Senior Financial Associate: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering - UTK

Reporting to the Senior Business Manager, the Sr. Financial Associate provides assistance to faculty and staff for fiscal and HR policy compliance along with granting agency guidelines and is responsible for addressing questions and concerns in a timely manner. Position represents the unit in a professional manner, often dealing with individuals and organizations external to the university. Decisions made by this position can impact the department's ability to meet fiscal obligations, to comply with state, university and agency policies and to promote viable relationships with outside constituents.

• Validates accuracy of deposits as prepared by an alternate associate through review of physical cash, receipts and deposit transaction documents.

• Researches and provides guidance for internal transfer transactions to properly record allocations and posting   corrections with applicable cost transfer form approvals from Sponsored Project Accounting; processes as needed for separation of duties

• Contacts faculty for questions and recommends process changes to be reviewed and approved; oversees 9-month/12-month calculations, NIH salary caps, NSF payroll restrictions for sponsored projects; provides recommendations to faculty related to sponsor requirements and policy and procedure compliance

• Provides recommendations related to compliance and guides faculty related to budgetary/ funding activities on externally funded projects to properly record costs and activities and makes recommendations to the Sr. Business/Asst. Business Manager

• Monitoring of sponsored project spending and reconciliation of ledgers; ensures all supporting documentation is provided; offers initial review of budget projections, account close-out, need for contract modifications, etc. to ensure compliance and monitor accounts for overspending

• Works directly with OSP/FMC personnel for pre-award/post-award management

• Co-management of budget funding from other internal sources for reimbursement or direct charging SARIF, Summer internships, etc.

• Provides data analysis and reporting for financial.

Required Qualifications

• Education: 

  • High School diploma or GED

• Experience: 

  • 4+ years of experience in accounting and human resources roles

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Knowledge of basic accounting principles

  • Skill in communication, customer service, and organization

  • Ability to multitask and work independently

  • Ability to prioritize heavy workloads and time-sensitive tasks

  • Organizational and time management skills

  • Skill in handling confidential and sensitive information

  • Strong interpersonal communication ability

  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: 

  • Associate's degree in a related field with 2+ years of accounting and HR experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in a related field with experience in accounting and HR

  • Other license/certifications in a related field of study to business, human resources, accounting or related disciplines

• Experience:

  • Experience in an academic environment.

  • Experience hiring foreign nationals and communicating with non-native English speakers.

  • Experience in HR specific functions such as recruiting, hiring or employee relations.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Knowledge of State and federal contract and grant financial requirements.

  • Working knowledge of UT fiscal and HR policies and procedures.

  • Knowledge of financial and personnel systems such as Oracle and DASH

  • Knowledge of hiring processes, I-9 E-Verification, and USCIS visa requirements

Work Location 

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR07

• Anticipated hiring range: $53,000

• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions 

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments.

• Resume

• Cover Letter

About The Department

The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department is part of the Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. More information can be found at https://tickle.utk.edu/mae/