Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship, TCE

University of Tennessee • Knoxville, TN

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship for the UT Knoxville Tickle College of Engineering (TCE). Reporting to the Senior Director of Advancement Operations and Donor Experience, the Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship is responsible for coordinating and executing annual giving, digital fundraising, and donor stewardship strategies designed to grow and retain TCE’s donor base and strengthen philanthropic engagement. The purpose of this position is to strengthen donor engagement and build long-term philanthropic relationships through annual giving, digital fundraising, and meaningful stewardship strategies. This role will lead key donor stewardship efforts, including gift acknowledgments, student thank-you communications, donor impact reporting, and donor engagement initiatives, while also coordinating annual appeals, giving days, digital fundraising campaigns, and college- and department-specific fundraising projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 3 or more years of progressively responsible experience in annual giving, fundraising, donor relations/stewardship, digital fundraising, marketing/communications, higher education advancement, nonprofit development, or a related field.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to create effective donor communications and collaborate with multiple partners.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to develop creative annual giving, digital fundraising, and donor engagement strategies that increase participation and retention.
• Ability to analyze fundraising data, identify trends and opportunities, and communicate results and recommendations.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn CRM and digital fundraising platforms.
• A valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record is required due to travel responsibilities of the position.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Knowledge of higher education advancement, annual giving, and donor stewardship practices.
• Experience with digital fundraising, multi-channel campaigns, and donor communications.
• Experience developing donor acknowledgment, recognition, and impact-reporting initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Manages and executes TCE’s gift acknowledgment process, ensuring donors receive timely, accurate, and meaningful recognition, including personalized communications on behalf of college leadership (weekly & monthly).
• Oversees the college’s student thank-you letter process, coordinating with scholarship recipients and campus partners to manage communications, timelines, review, and distribution to donors.
• Develops ad-hoc donor impact reports, stewardship communications, and other donor-facing materials that demonstrate the impact of philanthropy on TCE students, faculty, programs, departments, and priorities.
• Identifies, develops, and executes meaningful stewardship strategies for donors supporting TCE non-endowed funds and accounts.
• Coordinates additional college-wide and department-specific stewardship projects, recognition efforts, and donor engagement initiatives as needs and opportunities arise.
• Supports the coordination of donor-scholarship recipient lunches, meetings, and other engagement opportunities.
• Collaborates with TCE Advancement, college departments, and central UTFI partners to strengthen and improve stewardship processes, consistency, and the overall donor experience.
• Coordinates and executes TCE’s annual giving program, including annual appeals, giving days (Big Orange Give, Big Orange Family Campaign, etc.), targeted campaigns, and other broad-based fundraising initiatives designed to increase donor participation, retention, and philanthropic support.
• Develops and implements TCE’s digital fundraising strategy, identifying new and innovative opportunities to engage donors and prospects through digital channels, targeted outreach, and emerging fundraising tools.
• Partners with TCE Communications and central UTFI colleagues to execute digital campaigns, evaluate performance, and continually refine strategies to grow donor engagement and giving.
• Leads strategies to grow the College Fund for Tickle College, monitoring activity, analyzing year-over-year performance and giving trends, identifying opportunities for growth, and developing and presenting monthly reports and recommendations to TCE Advancement leadership and development officers.
• Partners with TCE departments and development officers to coordinate department-specific annual giving campaigns, digital fundraising initiatives, and special fundraising projects aligned with departmental and college priorities.
• Manages project timelines, responsibilities, and deliverables across multiple stakeholders to ensure annual giving, digital fundraising, and special projects are executed effectively and on schedule.

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level