Vice-President of Philanthropy

The Vice President of Philanthropy for the United Way of Greater Knoxville provides strategic leadership for corporate engagement, major donor engagement, volunteer engagement, and community-wide fundraising and resource development at United Way of Greater Knoxville (UWGK). This role is responsible for designing, executing, and continuously improving a comprehensive advancement strategy that positions UWGK as a visionary leader in the region’s philanthropic landscape.

The VP of Philanthropy ensures that all fundraising and engagement efforts support UWGK’s community impact model and revenue goals, including workplace giving, individual and major gifts, planned and deferred giving, Affinity Groups, and signature events. This role serves on the Executive Leadership Team and models UWGK’s guiding principles and values in all work and relationships.

This position directs a high‑performing Advancement Team, including FTE staff responsible for fundraising, donor engagement, volunteer engagement, and related functions.

• Providing leadership, coaching, and mentorship to ensure high performance and professional growth.
• Setting clear expectations and goals, directing and delegating work assignments, monitoring progress, and conducting performance evaluations.
• Supporting cross‑functional collaboration and guiding team members in aligning their work with organizational strategies and revenue goals.
• Ensuring department staffing, structure, and processes maximize available resources and opportunities.

The following responsibilities reflect the core functions of the role and are considered essential to the position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list but rather a representation of the key duties required to advance UWGK’s mission. Duties may evolve based on organizational needs and community priorities.

• Champion UWGK’s mission and community well‑being as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, providing a united and visible presence across the organization and broader community.
• Partner with the CEO and Board of Directors, Advancement and Communications teams, and fundraising volunteer committees to create and execute intentional, comprehensive, effective short‑ and long‑term strategies for increased revenue generation and diversification aligned with UWGK’s mission and goals.
• Utilize data and analytics to track and evaluate the effectiveness of fundraising strategies and prepare reports on fundraising activities for the President/CEO and board of directors/key stakeholders to inform data‑driven decision‑making and resource optimization.
• In collaboration with the Finance department, develop and manage budgets related to fundraising activities, oversee fundraising reporting, and ensure that all fundraising practices and processes adhere to legal and ethical standards and are in compliance with relevant regulations.
• In collaboration with the Chief of Staff and Communications and Marketing & Communications team, align data, storytelling, marketing, and outreach strategies to grow, engage, and mobilize segmented target audiences.

• Engage and mobilize corporate partners, business leaders, community groups, individual donors, and nonprofit partners to strengthen support for UWGK’s mission and increase revenue.
• Provide leadership to UWGK’s Advancement Committee and staff support to volunteer fundraising committees, councils, and strategies, including the Alexis de Tocqueville council (ADT), giving societies, and executive ambassador program.
• Annually serve as primary liaison with UWGK Community Campaign chair and lead Advancement team in planning and coordinating community/corporate campaign activities, and driving and monitoring annual giving campaign results.
• Leverage CRM, wealth screening, and leads technology initiatives to enhance fundraising results and donor satisfaction, which improves the organization’s use of systems to increase overall impact.

• Advance a donor‑centric, relationship‑based moves management strategy grounded in best practices to inspire…