Assistant Director for Leadership Annual Giving, College of Arts and Sciences
University of TennesseeAbout the role
The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Assistant Director for Leadership Giving for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Executive Director of Development, the Assistant Director for Leadership Giving plays a key role in growing annual giving leadership and mid-level giving,
strengthening the donor pipeline and supporting college wide fundraising priorities.
This role will contribute to the growth and retention of the College of Arts and Sciences donor pipeline.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Donor Portfolio Management: Manage a portfolio of leadership annual giving and mid‑level donors and prospects ($500–$25,000+). Cultivate, solicit, and retain Dean’s Circle members. Evaluate SYBUNT and LYBUNT lists to proactively renew and solicit donors.
Donor Engagement: Develop and execute personalized engagement strategies (phone, email, virtual, in‑person). Collaborate with Annual Giving, Advancement colleagues, and campus partners on shared appeals and key stewardship initiatives such as Big Orange Give, Big Orange Family Campaign, and Senior Toast.
Stewardship: Record donor interactions in the CRM and use data to measure progress and guide outreach. Maintain and update the A&S campaign gifts spreadsheet and forecast revenue. Conduct donor research and analysis across all 21 A&S departments to build qualified pipelines.
Required Education and Experience
The candidate who fills the Assistant Director for Leadership Giving position is required to have:
Bachelor’s degree
3+ years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, sales, marketing, or related fields with measurable results or 1+ years with a Master’s
Strong communication skills, analytical ability and capacity to manage a high volume donor portfolio
Experience with CRM systems and donor data; proficiency in Microsoft 365 tools
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