Jackson, 39, competed in the triple jump and long jump for the Badgers and joined the basketball team as a walk-on in 2001.
For the last 15 years, he has worked in sales, marketing and business development. He was chief marketing and development officer at Northwestern Mutual for the last three years.
He'll join the UW staff on Monday, returning the number of deputy or associate athletic directors under Barry Alvarez to 10. Terry Gawlik left UW at the start of the school year to become athletic director at Idaho.
Senior associate athletic director Bruce Van De Velde, who previously oversaw development as well as the ticket office and Badger Sports Properties, will focus on other fundraising projects.