Director Of Digital Communications

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Director of Digital Communications for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, the Director of Digital Communications is responsible for leading the Division of Advancement’s digital communications strategy, providing vision, direction, and oversight for all digital communications outlets to advance fundraising, alumni engagement, stewardship, and student engagement.

The purpose of this position is to provide strategic leadership and supervision for the digital team, collaborate closely with Advancement colleagues and campus partners, and ensure digital communications align with the mission and priorities of the Division of Advancement and the university.

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategy and Planning: In collaboration with the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, Communications and Donor Experience (CDE) team, and campus partners, establishes Advancement’s digital communications strategy, defines objectives, oversees execution, and measures campaign success. Creates multi-channel campaigns for Annual Giving, Stewardship, Alumni Relations, Development, Special Events, and Student and Young Alumni Programming, managing strategy and long-term execution.

Supervision and Team Leadership: Supervise four digital communications staff including hiring, performance management, and disciplinary actions. Leads integrated, multi-channel promotion strategies in collaboration with Advancement and campus partners.

Content and Channel Oversight: Provide final approval for all digital communications content, including email marketing campaigns, websites, event registrations, and social media. Manage the email scheduling calendar for the CDE team to ensure coordinated, timely, and effective deployment of communications. Hold authority on audience segmentation strategies for email marketing campaigns, working with the digital team, UTFI’s Digital Strategy and Innovation (DSI) team, and partners to ensure messaging reaches the right audiences.

Reporting and Analysis: Creates and analyzes digital communications performance reports for senior leadership, in coordination with CDE digital team.

Budget and Operations: Manages a portion of the Communications and Donor Experience budget, with authority for digital communications spending. Plays a strategic role in CRM and Salesforce enterprise platforms (WordPress, Marketing Cloud, Experience Cloud, Formstack, Blackthorn) that impact alumni and donor communications.

Required Education and Experience

The candidate who fills the Director of Digital Communications position is required to have:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5+ years of experience in digital communications
• 2+ years of experience in a supervisory role
• Experience in public relations, marketing, management, content development, web development and implementation, writing, social media management, and time management of high-priority tasks
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills
• Fluent understanding of websites (html, content management systems) and social media tools and platforms.

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:

• Master’s degree
• Experience in higher education, marketing, development, and reputation management

Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before October 2, 2025 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 may be directed to hr@utfi.org.

Target Start Date: December 1, 2025

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.