The Executive Director of Business and Finance serves as the chief fiscal officer for the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station (UT AgResearch) reporting directly to the Dean. UT AgResearch has annual financial operations of more than $90 million and is responsible for generating over 30% of the research expenditures for the UT-Knoxville (UTK) campus. This senior leadership position, along with two Associate Deans, constitutes the leadership group directly advising and supporting the Dean. Position provides short- and long-term fiscal, human resources, and operational strategy for the advancement and achievement of UT AgResearch’s mission while ensuring compliance in GAAP, FAR, Uniform Guidance and other industry and university rules and regulations.

The scope and depth of position’s responsibilities require strong leadership and conflict resolution skills as well as fiscal management and strategic planning capabilities. Position is accountable for the overall financial performance and health of UT AgResearch and holds signature authority for contracts. Position provides guidance and financial updates to the Dean along with fiscal direction to department heads, research and education center directors, research principal investigators, and other unit staff to ensure adherence to university fiscal and human resources policies, Uniform Guidance for Federal Awards, and other federal and state policies. Position interfaces in a leadership capacity on behalf of UT AgResearch within UT Institute of Agriculture (UTIA), UTK, and UT-System Administration (UTSA) and other UT campus or entity units. Position supervises two direct reports and provides indirect oversight of department and center business managers on fiscal, administrative, and human resources policy compliance.

Required Qualifications:

• Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or other related field.

• Experience:

  • Six years of progressively responsible budget, finance, and accounting experience.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Ability to work in a detail-oriented, flexible, multi-task environment, with an ability to self-initiate goals and network with a variety of people.

  • Must have the ability to work with limited supervision, to appropriately prioritize tasks, and to handle confidential information.

  • Must display self-discipline and can seamlessly interact with multiple faculty and staff.

  • Must exercise sound, balanced judgment in decision-making.

  • Trustworthy and dependable.

  • Strong office computer and business accounting skills.

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills; strong interpersonal communication skills.

  • An ability to adapt policies and procedures to new situations.

  • Ability to operate effectively in an interdisciplinary setting.

  • Ability to provide work direction and supervise staff.

  • Strong leadership and conflict resolution skills.

  • Sound fiscal management and strategic planning capabilities.

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/Experience:

  • Master’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or related field, and related experience with a research university or entity.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Certified Public Accountant.

  • Knowledge of GAAP, FAR, Uniform Guidance, and other governmental accounting standards.

  • Knowledge of 1862 Land Grant University Administrative and Fiscal Requirements.

Work Location:

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• This role is primarily on-campus, with occasional flexibility for remote work.

Compensation and Benefits:

• UT market range: MR17

• 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 College/Department/Division:

UT AgResearch focuses the combined expertise of more than 600 scientists and specialized staff to help the state’s agricultural, forest, food processing, and wholesale nursery industries improve the profitability of their businesses. The results of applied AgResearch improve the quality of life for all Tennesseans by providing plentiful and affordable food and fiber products as well as conserve soil, water, air, and wildlife for the benefit of our society.

UT AgResearch has 10 AgResearch and Education Centers located across Tennessee, representing the state’s diverse climatic and geographical regions. These centers serve as outdoor laboratories where scientists can test their theories in real-world conditions. They also serve as classrooms for the University’s future scientists and for the state’s producers who can see firsthand research results that can benefit their operations.

Since its founding in 1968, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has provided instruction, research and public service in agriculture and related areas to students, producers and consumers in Tennessee and around the world. UT AgResearch is one of the Institute’s four units that include UT AgResearch, UT Extension, Hebert College of Agriculture, and College of Veterinary Medicine.

Business Officer Functions:

• Provides strategic leadership and oversight for all financial and business operations within UT AgResearch, including fiscal year-end closeout activities, restricted account and subcontract monitoring, cost sharing, policy interpretation, procedure development, effort certification, and Faculty Salary Incentive Plan (FSIP) administration.

• Serves as the authorized signatory for UT AgResearch by reviewing and executing contracts on behalf of the organization.

• Interprets and ensures institutional compliance with UT Fiscal and HR policies, as well as applicable federal rules and regulations, including the Hatch Act.

• Oversees approval processes of entertainment expenses, travel and other policy exceptions, creation of new positions, employee salary actions, timesheet and payroll, and non-competitive purchase requests.

