Business Manager for Donor Funds and Scholarship Operations - Division of Student Success - UTK

The Business Manager for Donor Funds and Scholarship Operations serves as the division's subject matter expert and principal administrator for donor-funded financial resources within the Division of Student Success. Reporting to the Director of Finance and Administration, the position provides independent oversight, strategic leadership, financial stewardship, and compliance management for endowments, gift funds, scholarships, and other restricted resources. The incumbent exercises significant professional judgment in interpreting donor requirements, advising leadership, mitigating risk, and ensuring the effective and sustainable utilization of donor-funded resources.

RestrictedFunds&ScholarshipAdministration(40%)

• Direct and administer thefinancial management and stewardshipof restricted funds, endowments, gift funds, scholarships,and other designatedaccounts.
• Oversee fund activity, expenditures, allocations, commitments, and balances toensure compliance with donor intentandfunding requirements.
• Interpretdonoragreementsandrelateddocumentationtoensureappropriate applicationoffunding restrictionsand obligations.
• Oversee and ensure the integrityof the establishment, administration, reconciliation, and maintenance of restricted fund and scholarshipaccounts.
• Provide leadership for scholarship funding workflows, account transactions, approvals, allocations, documentation, and issue resolution.
• Serveasthedivision'sauthoritativeadvisorandsubjectmatterexpertregarding restricted funds and scholarship administration.
• Provide leadership andconsultationwhenworkingwithAdvancement, Financial Aid, and campus partners in resolving complex funding questions and account discrepancies.
• Ensurethemaintenanceofcompleteandaccuraterecordssupportingallrestrictedfund and scholarship activities.

Financial Planning,Analysis&Stewardship(35%)

• Lead financial planning activities,including thedevelopment of forecasts, projections, and analyses supporting strategic decision-making.
• Evaluate financial performance, fund utilization, andspending trends, identifying risks and opportunities for optimization.
• Provide executive-levelfinancial reports, dashboards, and analyses to divisional leadershipand stakeholders.
• Lead long-range financial planning and budget development effortsto promote sustainability of donor-funded resources.
• Ensure compliance with donor restrictions, university policies, accounting standards, and applicable regulations.
• Maintainrobust internalcontrolsandaccountability measuresthatsafeguarddonor-funded resources.
• Direct auditpreparation,financialreviews,reconciliations,andreportingrequirements.
• Exercise independentjudgment inidentifying compliance risksandimplementing corrective actions.

StrategicOperations&ProcessImprovement(20%)

• Provide strategic leadership for continuous improvement of processes, systems, and controls.
• Establishand oversee standardizedprocedures,reporting tools,and operational guidelines.
• Serveasadivisionalconsultant, providing expertguidance onfinancial policies, procedures, and systems.
• Lead collaboration with campus stakeholders to resolve complex business and operationalchallenges.
• Communicate financial information effectively toleadership and non-financial audiences.
• Provide leadership forstrategic initiatives related tofinancial management, scholarships, and donor-funded resources.
• Advisedivisionalleadership on financial strategy,stewardshippractices, risk management, and resource optimization.

OtherDutiesasAssigned(5%)

• Perform additional duties,special projects,and assignments insupport of divisional, departmental, and university priorities.
• Address emerging business, financial, operational, andcompliance needsassignedby leadership.
• Contribute tocross-functionalinitiatives that advance the mission of the Division of Student Success.

Required Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s Degree :in Accounting, Finance, Business, or closely related field

Experience

A minimum of 2+ years of progressively responsible accounting, financial, scholarship, and/or related work experience.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Ability to communicate effectively, including active listening skills, plus the ability to work with a diverse group of staff, administrators, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to prioritize and manage a high volume of complex projects simultaneously to meet constant deadlines in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.
• Ability to be detail-oriented with strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to be flexible and exercise sound judgment, with an open and collaborative style of work that encourages teamwork and cooperation.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service with a commitment to exceptional quality.
• Ability to think analytically, quantitatively, creatively, and strategically and to work with ambiguity.
• Skill to be an independent thinker with professional skepticism.
• Ability to be a team player who works well collectively and collaboratively with colleagues to achieve common goals.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Working knowledge of scholarships, financial aid policies/procedures, and restricted sources of funding.
• Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgment in handling sensitive financial, personnel, and operational information in accordance with university policies and applicable laws and regulations.
• 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

Master’s Degree: Business Administration

Experience

4+ years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, financial, or scholarship administration; experience in a higher education environment.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Ability to interpret and communicate federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to administrative operations, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of UT fiscal, human resources, and other relevant policies.
• Experience with Oracle, Power BI, and other reporting tools.
• Experience with scholarships, financial aid, or related processes in a higher education setting.

Work Location

Location: Knoxville, TN

Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR 11
• 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. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted.

Resume

Cover Letter