Executive Director of Portfolio Strategy & SolutionsExecutive Director of Portfolio Strategy & Solutions 2 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features. Job Description

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The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Job Description

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Executive Director of Portfolio Strategy & Solutions. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Prospect Development, the Executive Director of Portfolio Strategy & Solutions (EDPSS) is responsible for leading a team that catalyzes the production of the prospect development team via solution-focused advisory approach that is collaborative, professionalized, and strategic. As a key senior leader in UTFI’s Prospect Development vertical, the EDPSS oversees and manages all aspects of the Portfolio Strategy & Solutions unit. Core focus areas include oversight of (1) prospect management, (2) portfolio maintenance, including prospect assignments, and (3) strategic refinement of development metrics and dashboards—to allow for streamlined interpretation of development performance at the enterprise, institution, unit, and individual level.

This position works closely with principal advancement leaders and campus leadership to ensure coordination, collaboration, and proactive management of the broader UT System philanthropic portfolio, while simultaneously defining the philanthropic portfolios for each institution and institute into actionable pipelines. The EDPSS holds responsibility for ongoing review and suggested evolution of prospect management policies and procedures—with a focus on ensuring clarity, consistency, and streamlined operations across all development units and campuses. This position regularly interacts with senior leadership and key stakeholders across the enterprise.

Responsibilities

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Leadership & Supervision: Provides dynamic and analytical leadership to the Portfolio

Strategy & Solutions team. Leads strategic planning, communication and execution of team goals, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and fiscal responsibility. Manages and mentors a high performing team by providing training, resources, and ongoing coaching, while fostering a culture of respect, growth, and innovation. Oversees performance evaluations, policy development and the integration of emerging tools like AI to enhance prospect intelligence and pipeline optimization.

Portfolio Strategy: Collaborate with fellow Prospect Development senior leaders to define workflows, business processes, and key performance indicators (KPIs) that effectively maintain and monitor the University of Tennessee system-wide portfolio while further segmenting the System-wide portfolio into portfolios aligned with institutions, institutes, units, individual development officers, and prospect pools—all with a goal of ensuring dynamic and optimized prospect assignment across the pipeline. Partner with senior development leaders to define principal giving portfolios and align assignments with consideration of cross-institutional/unit philanthropic interests held by prospects to realize transformational philanthropic investments by taking a donor-centered approach.

Portfolio Solutions: Provide proactive leadership to ensure an ongoing collaborative and solutions-focused approach is provided by all team members; this approach positions the team as professional advisors who are laser-focused on identifying and addressing barriers to development officer production. Maintain regular and proactive communication with key senior development leaders to ensure an accurate pulse is maintained on evolving needs; prioritize potential solutions according to business needs and address needs in an entrepreneurial manner.

Prospect Management: Provide leadership in regular review and refinement of prospect management policies and procedures—always focusing on actively addressing potential barriers. Monitor overall integrity of performance metrics for Development Officers, and collaborate with

prospect development peer leaders and Central Services colleagues to ensure respective dashboards and reports are accurate, clear, and accessible. Provide counsel to the AVP of Prospect Development regarding strategic planning and implementation of new objectives and goals that will continue to refine an always growing pipeline.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

The candidate who fills the Executive Director of Portfolio Strategy & Solutions position is required to have:

Bachelor’s degree 8+ years of progressive experience in roles that require translating data and analysis to generate actionable strategy and solutions that drive business outcomes 2+ years of supervisory experience including goal setting, performance management, and driving results An entrepreneurial mindset with strong strategic planning capabilities and business intelligence acumen Experience working within a decentralized work environment, in a collaborative service role leading complex projects A broad understanding of diverse prospect bases spanning the full scope of UTFI’s enterprise, i.e. business, engineering, arts & sciences, agriculture, athletics, grateful patients, and friends of the institution Excellent analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills

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 6 years of experience.

Preferred Education And Experience

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

Master’s degree Philanthropic experience, including fundraising, prospect development, prospect management, portfolio development and the use of analytic tools Experience utilizing CRMs; Salesforce preferred Change management experience Experience developing and leading trainings, and/or experience teaching or advising professional staff

Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before August 4, 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: September 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 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.Seniority level Seniority levelExecutive Employment type Employment typeFull-time Job function Job functionBusiness Development and Sales Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. by 2x Get notified about new Portfolio Executive jobs in Knoxville, TN . Director, Major Account Sales – Warehouse (Food Processing, Food Distribution, & Cold Storage)Director of Sales- Gatlinburg Town SquareAviation Technology Tenure Track Faculty (Grant-funded 12-month through 9/30/2028)Sr. Business Solutions Architect - Lending OperationsMEP Business Unit Leader (Mechanical / Electrical / Fire Protection) Knoxville, TN $200,000.00-$275,000.00 4 days ago We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.

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