Associate Director of Fund Administration

University of Tennessee • Knoxville, TN

23h • Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Associate Director of Fund Administration at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Executive Director of Fund Administration, the Associate Director of Fund Administration is responsible for campus partner coordination and fund information stewardship across the University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. (UTFI) portfolio of endowed and non-endowed philanthropic funds.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• 4+ years of progressive experience in endowment administration, fund accounting, advancement services, or a closely related finance function
• 2+ years of supervisory experience to include interns, students, and volunteers
• A valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record is required due to travel responsibilities of the position.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment visa status.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree
• 5+ years of experience including direct endowment/payout administration in a university foundation or institutionally related foundation
• Leadership or supervisory experience to include completing a performance review/coaching
• Experience owning external partner relationships with limited oversight
• Experience leading process improvement or automation initiatives from design through rollout

Responsibilities

• Owns the primary relationship with college and unit budget directors, development officers, and campus partners on fund balances, expenditures, utilization, and reinvestment questions, exercising independent judgment to resolve routine and moderately complex issues and escalating only relationship-sensitive matters to the Executive Director.
• Sets and monitors service standards for recurring and ad hoc partner communications and leads a responsive, service-oriented culture across the team's campus interactions.
• Supervises fund administration coordinators, interns, and student staff, assigning and reviewing their work on partner communications and fund data upkeep, and supports their onboarding and training.
• Leads the compilation and integrity of fund data—balances, spending activity, and utilization trends—independently producing and interpreting reports for campus partners that flag underutilized, aged, or expiring funds, and recommending corrective action.
• Owns reinvestment tracking and expenditure monitoring across the portfolio, reconciling reported figures against systems of record.
• Independently calculates and reconciles endowment payouts and distributions against donor-restricted purposes and serves as the team's lead reviewer for stewardship, audit, and compliance reporting.
• Identifies and implements automation and standardization improvements across fund reporting and partner coordination workflows, with authority to pilot and roll out new procedures.
• Develops and maintains procedural documentation, reporting templates, and onboarding materials, and leads onboarding and training for new coordinators and student staff.
• Serves as a key contributor to department and Advancement-wide initiatives related to donor experience and fund administration.

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