Associate Director of Fund Administration
Knoxville, TN, USA
The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Associate Director of Fund Administration for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Executive Director of Fund Administration, the Associate Director is responsible for providing operational leadership for the gift agreement and fund establishment lifecycle at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, managing the end-to-end process from gift agreement intake through fund and account creation in support of the university’s philanthropic mission.
This role will serve as the primary operational leadership for the gift agreement and fund establishment lifecycle at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, managing the end-to-end process from gift agreement intake through fund and account creation in support of the university’s philanthropic mission.
The Associate Director is responsible for providing operational leadership for the gift agreement and fund establishment lifecycle at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, managing the end-to-end process from gift agreement intake through fund and account creation in support of the university’s philanthropic mission.
Required Education and Experience
The candidate who fills the Associate Director of Fund Administration position is required to have:
Bachelor’s degree
5+ years of progressive experience in Advancement Services, Gift Administration, Fund Administration, Development Operations, Higher Education finance or business administration, or nonprofit administration or similarly relevant field
2+ years of supervisory experience to include interns, students, and volunteers
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:
7+ years of experience in advancement services or fund administration
Experience in a major public research university
Experience working with university foundations
Experience with campaign gift administration
Experience implementing workflow automation
Experience leading process improvement initiatives
Experience with endowed fund creation and administration
Experience managing complex gift agreements, planned gifts, and donor restricted funds
Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before July 30th via our DASH application system. 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 maybe directed to hr@utfi.org.
Target Start Date: Fall 2026
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.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Gift Agreement Intake and Drafting Coordination: Oversees the full intake process for new and amended gift agreements, triaging and prioritizing requests from development officers and campus partners. Manages drafting from approved templates to ensure fund purpose, restrictions, and naming provisions align with donor intent, institutional policy, UPMIFA, and IRS requirements. Serves as the primary contact for agreement status and maintains intake tracking and service-level standards.
Agreement Review, Routing and Execution: Leads internal and campus review of gift agreements, coordinating routing to UTFI, General Counsel, and campus leadership, and manages signature tracking through full execution. Escalates complex donor intent issues or non-standard terms to senior leadership as needed. Ensures executed agreements are properly recorded, imaged, and retained per records of management standards.
Fund Administration, Data Integrity and Process Leadership: Manages creation of new endowed and non-endowed funds in systems of record, ensuring attributes, purpose codes, and spending terms match executed agreements, and reconciles discrepancies before handoff to payout administration. Supports fund modifications, amendments, and planned gift implementation alongside stewardship and CRM updates. Drives process improvement, training, and documentation across the agreement-to-fund lifecycle while supervising fund administration staff.