Financial Associate: Department of Theatre - UTK

Responsibilities

• Financial Processes and reconciles financial transactions, including internal transfers, invoices, deposits, production budgets, and accurate allocation of costs to the correct funds.
• Manages procurement and purchasing operations, verifying and distributing monthly charges, handling purchase orders.
• Serves as the initial financial contact for both the academic department and the Clarence Brown Theatre.
• Supports operational and administrative functions.
• Travel arrangements, and submitting expense reports for faculty, staff, and students.
• Verifies correct funding, enters and submits expense reports as travelers’ delegate, and ensures trip costs remain within approved allocations.
• Manages all stages of guest travel, serves as the departmental contact for UT travel policy questions.
• Serves as a secondary point of contact for the Theatre administrative office.
• Provides backup support to the Administrative Specialist.
• Affords assistance to faculty and staff with administrative and financial office needs and serves as backup for payroll and HR transactions when needed.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications: Education—High School Diploma; Experience—2 years accounting/financial experience; Knowledge, Skills, Abilities—Conceptual knowledge/understanding of basic accounting principles; Demonstrated knowledge of a complex accounting system such as Oracle; Demonstrated ability to synthesize, summarize and communicate complex information; Demonstrated creative problem-solving ability; Demonstrated command of spreadsheet and word processing software; Ability to communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students and other campus offices/departments; Ability to prioritize, multi-task and work under pressure with time-sensitive deadlines; Ability to work both independently and as a team member.
• Preferred Qualifications: Education—Associate degree; Experience—2-3 years relevant experience in higher education; Knowledge, Skills, Abilities—Knowledge of complex accounting and financial systems; Knowledge of contracts and purchasing agreements.

About the Department

The mission of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Department of Theatre and the Clarence Brown Theatre Company is to educate artist, scholars, and creative citizens through rigorous undergraduate and graduate training fully integrated with the work of a professional theatre residence. Together, we combine academic study, creative research, and hands-on professional practice to prepare students for meaningful lives and careers grounded in artistic excellence, ethical responsibility, and broad access to opportunity.

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 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 Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.