Job DescriptionThe University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the newly created position of
Assistant Vice President for Prospect Development. Reporting to the UTFI President and CEO, the Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Prospect Development will lead an entrepreneurial effort to build a new functional business unit within UTFI to impact and support the work of our constituent campus stakeholders across the UT System, engaging with executive advancement leadership and gift officers enterprise wide.
This high impact role will be charged with the modernization of UTFI's existing prospect research and management functions, expanding the size and scope of the team, with a focus on capacity building, strategic innovation, and effective use of technology and intelligence tools. The AVP's role will require a high level of strategic and creative independent thinking; sensitivity to a wide range of stakeholders' collective and unique needs; and a deep understanding of the principles of philanthropic work.
ResponsibilitiesThe AVP's job responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
Prospect Development Strategy: Responsible for the advancement, implementation, and oversight of a new prospect development strategy to include prospect research, management, analytics and strategy; portfolio development; and data management. Research and implement industry best-practices to ensure UTFI's alignment with technological and analytical innovations. Develop and utilize data analytics and data modeling to facilitate continuous improvement and innovation.
Stakeholder Management & Collaboration: Maintain an overall knowledge of UTFI's fundraising initiatives and top prospects to ensure sufficient prospect capacity to meet fundraising goals. Monitor fundraising performance of gift officer teams to make recommendations regarding strategic direction, portfolio review, etc. Serve as a strategic partner to advancement leadership and gift officer teams via development of new modes and methods of prospect management reporting, communication, and portfolio review.
Leadership & Supervision: Provide vision and direction for a large, centralized team of prospect development professionals with unified integration to campus advancement division stakeholders. Implement prospect management guidelines and business processes. Create and implement metrics and benchmarks to manage and evaluate work volume, quality, and effectiveness; provide supports and accountability relating to the quality, quantity, and frequency of stakeholder support activities. Model and encourage strategic collaboration with advancement teams to promote consistent, targeted, and impactful support to gift officers.
For more detail regarding the role and our organization, please refer to the
digital position prospectus.
QualificationsRequired Education and Experience The candidate who fills the Assistant Vice President for Prospect Development position is required to have:
- Significant and progressive experience in philanthropic prospect development, management, research and/or strategy or a combination of experience in front-line fundraising, prospect development, and philanthropic strategy
- Extensive and progressive experience working within a large, decentralized fundraising environment
- In-depth expertise in all aspects of prospect development, including prospect identification, portfolio development, pipeline management, and the use of analytics to drive innovation and efficiencies within the unit
- Knowledge of CRM tools and technologies commonly used in philanthropic organizations
- Strong track record of leveraging data and analysis to derive actionable strategy and drive business impact
- A broad understanding of diverse prospect bases spanning the full scope of UTFI's enterprise, i.e. business, engineering, arts & sciences, agriculture, athletics, grateful patients, and friends of the institution
- An entrepreneurial mindset with strong strategic planning capabilities and business intelligence acumen
- Proven leadership experience managing a team including goal setting, performance management, and driving results
- Excellent analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills
Preferred Education and Experience In addition to meeting the required qualifications, the preferred candidate will have:
- Higher education philanthropic experience
- Experience leading a large team (15+) full-time staff
- Experience with Salesforce and developing policies governing data management
- Knowledge of analytics tools, including predictive modeling
- Change management experience
Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before February 24, 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 ensure your candidate profile is completed in its entirety as it relates to qualifying education/work experience.
Questions about the search may be directed to
hr@utfi.org.
Target Start Date: Spring 2025
Benefits: Recognized as a Top Employer by
Knoxville Top Workplaces in 2022 and 2023, 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 potential for hybrid scheduling
- 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 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.
Job Info - Job Identification 1165
- Job Category Exec & Managerial
- Posting Date 01/27/2025, 05:24 PM
- Job Schedule Full time
- Locations 1525 University Ave, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US (On-site)
