Administrative Associate: College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies - UTK

University of Tennessee Athletic Marketing Department

University of Tennessee Athletic Marketing Department

Administration

Knoxville, TN, USA

USD 43k-53k / year

Posted on Jun 2, 2026

This position provides administrative and operational support to the Events Manager and CECS leadership team. Responsibilities include coordinating calendars and meetings, managing front desk operations, supporting faculty, staff, students, and visitors, maintaining office organization and supplies, preparing correspondence and reports, and assisting with event planning and execution. The role serves as a key resource for day-to-day administrative operations within the college.


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 to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

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!

This position reports directly to the Events Manager, with a dotted-line to the Director of Student Engagement and Success. The role provides front desk support for CECS and assists CECS leadership with daily operations, including maintaining calendars, scheduling, event coordination, and other assigned tasks. It supports the planning and execution of student success and CECS events in collaboration with the Events Manager.

Required Qualifications

  • Education: High School Diploma/GED

  • Experience: Two years’ experience in administrative support

  • Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

    • Excellent organizational and time-management skills with strong attention to detail

    • Ability to multi-task efficiently

    • Knowledge of common office computer software including Excel, Word, Outlook, Google calendars and docs

    • Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with a variety of clients/constituents (interpersonal skills)

    • Knowledge of executive scheduling and commitments

    • Ability to look ahead/plan for changes and anticipate needs of director and office staff without one-on-one instructions

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: Bachelor’s Degree

  • Experience:

    • Four-five years office experience

    • Experience in a university setting or in marketing/communications and creative shops

  • Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

    • Knowledge of internal workings of creative communications shops/agencies

    • Strong financial and document processing skills and/or certifications

    • Ability to self-start and identify areas of need and suggest improvements in workflow to CECS Leadership

    • Proven ability to work in a higher education environment

Work Location

  • Location: Knoxville, TN, UTK Campus

  • Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

  • UT market range: MR05

  • Anticipated hiring range: $43,000-53,000, depending on experience

  • 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

To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before June 19, 2026.

About the College:

The College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is at the forefront of changing the future of higher education. It is a first-of-its-kind college created to meet the needs of students seeking a customizable degree path in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and data science that leads to rewarding careers upon graduation. CECS offers timely, innovative, student-centric degrees, minors, and stackable certificates at both undergraduate and graduate levels that address the future talent gap and expose students to experts and disciplines from across campus through a cross-cutting curriculum. CECS utilizes strong industry partnerships to ensure students gain relevant skills and real-world experience, offering for-credit internships and multi-disciplinary projects. CECS emphasizes the cohort experience where students learn and interact with fellow students from across campus and disciplines, allowing them to learn from one another and work together to solve real-world problems.

Who We Are:

We are a small team of energetic, adaptable, and hardworking individuals committed to educational initiatives that will lead to meaningful careers for our students and a positive impact on society. Every member of our team is a valuable collaborator, driven entrepreneur, and proficient multi-tasker dedicated to working together to find innovative approaches to achieving our shared goals. We are fast-moving and growing. Our work is constantly evolving to meet changing needs.


Responsibilities include coordinating calendars and meetings, managing front desk operations, supporting faculty, staff, students, and visitors, maintaining office organization and supplies, preparing correspondence and reports, and assisting with event planning and execution.