Executive Director of Donor Experience

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc.

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Executive Director of Donor Experience for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Communications & Donor Experience, the Executive Director of Donor Experience is charged with strategically aligning stewardship, donor engagement, and donor recognition efforts with Advancement priorities to ensure the division meets its fundraising goals.

As a member of the Office of Advancement's Communications and Donor Experience team, the Executive Director of Donor Experience will engage internal colleagues, donors, alumni and the campus community at-large to bring a donor-centered approach that provides consistent and exceptional donor experiences across all giving levels and giving behaviors.

The Executive Director serves as a member of the Division of Advancement's Senior Leadership team and oversees a team of six full time staff members dedicated to various facets of the UT Knoxville Advancement division's central donor experience operation (including stewardship, events, physical and experiential recognition, data and reporting), as well as direct support for campus-wide academic colleges and units. Additionally, the Executive Director leads and executes the endowment reporting process for the UT Knoxville campus, as well as custom donor experience plans for the university's principal gift donors and campaign related stewardship efforts.

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Stewardship: Leads the campus-wide development, implementation, execution, and evaluation of all stewardship and donor relations programs, processes, and systems (including colleges, units, and programs) to enable Advancement-wide fundraising goals. Leads and executes university-wide endowment reporting process.

Management & Leadership: Inspires and leads a team responsible for stewardship, donor relations, and recognition efforts that support annual, major, principal, planned, and corporate gifts. Serves as a member of the Advancement Senior Leadership team, including strategic partnership and

collaboration with key areas of Advancement division.

Donor Relations: Partners with advancement and university leadership to develop and deploy engagement strategy for top donors, including dedications, events, or specialized communication. Provides consistent communication, education and training to Advancement staff and campus partners about donor relations and recognition policies, procedures and guidelines.

Qualifications:

Required Education and Experience

The candidate who fills the Executive Director of Donor Experience position is required to have:

• Bachelor's degree
• 8+ years of progressive experience in stewardship, donor relations, donor/member engagement, or donor experience in a non-profit or higher education setting
• 2+ years of supervisory/management experience
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; project management experience; and in-depth experience with Excel and/or data management.

Note - Candidates holding a graduate degree must have at least 5 years of experience.

Preferred Education and Experience

In addition to meeting the required qualifications, the preferred candidate will have:

• Master's degree
• Work experience in higher education

Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before June 28, 2024 via our Taleo application system. Applications must include a completed candidate profile, cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references. References will not be contacted without explicit permission of the candidate.

When determining minimum qualifications, only information entered into the candidate profile can be considered. Please ensure your candidate profile is completed in its entirety as it relates to qualifying education/work experience.

Questions about the search may be directed to hr@utfi.org.

Target Start Date: September 1, 2024 or earlier

Benefits: Recognized as a Top Employer by Knoxville Top Workplaces in 2022 and 2023, the Foundation's greatest asset is our team. Foundation employees are eligible for a comprehensive suite of benefits that includes:

• Generous paid leave, accruing up to 24 days of vacation and 12 days of sick leave annually, plus 14 paid holidays and administrative closing days
• Flexible work arrangements, offering a hybrid schedule to most team members
• Education benefits for employees and their dependents at UT System campuses
• Retirement and deferred compensation plans, including 401(k), 403(b), etc.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Employee discounts to attractions, services, and goods

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The Foundation: The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that serves as the preferred channel for private contributions benefiting students and faculty within the UT System. With a vision of being one of the top-performing advancement organizations in higher education, UTFI is committed to enhancing the educational landscape across the University of Tennessee campuses.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been advancing knowledge and enriching lives since its founding in 1794. Tennessee's flagship public research university, UT Knoxville is a diverse community whose shared commitment to discovery, creativity, and education combines with a tradition of service and engagement to carry the Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. UT's campus-home to more than 36,000 students and 9,000 faculty and staff members-is part of the vibrant city of Knoxville, located on the Tennessee River with the Great Smoky Mountains nearby.

The UT System: The University of Tennessee System is comprised of campuses at Knoxville, Chattanooga, Pulaski, Martin and the Health Science Center at Memphis; the Institute of Agriculture; and the Institute for Public Service.

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law.