Financial Associate: Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development - UTK

The Financial Associate serves as one of two key financial professionals supporting a high-volume, complex research administration environment within the Division of Research Administration Shared Administrative Services (DRA-SAS) team in the Office of Research, Innovation, & Economic Development (ORIED) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT). Reporting to the DRA-SAS administrative team lead and ultimately to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Administration (AVCRA), this position independently carries responsibility for financial activities that directly impact the University’s research enterprise and financial stewardship.

This position works in person at ORIED’s Cherokee Mills (CM) location.

This position manages the Unapplied Cash Receipts Account and serves as the primary Accounts Receivable specialist for sponsored projects. Responsibilities include reviewing, researching, and applying sponsor payments to ensure accurate posting, timely reconciliation, and compliant financial reporting. The role analyzes deposits from invoices, sponsor portals, and automatic payments; prepares and reviews check and electronic deposits; and ensures all cash is fully applied and reconciled by month-end.

When documentation is incomplete or payments are misrouted, the position independently investigates using DASH, Cayuse/Huron, internal systems, and direct sponsor outreach, often coordinating across multiple stakeholders to resolve issues.

• Monitors aging, collections, and sponsor payment trends; initiates follow-up and escalates unresolved items.
• Researches and resolves billing and payment discrepancies (misapplied payments, short-pays, over payments, duplicates, and posting errors).
• Reviews invoices and financial records to ensure proper accounting treatment and regulatory compliance.
• Provides guidance to departments and faculty on billing, allowability, accountability, and payment application.
• Maintains accurate AR records and prepares reports to support month-end close, audits, and management oversight.

• Each member of DRA-SAS is expected to be an active participant in meeting team objectives and goals, and improving work outcomes.
• Under the general supervision of the DRA-SAS administrative team lead, administrative coordinators independently analyze information and interpret situations to determine how to solve a problem or complete an assignment effectively, and share these solutions and best practices with other members of the team.
• They also make recommendations to the team lead to create and change office-level procedures.

Accurate and timely application of cash is essential to the financial integrity of sponsored projects. Delays or errors can trigger incorrect late-payment notices, damage sponsor relationships, and result in inaccurate federal reporting. High accuracy and independent judgment are required to protect university revenue and ensure full compliance with university, state, federal, and sponsor requirements.

• Answers the door and welcomes guests to ORIED’s CM suite.
• Manages reservations for CM conference rooms and work spaces.
• Manages parking tag reservations.
• Interfaces with ORIED business staff and CM building manager on facilities concerns.
• Manages incoming and outgoing mail and package and service deliveries.
• Manage the SPA email account for the department to disseminate emails received to various staff and respond to emails accordingly.
• Serve as backup to other DRA SPA financial support and Administrative assistant staff. This includes:
  • assist with the distribution of sponsored project billings and financial reports
  • share office receptionist/phone duties with DRA Administrative Specialist
  • transport checks as received in the office to the Central Cashier's Office
  • Organize and schedule meetings for the SPA staff, this includes monthly meetings, inter-department trainings, special events, etc.
• Provide regular and adhoc financial reports as directed by the supervisor