In alignment with the Accountability, Collaboration, Excellence, and Servant Leadership (ACES) pillars of
the Office of Advancement, this position provides mission-critical fundraising and administration for the
benefit of the Office of Gift Planning. Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Identification, Cultivation, Solicitation, and Stewardship of Planned Gifts: The Director of Gift Planning supports planned giving initiatives for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. (UTFI) by developing and implementing strategies that result in planned gift commitments of $50,000 or more. These efforts include donor identification, assessment, cultivation, strategy, proposal development, solicitation, gift negotiation, stewardship, and donor engagement. The Executive Director of Gift Planning, in collaboration with the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Regional, Gift Planning, and Corporate Philanthropy, annually sets both individual goals for the Director of Gift Planning and team goals for the Office of Gift Planning.
Additional responsibilities of the Director of Gift Planning are as follows:
Maintain and manage a portfolio that includes both prospective and current major gift or planned giving donors.
Emphasize the discovery of new prospective major gift and planned giving donors.
Work closely with prospective and current donors and their family, financial advisors, attorneys, CPAs, and other advisors, regarding the potential structure of outright, testamentary, and life income gifts.
Articulate how philanthropic investments change lives at UT, and create and present, with an emphasis on both outright and deferred gifts, proposals for $50,000 or more that are donor-centric and align with the funding needs and priorities of the Knoxville campus.
Provide suggested charitable bequest language to prospective donors interested in including UTFI in their estate plans.
Follow-up with leads received via incoming correspondence, web-based services, etc.
Ensure accurate recording and tracking of activity and gift commitments.
Help promote gift planning concepts to Advancement colleagues and other internal partners so they may encourage philanthropic gift planning vehicles in their conversations.
Other duties as assigned.
Partnership/Collaboration: The collaborative responsibilities of this position include interacting with college, unit, and regional Advancement staff, the Executive Director of Gift Planning, and the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Regional, Gift Planning, and Corporate Philanthropy, plus other UTFI and UT colleagues, to meet the needs of the Advancement operation.
Collaborate with Advancement colleagues in assigned academic units and geographic territories on gift conversations with associated constituents.
Coordinate with the UTFI Office of Planned Giving on gifts-in-kind, real estate, tangible personal property, or life income gifts, including producing gift illustrations pertaining to charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and other planned gifts.
Collaboratively serve as a technical advisor to development staff seeking expertise related to proposing and documenting outright, blended, planned, and other complex gifts by adding value to all gift conversations in which involved.
Conduct meetings with internal stakeholders to develop identification, assessment, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
Formulate and implement donor-centric stewardship and donor engagement activities for existing planned giving donors.
Collaborate with Advancement colleagues and UTFI staff on appropriate gift commitment documentation and the receipt of estate distributions to UTFI.
Create monthly activity reports for the Executive Director of Gift Planning regarding the advancement of individual gift conversations and related strategies.
Create individual forecasting projections and strategies pertaining to portfolio and proposal assignments.
Attend various internal meetings.
Ensure timely and accurate entry of both data into CRM software and submission of files to appropriate UTFI parties.
Other duties as assigned.
Professional Development: In coordination with the Executive Director of Gift Planning, pursue continuous professional improvement and excellence through relevant continuing education via training, webinars, conference attendance, presenting on aspects of gift planning to internal or external audiences, etc.
The candidate who fills the Director of Gift Planning position is required to have:
Bachelor’s degree.
5+ years of experience in a higher education advancement; client-facing roles involving face-to-face relationship development, communicating an organization’s mission and societal impact, and/or fundraising; financial planning and/or investment management; legal work; or related work experiences.
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.
Note - Candidates holding a graduate degree must have at least 3 years of experience.
Preferred Education and Experience
In addition to meeting the required qualifications, the preferred candidate will have:
5+ years of fundraising experience in a higher education environment.
Demonstrated knowledge of planned giving.
Professional telephone, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Teams).
Experience using Salesforce software or related CRM platforms.
Possess an analytical mindset, attention to detail, organizational skills, and a capacity to articulate complex financial concepts both verbally and in writing.
Excellent time management skills, flexibility in daily responsibilities, and an ability to manage multiple and complex projects concurrently.
Application Process: Applications must include a completed candidate profile, cover letter, and resume. Candidates selected to move forward in the evaluation process will be asked to provide 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 ensure your candidate profile is completed in its entirety as it relates to qualifying education/work experience.
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.
Questions about the search may be directed to hr@utfi.org
Target Start Date: January 1, 2027
Benefits: The Foundation’s greatest asset is our team. Foundation employees are eligible for a comprehensive suite of benefits that includes:
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
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The Foundation: The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that serves as the preferred channel for private contributions benefiting students and faculty within the UT System. With a vision of being one of the top-performing advancement organizations in higher education, UTFI is committed to enhancing the educational landscape across the University of Tennessee campuses.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been advancing knowledge and enriching lives since its founding in 1794. Tennessee’s flagship public research university, UT Knoxville is a diverse community whose shared commitment to discovery, creativity, and education combines with a tradition of service and engagement to carry the Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. UT’s campus—home to more than 36,000 students and 9,000 faculty and staff members—is part of the vibrant city of Knoxville, located on the Tennessee River with the Great Smoky Mountains nearby.
The UT System: The University of Tennessee System is comprised of campuses at Knoxville, Chattanooga, Pulaski, Martin and the Health Science Center at Memphis; the Institute of Agriculture; and the Institute for Public Service.
The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law.
