Assistant Director of Gift Planning Operations

Assistant Director of Gift Planning Operations

Join to apply for the Assistant Director of Gift Planning Operations role at University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc.

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Assistant Director of Gift Planning Operations for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Executive Director of Gift Planning, the Assistant Director is responsible for serving as a collaborative liaison to both the Annual Giving (AG) and Communications and Donor Experience (CDE) teams pertaining to projects associated with marketing, stewardship, and reporting.

The role also serves as the “front desk” for the Office of Gift Planning by receiving incoming phone calls, emails, and mail intended for the office s position provides mission‑critical operations support to enhance efficiency, customer service, messaging and branding, data‑informed decision‑making, and reporting to support the work of securing outright and deferred philanthropic commitments.

• Internal Operations: Act as the operational hub for the Office of Gift Planning; manage records, reports, documentation, and data integrity; coordinate acknowledgements for planned gifts; maintain SharePoint and collateral materials; monitor compliance‑related documents; support leadership with reporting, prospect identification, and meeting preparation; implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Project Management: Manage and track Gift Planning marketing and stewardship projects; coordinate with AG, CDE, and leadership to ensure timely execution; produce monthly acknowledgements; develop and monitor annual project schedules; assess the effectiveness of marketing efforts and recommend data‑informed adjustments; steward major deliverables such as annual impact reports and donor communications.
• Event Coordination: Lead planning, staffing, and execution of special Gift Planning events on or off campus; assist in hosting alumni and friends on campus, including providing tours; occasionally support evening and weekend work as required.

• Bachelor’s degree
• 3+ years of professional work experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams)
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently yet collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to comprehend and distill complex processes, data, data coding, and reporting

A valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record is required due to travel responsibilities. Any significant driving offense less than 12 months old will eliminate the application from consideration.

• 3+ years of experience in a higher education environment, especially in Advancement, or in an environment handling wills, trust, and estate administration
• Demonstrated project management skills; relevant professional certifications such as CAP, PMP, CFRE, Data Analytics preferred
• Proficiency in database management and customer relationship management systems, especially Salesforce

Priority will be given to applications received on or before January 26th via our DASH application system. Applications must include a completed candidate profile, cover letter, and resume. Candidates selected to move forward will be asked to provide contact information for three professional references. References will not be contacted without the candidate’s explicit permission.

All information entered into the candidate profile is considered when determining minimum qualifications. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis without current or future need for sponsorship.

April 1, 2026

• 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…