Private Donor Funding Manager, Finance & Administration

University of Tennessee College of Arts & Sciences

. Provide strategic consulting, advising, and implementation leadership for private donor funding stewardship .

Posted 10/1/2026full-timeKnoxville • Tennessee • United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $85,000 - $95,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in managing private donor funding, including compliance with fiscal policies and donor restrictions, while providing strategic consulting and leadership in scholarship administration. Proficient in financial planning, reporting, and stakeholder communication within a higher education context.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Private Donor Funding ManagementFinancial Planning and ForecastingScholarship AdministrationCompliance with Fiscal PoliciesStakeholder Communication

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

AccountingFinancial AnalysisBudget ManagementData ReportingReconciliationProject ManagementDonor Funding AdministrationScholarship ManagementPolicy InterpretationProcess Improvement

Soft Skills

Effective CommunicationActive ListeningOrganizational SkillsProblem-SolvingCustomer Service Orientation

Tools & Technologies

Microsoft OfficeOraclePower BIScholarship Award Management System

Industry Keywords

Higher EducationFinancial Aid PoliciesRestricted FundingDonor StewardshipCompliance Standards

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Oracle

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Provide strategic consulting, advising, and implementation leadership for private donor funding stewardship
Serve as the college-wide subject matter expert on private donor funding spending, donor restrictions, allowability, and fiscal policies
Establish goals, priorities, and operating standards for private donor funding administration
Advise deans, department heads, directors, and other leaders on complex donor funding matters
Maintain relationships with campus partners and college stakeholders
Escalate risks, trends, and significant exceptions and recommend improvements
Supervise the Scholarship Coordinator, including goal setting, delegation, coaching, and annual performance evaluations
Direct administrative support staff on donor funding projects and processes
Manage scholarship and restricted donor fund allocations, expenditures, balances, and financial activity
Provide stewardship and forecasting for endowed and restricted funds
Lead financial reviews and planning/forecasting processes
Administer donor funding workflows, including intake, approvals, documentation, budgeting support, and issue resolution
Oversee setup of new private donor funding accounts
Perform monthly reconciliations and coordinate corrections
Coordinate with campus Financial Aid on college scholarship assignments
Manage the campus scholarship award management system, including training and troubleshooting
Develop communications and lead training on donor funding processes and policies
Develop recurring and ad hoc reports, forecasts, and projections for college leadership
Manage annual scholarship projection reporting
Develop metrics and implement process improvements
Interpret and apply federal, state, university, and donor requirements
Evaluate gift agreement terms and reporting requirements
Monitor budgets and expenses for allowability and compliance and mitigate financial and audit risk

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field
Minimum of four years of accounting, financial, scholarship, and/or related work experience
Effective communication and active listening skills
Ability to work with diverse faculty, staff, administrators, and stakeholders
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple complex projects and constant deadlines
Detail-oriented with strong organizational and problem-solving skills
Flexibility and sound judgment
Excellent customer service orientation
Analytical, quantitative, creative, and strategic thinking skills
Independent thinking and professional skepticism
Knowledge of Microsoft Office
Working knowledge of scholarships, financial aid policies/procedures, and restricted sources of funding
Legally authorized to work full-time in the United States without current or future employment-based visa sponsorship
Preferred: Master's degree
Preferred: Experience in higher education
Preferred: Ability to interpret federal, state, and local laws and regulations
Preferred: Knowledge of UT fiscal, human resource, and research policies
Preferred: Experience with Oracle, Power BI, and other reporting tools
Preferred: Experience with scholarships, financial aid, or related processes in higher education
Resume and cover letter required

Benefits

Comp & perks

Career development and coaching
Continued education
Extensive development and training possibilities
Work-life balance support
Compensation and innovation-focused employee support