teams to resolve and prevent recurrence.
• Serve as a liaison to internal teams, tracking milestones and providing timely status updates to stakeholders.

Judgment, Risk Awareness & Quality (20%)

• Exercise sound judgment when managing transactions, recognizing when complexity or risk requires escalation or additional review.
• Perform quality checks on transactions, reporting, and documentation to ensure alignment with donor intent and internal standards.
• Monitor operational friction points and share observations with leadership to support continuous improvement.
• Remain composed and effective when navigating ambiguity, competing priorities, heightened scrutiny, and sensitive donor interactions.

Process Discipline & Improvement Contribution (10%)

• Apply documented processes for large-scale philanthropic transactions and identify opportunities to clarify or improve execution. Recommend process updates that drive efficiency and enhance the donor experience.
• Contribute subject matter expertise to special projects and initiatives.
• Share insights, trends, and observations on donor activity to inform enhancements and operational improvements.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Training

• Bachelor’s degree required, or equivalent combination of education and related experience.

Licensure & Certification

• Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) designation required within 18 months of hire.

Knowledge, Skill, and Ability

• Knowledge of philanthropic vehicles, wealth operations, and high-value financial transactions.
• Skilled in applying operational controls, reconciling complex transactions, and ensuring accuracy in high-risk environments.
• Able to exercise sound judgment and elevate issues appropriately, particularly in situations involving significant financial value or donor sensitivity.
• Able to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fast-paced, highly scrutinized environment.
• Skilled in written and verbal communication, including interaction with senior internal partners, donors, and external advisors.
• Proficient with customer relationship management and operational systems, including Salesforce.

Experience

• Minimum of five years of related experience in financial services, philanthropy, wealth operations, or complex client service.
• Demonstrated experience supporting multi-million-dollar transactions, including exposure to transactions exceeding $10 million.