Job Details

Director of Finance and Administration- College of Law- UTK

Position Number: 6124431
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Position Type: Business - Finance

Director of Finance and Administration- College of Law- UTK
Knoxville, TN, United States

Job Identification: 2502
Job Category: Financial
Posting Date: 04/03/2025
Job Schedule: Full Time
Locations: 1505 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US (On-site)

Job Description
This position reports to the Assistant Dean for Finance, Administration and Operations and directs the operations of the College of Law Business Office. This position serves as an expert financial and administrative resource while providing professional guidance and management of all financial and administrative processes for the COL. The position assists with the fiscal operations of COL including, but not limited to, the oversight of budgets, financial planning, and other financial and accounting operations as assigned by the Assistant Dean. The position also provides assistance with human resources activities, human capital budgeting, and other human resource operations as assigned by the Assistant Dean. This position will provide directions on the development and implementation of administrative improvement initiatives, departmental policies and COL budget planning. This position is responsible for ensuring college-wide adherence to university HR and fiscal policies. This position will be responsible for developing innovative solutions to enhance operational and technological efficiencies to provide a "best practice" for the various units.

Responsibilities
At the direction of the Assistant Dean directs the COL Business Office:

Direct the activities of the COL Business Office
Directs and/or advises administration, business managers, administrative staff, directors, and department heads, interpreting financial policies and procedures, as well as disseminating new ones, developing new procedures and providing training as needed.
Responsible for developing and implementing fiscal operations and policy for COL to ensure accuracy and integrity of all financial matters.
Develops and disseminates new policies and procedures guidelines and provides training as needed to current and new employees.
Directs and/or advises administration, financial staff, directors, and department heads on interpretation of financial policies and procedures.
Develops and maintains "best practices" guides and procedures to the various areas of financial, human resources, grant and contract operations
Assists the Assistant Dean with overall strategic planning for COL

Data Analysis:

Responsible for the collection, reconciliation, reporting, and analysis of data for budget, finance, human resources, IT, budget model metrics, student metrics, and program assessment data stored across the university's various systems
Responsible for maintaining, running, and distributing monthly financial reports
Provide data reports to other stakeholders (Dean; Assoc & Assistant Dean; Directors; External)
Provide recommendations to the Assistant Dean for new reports, database construction, processes, and procedures
Assist college directors and other stakeholders with the collection and consolidation of any financial data related to assessment from accreditation bodies (internal or external)

Budget Development and Financial/HR Reporting:

Monitors budget allocations, expenditures, fund balances and related financial activities to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Research, recommend, and implement solutions to complex budgeting situations
Collects and analyzes data necessary for annual budget preparation & reporting, physical and space inventory surveys, CUP equipment upgrade, etc.
Develops and maintains database systems in accordance with needs and reporting requirements for the Assistant Dean for Finance, Administration, and Operations
Gathers and analyzes data, prepares and distributes monthly and annual reports for internal and external constituencies, performs data queries and prepares ad hoc reports.
Responsible for working with senior level positions within COL to develop detailed strategic budgets to best align with COL financial and staffing needs as well as reflecting on the University's goals and mission
Assist Assistant Dean with personnel reports in DASH and assist with building HR reports to track personnel numbers for the Budget Model
Assist Assistant Dean with reporting on COL wide fund balance availability for monthly reports and college wide fiscal transparency
Track college wide private funding/restricted fund activity to ensure proper compliance and balance availability
Manages financial commitments and position resources to support initiatives within budget scope.
In collaboration with the Assistant Dean, develops, analyzes, and enters the COL budget, including the uploading and downloading of budget information to and from the DASH ERP system; attends budget meetings, workshops, etc. to use in development of budget inputs, scenarios, and plans.
Forecast and analyze revenue streams, including state and federal appropriations.
Reviews/approves contract invoices in DASH.
Approves miscellaneous DASH reimbursement requests for all COL personnel.
Determines logical chart-of-accounts sequencing for COL budgets and completes new DASH COA requests submitting to UT Controller's Office for creation. Responsible for account maintenance (addition, deletion and maintenance of all fund centers, cost centers and restricted accounts) for COL.

Accounting and Human Resources:

Has approval authority over budget items as substitute for Assistant Dean. Has full signature authority for fiscal and human resource transactions.
Assists in the management of the annual merit raise process for all employees.
Process e-forms in IRIS for Personnel and position changes.
Review/approve purchase card (p-card)/travel card/procurement requests for balance availability
Track procurement card/travel card holders and approve new users
Manage and track all COL contract data and requests
Approve and check additional pays for accuracy and balance availability
Provides direction to departments to assure proper positions are utilized in searches, funding is allocated in salary budget, and manages budget on all positions.
Has budgetary approval for all new and rehire positions.

Other duties:

Other duties as assigned by the Assistant Dean for Finance, Administration, and Operations
Various grant reporting and analysis which may involve specific knowledge of Sponsored Project accounting
Assist the Assistant Dean with overall financial strategic planning for COL

Qualifications

Strong analytic, finance, and budget management skills
Ability to prioritize and manage complex projects in a fast-paced environment maintaining attention to detail and accuracy
Excellent leadership, administrative and problem-solving skills
Ability to research and analyze financial information and make appropriate recommendations and projections
Strong interpersonal, time management, communication and organizational skills
Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
Proficient ability with spreadsheets, databases and accounting software
Knowledge of fund accounting principles
A working knowledge of Oracle or enterprise resource planning (ERP) software (preferred)
Knowledge of other reporting software such as Power BI and/or Tableau (preferred)
Knowledge of university fiscal and human resource policies (preferred)

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or related field
Experience: 2 or more years of experience in higher education, working in a business office or business position with accounting, finance, payroll, or human resource activities.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Extensive experience with Microsoft Office Suite

Preferred Qualifications

Education: MBA or related field
Experience: 4 or more years of experience at UTK or with another similar institution working in a business office or business position with accounting, finance, payroll, or human resource activities.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Previous experience as a Business Manager or similar role at UTK. Knowledge of university fiscal and human resource policies.

Work Location: Onsite at the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Law

Compensation and Benefits

UT market range: MR14
Anticipated hiring range: $80,000 - $100,000
Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Process: Interested individuals should apply by April 21, 2025.

For full consideration, applications should be accompanied by a cover letter, resume, and names and contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately. All applicants must apply online to be considered for this position.

About The College:

The University of Tennessee College of Law, founded in 1890, is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools. The mission of UT Law is to prepare students for the practice of law by integrating theory and practice across the curriculum, with an emphasis on clinical and skills training, innovative classroom teaching, legal writing, and professional values. The college endeavors to produce high-quality scholarship that examines, explains, critiques, and improves the law and the legal system. UT Law strives to serve the university, the campus, the profession, and the public by developing and sharing its talents and expertise.

About Us
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees-the Volunteers-who uphold the university's tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee's flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy's largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices that attract and retain a diverse community and that support a culture where everyone matters and belongs.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as "Best Employer for New Graduates," "One of America's Best Large Employers," and "Best Workplace for Women," and has been designated as "Best Place for Working Parents" by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!

To apply, visit https://fa-ewlq-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/2502/?mode=location