Accounting Associate: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville Township, IA

19d•$47,000 - $52,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Accounting Associate provides financial and travel support for the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. The role serves as a liaison with college and university personnel to verify and support financial records and ensure compliance with university policies and procedures. It prepares correspondence, responds to accounting inquiries, interprets policies and regulations related to sponsored research grants and contracts, and advises students, staff, and faculty on compliance. The position handles departmental accounting functions, including reconciliations, account reviews, journal entries, records maintenance, payment processing, time-sheet review, field station reservations and invoicing, and support for payroll effort coordination. It also enters travel requests and processes travel reimbursements, advances, and prepaid travel, and assists travelers with lodging and airfare reservations through the GetThere Travel system. The role is onsite in Knoxville, Tennessee. The anticipated hiring range is $47,000–$52,000. Applicants must be legally authorized to work full-time in the United States without current or future need for employment-based visa sponsorship.

Requirements

High school diploma and four years of accounting or financial experience.
Ability to perform accounting transactions, budget development, and analysis.
Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work assignments to meet deadlines and facilitate workflow.
Strong interpersonal skills and effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to interpret contracts and related regulations.
Ability to understand and interpret policies.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word, and ability to learn new systems.
Ability to work with little direct supervision, attention to detail, and ability to work as part of a team.
Ability to learn quickly and demonstrate a strong work ethic.
Legal authorization to work full-time in the United States without current or future need for employment-based visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree and two years of accounting or financial experience.
Bachelor’s degree and one year of accounting or financial experience.
Knowledge of a large-platform ERP system, such as Oracle Cloud.
Knowledge of Uniform Guidance.

Responsibilities

Reconcile, analyze, and evaluate account balances, revenues, expenditures, and ledger accuracy.
Review accounts for adequate documentation, correct expenditure classifications, and compliance with policies and regulations.
Maintain financial records in accordance with record-retention policies.
Inform the Business Manager, faculty, staff, and students about financial status, including budget modifications, overspent accounts, and account closures.
Prepare journal entries as needed to maintain accurate ledger accounts.
Maintain the department’s general ledger account listing spreadsheet, including faculty and student research accounts, gift accounts, notes, and funding information.
Process petty cash reimbursements.
Help organize summer salaries and verify budgets.
Enter T-27s for special payments to non-contract vendors and assist with establishing new vendors.
Review biweekly and monthly timesheets for accuracy.
Assist the Business Manager with maintaining activity code balances.
Work with the Events Coordinator to plan department events and assist with related financial transactions.
Maintain Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Field Station reservations and prepare and send invoices to users.
Collect and distribute field station payments to appropriate accounts, reconcile vendor accounts, and maintain a reconciliation spreadsheet.
Work with the Business Manager on monthly taxes submitted to the Controller’s Office and annual Unrelated Business Income Reports.
Serve as a backup for deposits.
Serve as the department’s Primary Effort Coordinator by verifying that payroll aligns with effort on sponsored projects and that the correct projects are charged.
Enter travel requests, reimbursements, advances, and prepaid travel for faculty, staff, and graduate students as needed.
Assist travelers with lodging and airfare reservations through the GetThere Travel system and interact professionally with travelers, the UT Treasurer’s Office, and World Travel Agency representatives.
Prepare correspondence and respond to inquiries about accounting information.
Interpret sponsored research grant and contract policies and regulations and provide compliance guidance to students, staff, and faculty.