Associate Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations
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The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Associate Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations for the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. Reporting to the Senior Director of Engagement and Advancement Services, the Associate Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations is responsible for leading a comprehensive, donor- centered stewardship and donor experience strategy that recognizes philanthropic support, demonstrates the impact of giving, communicates meaningful outcomes to varied audiences, and advances donors from first gift through long-term engagement.
This role will develop, implement, and assess the UTIA-wide stewardship plan in consultation with Advancement leadership, ensuring alignment with campaign priorities, institutional goals, and industry best practices. Working collaboratively with Academic Departments, Central Campus Units, Alumni and Annual Giving, Principal-Gift Partners, and Communications, the position will deliver a coordinated stewardship infrastructure that strengthens donor satisfaction, retention, and lifelong philanthropic engagement.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Donor Stewardship Programs & Recognition: Creates and manages specialized stewardship and recognition opportunities for Institute donors and segmented donor groups, using creative, donor-centered practices and appropriate technology. Oversees donor-focused activities and materials, including virtual and in-person events, giving societies, campus visits, birthday cards, customized stewardship materials, and recognition signage. Leads stewardship for shared campaigns with UTK, including Big Orange Give, Big Orange Family Campaign, and Senior Impact, in collaboration with the Assistant Director for Annual Giving. Also directs scholarship stewardship and student gratitude initiatives, developing strategies that engage students, faculty, and alumni through thank-you-letter timelines, storytelling, and stewardship touchpoints.
Stewardship Planning, Reporting, & Impact Communications: Coordinates the annual UTIA endowment report and other stewardship and impact reports, managing content gathering, editing, quality review, approvals, design direction, production, and distribution. Leads the endowment reporting process from start to finish, including timeline management and campus-wide collaboration. Manages financial summaries for stewardship materials in partnership with Communications and Advancement colleagues. Establishes reporting standards and evaluates processes to improve the timeliness, quality, scalability, and clarity of donor impact communications.
Acknowledgement & Stewardship Program Management: Leads the gift acknowledgment process in line with the gift-matrix strategy, including segmentation, messaging, and coordination with UTIA academic units. Maintains stewardship portfolio information and coordinates reporting and workflow across ACE/Salesforce, DASH, ThankView, Marketing Cloud, and related systems, partnering with Advancement Services to resolve data issues. Evaluates stewardship workflows, systems, and donor experience practices, then recommends and implements improvements that increase efficiency, consistency, and effectiveness. Trains Advancement staff and campus partners on approved stewardship processes in DASH, ACE, and OnBase while maintaining collaborative relationships that support a consistent donor experience.
Required Education and Experience
The candidate who fills the Associate Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations position is required to have:
Bachelor’s degree
4+ years of progressive work experience in stewardship, donor relations or a closely related field.
Superior organizational and project-management skills
Excellent written and oral communication
Strong attention to detail; and the ability to synthesize information and compose clear, effective materials
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects and deadlines
Use data systems and Microsoft Office; work comfortably with financial data; and develop donor-centered stewardship communications and experiences
Excellent interpersonal skills and a donor-focused approach are required
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 2 years of experience.
Preferred Education and Experience
In addition to meeting the required qualifications, the preferred candidate will have:
Master’s degree
Experience in advancement, higher education, or another people-oriented field
Experience in composing donor communications, stewardship reporting, scholarship stewardship, and working within constituent relationship-management or engagement systems
Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before November 13th 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: 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 Institute of Agriculture is dedicated to providing “Real. Life. Solutions.” to society’s most pressing issues. Through its extensive presence across the state and global outreach efforts, UTIA’s work has a profound impact on agriculture, research, veterinary medicine, Extension, and more, ultimately contributing to economic growth, biodiversity and human and animal health.
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.
