Assistant Director of Project Management

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Assistant Director of Project Management for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Director of Project Management, the Assistant Director of Project Management is responsible for the day-to-day execution of projects within Advancement’s Office of Communications and Donor Experience. 

This intermediate level role will ensure that strategic communications and marketing initiatives—ranging from major fundraising campaigns to promotion of alumni and athletic engagement events—are planned, coordinated, and delivered on time and at a high standard of quality.  Successful candidates will have a passion for clear communication and organized project planning and find reward in setting others up for success. 

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Project Leadership & Execution: Lead weekly project team meetings, including agenda preparation, facilitation, and follow-up tasks and conversations. Use knowledge and understanding of communications specialties (writing, design, web, social, etc.) to coordinate across the team and increase project cohesion, ensure clarity of responsibilities, identify risks, and prevent missed deadlines. Regularly review project setup and oversee active project timelines and dependencies to maintain alignment across communications initiatives. Ensure team members and partners are clear on the scope of work and have the information and content necessary to execute. Partner with the Director to structure and document complex project launches, organize mid-project support meetings, and participate in post-project debriefs to capture insights and improve future performance.

Process Improvement & Systems Leadership: Model and support best practices in use of project management software (currently Teamwork), encouraging consistent adoption across the team and providing training on technical usage to staff members. Recommend and implement refinements to project workflows, documentation standards, and tracking systems based on execution insights.

Stakeholder Communication & Partner Engagement: Ensure internal and external partners receive timely, clear updates on project milestones, timelines, and deliverables using tools such as Jotform, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams. Surface patterns, opportunities, and concerns that inform strategic partner conversations led by the Director.

Required Education and Experience

The candidate who fills the Assistant Director of Project Management position is required to have:

• A bachelor’s degree

• 3+ years of professional experience in project management, communications, marketing, public relations, or related fields

• A working understanding of marketing and communications specialties (writing, editing, design, print production, web, social media, video/photo, news media, etc.)

A valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record is required due to travel responsibilities of the position. UTFI reserves the right to consider all appropriate circumstances.  In general, any significant driving offense less than 12 months old will eliminate the application from consideration for the position.

Note - Candidates holding a graduate degree must have at least 1 year of experience.

Preferred Education and Experience

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

• Experience with project management software

• Experience working in advancement and/or higher education

• The ability to lead individuals who are not direct reports

• A master’s degree

• Self-motivation and high capability of working independently but also within groups

• A highly organized, detail-oriented work style and ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously

• A collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset and a commitment to advancing the mission of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before March 18th via our DASH application system. Applications must include a completed candidate profile, cover letter, and resume. Candidates selected to move forward in the evaluation process will be asked to provide contact information