Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement Regional, Planned, and Corporate Philanthropy

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement – Regional, Planned, & Corporate Philanthropy (AVC) for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the AVC for Regional, Planned, & Corporate Philanthropy is charged with providing innovative and creative leadership to the regional, gift planning, & corporate philanthropy teams.  

 

As a leader within the Advancement division, the ideal candidate will be a skilled talent manager, with experience building and managing a highly functioning and geographically distributed team (4-7 direct reports, 2 indirect reports) of philanthropic advisors. The AVC will leverage an entrepreneurial mindset, developing the team’s capacity to stimulate and secure gifts that include multiple and complex asset streams.   

 

The AVC will themselves be an accomplished fundraiser with a track record of progressive responsibility and will be able to leverage a robust personal network to establish and build relationships with donors, corporations, and private foundations.  

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

 

Leadership and Management: Strategic day-to-day management and oversight of the Gift Planning, Regional, and Corporate Philanthropy advancement teams. Serve as a member of the senior leadership team and provide additional support at the direction of the Chief Development Officer and the Senior Vice Chancellor for Advancement in support of university wide campaign and campus initiatives, and our Chancellor's Strategic Priorities.  

 

Collaboration: Foster and support partnership between the regional, gift planning, and corporate giving teams and the campus community to build strong internal relationships in support of meeting individual, team, and campus goals.  Establish and maintain a strong collaborative relationship with senior leadership of the University of Tennessee including the President, Chancellor, Provost, Deans, and other senior leaders on the Knoxville campus. Partnership within and across UTFI to cultivate synergistic relationships with leadership, central services, and statewide advancement teams. 

 

Fundraising: Manage a portfolio of prospects, including identification, qualification, cultivation, and stewardship activities. Guide broad contextual philanthropic conversations with prospects, donors, and other stakeholders. Develop new and innovative ways to stimulate philanthropic giving.  

Required Education and Experience 

The candidate who fills the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement – Regional, Planned, & Corporate Philanthropy position is required to have: 

• Bachelor’s degree 

• 8+ years of experience in fundraising, development/advancement, or philanthropy  

• 2+ years of management or supervisory experience 

 

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. 

 

Preferred Education and Experience 

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

• Master’s degree  

• 10+ years of experience in fundraising, development/advancement, or philanthropy 

• 5+ years of management or supervisory experience; experience leading geographically distributed teams 

• Higher education philanthropic experience  

• Salesforce CRM experience 

 

Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before August 5, 2025 via our DASH 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 ensur