Description

The Director of Development will lead and implement the major gift philanthropic fundraising strategy for the Gary W. Rollins College of Business (GWRCOB), focusing on identifying, cultivating, and soliciting gifts of $25,000 or more from individuals, foundations, and corporations. This position will report to the

Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement within UTC Advancement with a strong, intentional working structure to the Dean of the Gary W. Rollins College of Business.

The Director will also support university-wide advancement initiatives and campaigns as identified in collaboration by GWRCOB Dean, Advancement and campus leadership.

Success will require close coordination with the Dean of GWRCOB and other campus leaders to operationalize philanthropic priorities, broaden the prospect pipeline, and design and execute strategic fundraising initiatives to advance key priorities of the university and college.

The Director will develop compelling cases for support that communicate the impact of philanthropic investments in Business education and research.

The Director will manage and steward 60–80 major prospects, with minimum annual expectations of 100 donor visits, 15 proposals submitted, and $2,000,000 raised annually through major gifts.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required, along with experience preparing customized proposals and prospect briefings.

Exceptional written, verbal, and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate Business initiatives into compelling philanthropic cases.

The Director of Development for the college will coordinate with Annual Giving, Events and Alumni Affairs on projects related to the college and collaborating with advancement leadership to identify new prospects and strengthen the donor pipeline.

Responsibilities

Position Functions/Responsibilities

75% Direct, develop, and conduct major gift fundraising efforts for GWRCOB
The Director will also support university advancement priorities and campaigns as identified by
Advancement and campus leadership.
Collaborate with the dean, campus leaders, faculty members, department heads and volunteers to identify philanthropic opportunities and strengthen engagement in fundraising and donor stewardship activities.
Develop and implement strategic fundraising plans aligned with the college’s priorities, including
scholarships, faculty support, programmatic enhancements, and student success initiatives.
Cultivate and expand partnerships with corporate and industry leaders to support student experiential
learning and research collaborations.
The Director will manage and steward 60–80 major prospects, with minimum annual expectations of 100
donor visits, 15 proposals, and $2,000,000 raised.
The Director will collaborate with the Advancement team and will participate in campus-wide fundraising
efforts as determined by Advancement Leadership.
Prepare customized presentations, proposals and prospect briefings.
Record activity in CRM platform.
Coordinate visitor schedules/itineraries. Plan business travel.
Administer special fundraising projects.
Conduct outreach involving email, phone calls, written correspondence.
Identify, qualify, and cultivate new prospects in partnership with advancement research and alumni
engagement teams to strengthen the long-term donor pipeline.
10% Coordinate with Annual Giving and Alumni Affairs and MarCom and Events on projects and strategies for assigned college/unit including direct response, crowdfunding, give days, and faculty/campaign efforts.
Collaborate with alumni engagement and communications teams to strengthen alumni participation and
philanthropic engagement within the GWRCOB.
10% Assist in college-focused special events for fundraising and stewardship purposes, including support of Dean’s Advisory Board and other volunteer leadership groups, donor engagement events, and stewardship activities.
5% Other professional duties as assigned to support the success of the advancement program and strategic priorities of the college and university as coordinated by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement and the Dean of the GWRCOB.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

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

Bachelor’s degree
5+ years of of progressively responsible fundraising, advancement, business development, or related experience with demonstrated success cultivating and securing major gifts or strategic partnerships.

Preferred Education and Experience

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

Master’s degree
6 years of experience in a related field. Experience in higher education advancement or non-profit fundraising.

A valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record is required due to travel responsibilities of the position. UC Foundation 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.

Application Process: 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: August 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 at Chattanooga is a national model for metropolitan universities. In collaboration with our many regional partners, we offer an experiential learning environment with outstanding teaching scholars in bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs. UTC is the campus of choice for over 11,350 students. Our four colleges offer over 55 bachelor's programs with 128 program concentrations. Our graduate school offers over 50 master's programs with 45 program concentrations and five doctoral degrees with six program concentrations. UTC educates our students for success in a global society at a reasonable rate.

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.

University of Tennessee

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Director of Advancement, Gary W. Rollins College of Business