Donor Experience Coordinator

University of Tennessee Athletic Marketing Department

University of Tennessee Athletic Marketing Department

Knoxville, TN, USA

Posted on Apr 27, 2026

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Donor Experience Coordinator for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Reporting to the Director of Donor Relations, the Donor Experience Coordinator is responsible for supporting stewardship and donor relations programs designed to engage and recognize the university's philanthropic supporters.

This role will provide operational and strategic support for annual giving donor experience initiatives and other stewardship initiatives related to the alumni board and student philanthropy.


The Donor Experience Coordinator is responsible for supporting stewardship and donor relations programs designed to engage and recognize the university's philanthropic supporters.

Required Education and Experience

The candidate who fills the Donor Experience Coordinator position is required to have:

  • Bachelor’s degree

  • 1+ years of related experience

  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

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.

Preferred Education and Experience

In addition to meeting the required qualifications, the preferred candidate will have:

  • Project management, spreadsheet management (MS Excel) expertise.

  • Excellent interpersonal skills, attention to detail, ability to work in a fast-paced and team-oriented environment.

Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before May 11th 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: July 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:

Stewardship: Develop and oversee annual giving stewardship deliverables, ensuring alignment with donor expectations and organizational priorities. Analyze donor data to determine stewardship effectiveness and recommend strategic improvements. Collect and organize impact narratives from campus partners to support donor reporting. Design and evaluate stewardship workflows, including process improvements and automation opportunities for annual days of giving and other solicitations (including thank-you processes, data management, and communication review).

Oversee the leadership annual giving recognition society, including new member fulfillment and CRM coding. Research and resolve inquiries related to annual giving donor recognition programs (leadership annual giving, Tennessee True, Loyal Vols), ensuring accuracy and alignment with university policies. Support fund administration tasks and help maintain data integrity across donor experience systems. Serve as backup for bio/demo updates as needed.

Donor Relations Coordination: Serve as a liaison for alumni board of directors' stewardship efforts, acting as the primary operations point of contact for donor experience and stewardship inquiries. Manage coordination of donor recognition signage projects including maintenance of donor recognition database of named spaces within the CRM. Assist with ThankView video outreach, including planning, recording coordination, and distribution for assigned segments. Oversee operational duties around Grateful Vol Day, an annual celebration of the impact philanthropy

has at UT Knoxville. Implement established donor recognition policies and ensure consistent messaging and branding across communications.

Project Management and Collaboration: Lead cross-campus annual giving stewardship initiatives and donor recognition signage projects within project management tool, review project scope, prioritization, and resource needs. Collaborate with internal and campus annual giving partners and donor recognition signage partners to ensure project timelines, expectations, and deliverables are met. Participate in meetings as a representative of the Communications and Donor Experience Team, providing updates on assigned initiatives.