Job Details

Vice President for Technology & Innovation and Chief Technology Officer

Position Number: 6119726
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Position Type: Executive - Other Executive

Vice President for Technology & Innovation and Chief Technology Officer
Knoxville, TN, United States

Job Identification: 2461
Job Category: Chf Exec&Oper Offcl
Posting Date: 04/02/2025
Job Schedule: Full Time
Locations: 1525 University Ave, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US (On-site)

Job Description
The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc (UTFI) invites applications and nominations to fill the position of Vice President for Technology & Innovation and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), reporting to the UTFI President and CEO. The CTO will serve as the central architect of a robust program of technology and innovation that can anticipate evolving technological and philanthropic trends, and that supports UTFI's mission to drive success for students, alumni, parents, grateful patients, and friends of the University of Tennessee.

The CTO will balance strategic thinking, leadership capability, and hands-on technological expertise to provide leadership and direction to innovative technology and analytics initiatives. This individual will have the opportunity to create a road map for long-term growth that includes creative and entrepreneurial technology adoptions and deployments, metrics for success, and accountability measures, as well as applications for data-informed risk-taking and decision-making.

The CTO will ensure alignment of technology infrastructure, business functions, and data management policies with UTFI's strategic priorities and oversee the development of critical systems such as UTFI's CRM (Salesforce/ACE). They will oversee the cross-functional integration and coordination of tech tools and platforms across UTFI's enterprise, as well as own key relationships with stakeholders, vendors, and consultants.

Responsibilities
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Technology Strategy: Develop strategic, tactical, and capital information technology plans, processes, and budgets to support UTFI's mission. Define and implement policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure efficient, compliant, and secure use of IT resources.

Innovation: Conduct research to understand and evaluate industry trends and emerging technologies to support business requirements and related system changes. Lead technology planning to achieve business goals by working with UTFI leadership in prioritizing technology initiatives and coordinating the evaluation, deployment, and management of current and future technologies.

Tech Stack Management: Lead and facilitate the work of staff, stakeholders, and suppliers to ensure the successful development, testing, implementation, and maintenance of a cloud-based relationship management (CRM) system and associated technology tools/platforms to support UTFI's operations, constituents, and affiliated organizations. Actively lead hardware and software evaluations and maintain business partner relationships.

Relationship Management: Serve as the primary relationship owner with external partners such as implementation partners, consultants, etc., ensuring efficient, secure, and compliant operations. Work closely with external consultants and internal stakeholders to ensure that technology systems, processes, and infrastructure meet the evolving needs of the organization. Partner with internal stakeholders including UTFI central and campus-based leadership, functional team leads, and end-users to anticipate, manage, and support technology needs. Oversee the integration of and coordination of technology tools and deployments across the various functions of UTFI, both centrally and across UT System campus advancement teams.

Data Management: Direct the establishment of data management controls, ensuring efficient, secure, and compliant operations. Continually reinforce a culture of protecting donor and alumni data.

Leadership & Collaboration: Lead all aspects of a complex team, including managing, mentoring, motivating, retaining, and evaluating staff.

For more detail regarding the role and our organization, please refer to the digital position prospectus.

Qualifications
Required Education and Experience

The candidate who fills the Vice President for Technology & Innovation and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) position is required to have:

Bachelor's degree
Significant and progressive experience in philanthropic organizations, with a focus on data management, technology, and innovation.
Extensive and progressive experience working within a large, decentralized fundraising environment.
In-depth expertise in all aspects of technology governance, including software implementations and adoption, continuous evaluation of business processes, and the use of analytics to drive innovation and efficiencies within the unit.
Knowledge of CRM tools, emerging technologies, and infrastructure commonly used in philanthropic organizations.
Strong track record of leveraging data and analysis to derive actionable strategy and drive business impact.
Experience with strategic leadership in an environment involving multiple stakeholders.
A collaborative and innovative mindset with strong strategic planning capabilities and business intelligence acumen.
Proven leadership experience managing a team including goal setting, performance management, and driving results.
Excellent analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Education and Experience

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

Master's degree
Progressive experience in higher education philanthropy.
Extensive experience with software/tech implementations.
Experience implementing and end-use of tools in UTFI's tech stack, including Salesforce, Kindsight, Blackthorn, Experience Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Tableau, and/or WordPress.

Application Process: Priority will be given to applications received on or before April 28, 2025 via our DASH application system. Applications must include a completed candidate profile, cover letter, resume, and 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.

Questions about the search may be directed to hr@utfi.org.

Target Start Date: July 2025

Benefits: Recognized as a Top Employer by Knoxville Top Workplaces in 2022 and 2023, 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.

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