• Oversees and administers key business functions including Travel, Procurement Cards, Conflict of Interest Forms, Non-Competitive Purchases and Contracts, Fund Account Setup and Maintenance, Equipment Inventory, and Internal Controls.

• Develops, implements, and maintains business procedures and tools that support effective management of UT AgResearch operations, including record retention systems and staff responsibility alignment.

• Manages and reports two annual fiscal year-end closeouts: State of Tennessee (due June 30) and Federal Government (due September 30).

• Reviews and approves conflict of interest disclosures for UT AgResearch and serves as a member of the UT Institute of Agriculture Conflict of Interest Committee.

• Administers the Faculty Salary Incentive Plan (FSIP), including development of FSIP policies and procedures in collaboration with the Dean, and oversees application submission, review, and bonus disbursements.

Budgeting Functions:

• Leads and manages the UT AgResearch annual operating budget (~$90M), including strategic financial planning, development of the annual operating budget, allocation of funds, ongoing budget monitoring, reporting, revisions, and projections.

• Allocates budgetary resources to 7 departments, 1 school, and 10 AgResearch and Education Centers (RECs) across the state.

• Conducts financial forecasting, projections, and long-range planning as part of the strategic planning team to ensure the successful execution of UT AgResearch’s mission and goals & objectives.

Federal Appropriation Functions:

• Interprets and ensures compliance with evolving federal regulations governing Hatch Act capacity funds, Multi-State research projects, McIntire Stennis funds, and Animal Health appropriations. Managers federal capacity funds, distinct from sponsored project funds, directly awarded as federal appropriations to State Experiment Stations under the land grant system.

• Represents UT AgResearch in semiannual meetings of the Southern Agricultural Business Officers group, contributing to the development of national policy for the appropriate use and management of federally appropriated capacity funds, including Hatch, Multi-State, McIntire Stennis, and Animal Health programs.

• Develops, maintains, and oversees the Federal Appropriation Project System in SharePoint, a central database for managing federally mandated project reporting.

• Leads UT AgResearch’s use of USDA REEport (Research, Education, and Extension) system, the federal reporting platform that supports creation and submission of the University’s official USDA financial reports.

• Oversees the financial management of all federally appropriated capacity funds on the federal fiscal year cycle (October 1–September 30), including fiscal oversight and financial reporting for more than 140 federal projects, ensuring compliance with matching requirements, expenditure allocations, and submission of the Annual Plan of Work and Annual Report of Accomplishments.

• Oversees the UT AgResearch Work Plan System, including development of requirements, authorization workflows, information standards, and policy guidelines.

Sponsored Projects Accounting Oversight:

• Develops and implements post award policies and procedures to ensure full compliance with federal administrative requirements and costing principles, state regulations, sponsor specific restrictions, and university fiscal policies governing sponsored projects within UT AgResearch.

• Approves UT AgResearch cost sharing commitments on grants and contracts when agency requirements necessitate the use of UT AgResearch funds.

• Serves as the authorized signatory for UT AgResearch by reviewing and executing contracts on behalf of the organization.

• Works in collaboration with UTIA Sponsored Projects Accounting Director on post award accounting requirements, compliance expectations, and complex financial issues.

• Establishes and oversees policies and procedures for subcontract monitoring to safeguard university assets, ensure appropriate stewardship of funds, and reduce institutional risk.

Training and Problem Solving:

• Counsels and advises the Dean, department heads, UT AgResearch and Education Center directors, and faculty on financial procedures, policy interpretation, and compliance requirements.

• Oversees the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of financial training for departmental business managers, departmental leadership, UT AgResearch and Education Center financial staff, faculty, and Dean’s Office staff, including but not limited to budget management, fiscal and HR policy, and federal guidance.

• Serves as liaison with representatives in the UT Treasurer’s Office, UT Controller’s Office, UTK Finance & Administration division, other university units, external agencies, and state and federal partners to resolve financial requests and matters.

• Identifies and allocates funding to support proposed budget activities and prepares the Proposed and Revised Budget reports, State Appropriations Requests, monthly financial status reports for UT AgResearch accounts (including income, expenditures, and available balances), and other ad hoc analyses requested by the Dean.