Reporting to the Senior Business Manager, this entry level position supports the department by carrying out essential financial, procurement, HR, and administrative duties. The role ensures adherence to university policies and procedures, maintains accurate personnel and financial records, supports purchasing and travel processes, and provides customer service to faculty, staff, students, and visitors.

Required Qualifications

Education: High school diploma or GED

Experience: Minimum 1 year experience in an accounting/HR role.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Organizational and time-management skills.

• Ability to multi-task and prioritize tasks based on needs of others and with time-sensitive deadlines.

• Ability to work autonomously as well as within a team environment.

• Sound interpersonal and communication skills.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

• Manage and maintain sensitive and confidential information, ensuring it is handled securely and in compliance with the organization's policies and procedures.

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 degree related to Business, HR Management, or related degree

• Licenses/Certifications related to accounting, business or HR

Experience:

• Experience in an academic environment

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

• Experience with procurement/purchasing

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge of basic accounting principles.

• Knowledge of financial / personnel management applications such.

• Knowledge of personnel maintenance processes incl. hiring, I-9 e-verification, and USCIS (visa) processes.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR 05
• Anticipated hiring range: $40,000 - $44,000
• 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

The Financial Assistant performs a wide range of responsibilities that include financial, human resources, procurement, and administrative activities. Financial responsibilities include managing cash handling and submitting cash receipts, entering journal entries in DASH, processing cost transfers, reconciling graduate student fee waivers, and assisting with labor distribution setup and reporting. The position processes travel documents and travel card transactions, assists with group and guest travel arrangements, manages procurement card reconciliation, supports documentation related to sponsored projects, and helps with accounts receivable invoicing.

Procurement responsibilities include supporting purchases for equipment, office supplies, laboratory materials, chemicals, and classroom needs. The role confirms that all required approvals for sponsored project purchases are obtained, validates deliveries, maintains asset inventories, verifies packing documentation, and maintains procurement records. The position ensures compliance with fiscal policy, tracks purchases, reconcile receipts, responds to audit requests, and handles receiving and distribution of goods.

Human resources responsibilities include preparing and processing personnel documents such as hiring packets, terminations, retirement forms, and leave requests. The Financial Assistant supports I-9 E-verification compliance, assists with recruitment activities including job postings, candidate record management, job offer processing, DASH workflow support, and processes Net IDs, contingent worker entries, pending employee records, visiting scholar requests, and guest traveler information. The role helps facilitate H one B and J one visa processes, monitors visa timelines, prepares Actual Wage Certification materials, ensures foreign national onboarding compliance, and processes additional pay requests, service awards, and other HR related documentation.

Administrative responsibilities include assisting with timetable entry and reporting, providing calendar support for the Department Head and leadership, serving as the first point of contact for guest speakers and visitors, maintaining departmental digital and physical filing systems, supporting record retention processes, and assisting students, faculty, and staff with general needs. The Financial Assistant also answers phones, greets visitors, and supports departmental events and daily operations.