Private Donor Funding Manager: Finance & Administration, Tickle College of Engineering - UTK

The Private Donor Funding Manager is a key member of the TCE Finance & Administration leadership team and reports to the Director of Budget & Planning. This position oversees stewardship, administration, and compliant use of the college's private donor funds, including scholarships, endowed professorships, and other restricted gift accounts. The Manager advises deans, department heads, and directors on complex donor funding matters, manages fund allocations and forecasting, leads reporting and process improvement, and coordinates closely with TCE Development and campus Financial Aid. The position supervises the Scholarship Coordinator and provides work directions to other administrative staff on donor funding projects and processes.

Strategic Management & Leadership (35%)

• Serves as a critical member of the TCE Finance & Administration leadership team, providing strategic consulting, advising, and implementation leadership for private donor funding stewardship.

• Serves as the college-wide subject matter expert for private donor funding spending, including interpretation of donor restrictions (in conjunction with TCE Development), allowability, and related fiscal policies.

• Establishes goals, priorities, and operating standards for private donor funding administration in alignment with college strategy and budget priorities.

• Consults with and advises deans, department heads, directors, and other leaders (in conjunction with the Director of Budget & Planning) on complex and sensitive donor funding matters; uses independent judgment and research to resolve exceptions.

• Maintains strong relationships with campus partners and college stakeholders to ensure high-quality service, effective collaboration, and timely resolution of issues.

• Elevates risks, trends, and significant exceptions; provides ongoing feedback to the Director of Budget & Planning and makes recommendations to optimize use of private donor funding.

• Supervises the Scholarship Coordinator, including goal setting, delegation, coaching, and completion of annual performance evaluations.

• Provides work direction to other administrative support positions, as appropriate, for specific projects and/or processes to ensure efficient cross-college execution of donor funding activities.

Financial Management (20%)

• Manages scholarship and restricted donor fund allocations and expenditures; ensures transactions align with donor intent, policies, and budget parameters.

• Monitors and manages fund balances and financial activity to ensure revenues are recorded accurately, expenses remain within allowable limits, and funds are used effectively.

• Provides stewardship and forecasting for endowed and restricted funds, including endowed professorships and oversight of administrative gift accounts, ensuring use aligns with gift agreements.

• Leads financial reviews of donor funding activity and supports planning/forecasting processes to maximize the strategic impact of donor resources.

Administration, Training, & Communications (15%)

• Owns day-to-day administration of private donor funding workflows across college processes, including intake, routing/approvals, required documentation, budgeting support, and issue resolution; leads discussions with TCE leadership, development leadership, and other stakeholders regarding scholarships and other restricted donor funds.

• Oversees creation/setup of new private donor funding accounts; ensures appropriate understanding of agreements, restrictions, and administrative requirements for effective execution.

• Performs monthly reconciliations for private donor funding accounts; investigates discrepancies and coordinates corrections with appropriate stakeholders.

• Oversees coordination with campus Financial Aid for assignment of college scholarships; manages use of the campus scholarship award management system, including training, administrative support, and escalated troubleshooting.

• Develops and disseminates communications and leads training sessions for multiple audiences within the college regarding processes, timelines, and policy updates related to donor funding.

Reporting, Forecasting, & Decision Support (15%)

• Develops and delivers recurring and ad hoc reports, forecasts, and projections for TCE Deans, Department Heads, and Directors (in conjunction with the Director of Budget & Planning) to support budgeting and stewardship decisions.

• Manages annual scholarship projection reporting for undergraduate and graduate awards; leads ongoing review cycles with TCE Development and program leadership.

• Develops metrics and conducts ongoing assessment of processes and outcomes; identifies, recommends, and implements improvements to strengthen controls, cycle times, and data quality.

Compliance & Risk Management (15%)

• Interprets and applies applicable federal, state, university, and donor requirements to ensure compliant administration and accurate financial reporting of private donor funds.

• Evaluates donor gift agreement terms and conditions and associated reporting requirements; ensures expenditures and administrative practices adhere to restrictions and intent.

• Monitors budgets and expenses for allowability and compliance; resolves issues and mitigates financial and audit risk through strong controls, documentation, and corrective action.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field

• Experience: A minimum of four years of accounting, financial, scholarship, and/or related work experience

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Ability to communicate effectively, including active listening skills, plus the ability to work with a diverse group of faculty, staff, administrators, and other stakeholders.

  • Ability to prioritize and manage a high volume of complex projects simultaneously to meet constant deadlines in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.

  • Ability to be detail-oriented with strong organizational and problem-solving skills.

  • Ability to be flexible and exercise sound judgment, with an open and collaborative style of work that encourages teamwork and cooperation.

  • Ability to provide excellent customer service with a commitment to exceptional quality.

  • Ability to think analytically, quantitatively, creatively, and strategically and to work with ambiguity.

  • Skill to be an independent thinker with professional skepticism.

  • Ability to be a team player who works well collectively and collaboratively with colleagues to achieve common goals.

  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office.

  • Working knowledge of scholarships, financial aid policies/procedures, and restricted sources of funding.

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-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Master's degree

• Experience: 4+ years of experience working in accounting, financial, or scholarship administration; experience in a higher education environment

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Ability to interpret and communicate federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to administrative operations, policies, and procedures.

  • Knowledge of UT fiscal, human resource, and research policies.

  • Experience with Oracle, Power BI, and other reporting tools.

  • Experience with scholarships, financial aid, or related processes in a higher education setting.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Hybrid

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR13
• Anticipated hiring range: $85,000 - $95,000
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments.

• Resume

• Cover Letter

About The College

The Tickle College of Engineering (TCE) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is committed to excellence in engineering education, research, and service. TCE Finance & Administration provides budget, financial, and administrative leadership for the college, partnering with college leadership, academic departments, and campus offices to steward the college's resources, including the private donor funds that support students, faculty, and programs.