Administrative Associate - Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

12h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Administrative Associate II within the Division of Research Administration Support Services (DRASS) team in the Office of Research, Innovation, & Economic Development (ORIED), at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), provides operational and financial administrative support for the work of the 80+ people within DRA, and coordinates closely with the rest of the team in support of ORIED personnel. DRASS takes a shared services approach to supporting the operational and financial needs of the division, and the team has the flexibility to refocus support to respond to current and emerging needs and priorities. This position also serves as the primary archivist for digitizing and managing SPA award information previously stored in physical folders.

Requirements

High School diploma or GED
One year of prior experience in an office environment
MS Office skills
ability to solve problems
ability to learn new software and processes
ability to improve processes through critical thinking
ability to effectively communicate with diverse faculty, staff, and sponsors
ability to multi-task, organize a high-volume of work, and pay strict attention to detail
ability to work independently with minimal supervision
ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
ability to be dependable, punctual, and a team player
exceptional customer service approach to all interactions with UT faculty, staff, administrators and external stakeholders
commitment to supporting the workload of the entire team in a positive, equitable, and flexible manner.
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.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree
Archiving, accounting, or business experience
knowledge of OneDrive
knowledge of archiving processes
knowledge of DASH (Oracle), Cayuse, and Huron
knowledge of Uniform Guidance and Federal Acquisition Regulations

Responsibilities

Compile and organize supporting documentation required for invoicing and audits (e.g., purchase support, travel receipts/backup, service documentation). Ensure files are complete, clearly labeled and ordered in accordance with sponsor requirements, and provided within required timelines. Maintain proficiency with various DASH modules where source documents reside.
Electronically submit invoices and financial reports to sponsors during peak periods and/or when the primary employee is absent to ensure deadlines are met and cash flow is optimized.
Review all incoming audit requests with the Fiscal Assurance Manager to assign tasks and deadlines necessary for effective project management.
Create and maintain a shared inventory of all audits, award details, findings, responses, corrective action, and key personnel involved.
Coordinate with faculty, departmental financial personnel, and the SPA team to collect all required records set forth in the audit request. Create a shared digital site to compile and organize these documents.
Coordinate with departments to ensure corrective action responses are received timely, reviewed by the Fiscal Assurance Officers for appropriateness, and submitted to the auditor by deadline.
Assist Fiscal Assurance Officers with planning, organizing, and performing departmental reviews to support and encourage compliance in high-risk areas such as effort certification, subrecipient monitoring, and cost transfers.
Prepare, modify, and maintain oversight of CANVAS, monitor quizzes and initiate the awarding of certificates when all modules are completed and passed.
Maintain an inventory of internal control questionnaires and other relevant institutional records to streamline audit responses and promote consistency.
Generate and maintain data validation reports which include, but are not limited to, setup validation reports, labor distribution error reports, and task end date mismatch reports. These reports must be analyzed daily/weekly to monitor data quality across key functions. Coordinate with the award set-up team to ensure account errors are corrected in a timely manner. Departments will not be able to post expenses to awards otherwise.
Assist with daily management of multiple central e-mail accounts: [email protected], spa [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] to ensure incoming items are routed accurately and timely.
Update PI information in DASH utilizing the TDX ticketing system in proper format to facilitate mass updates.
Update grant administrator information in DASH utilizing the TDX ticketing system in proper format to facilitate mass updates.
Maintain master bookkeeper data to support automated account notification process.
Administer sponsor portals to facilitate SPA user privileges.
Coordinate with the Communications team to update the SPA website to ensure information is current.
Prepare training materials (e.g., slide decks, quick guides, checklists, and process documentation) and manage Q&A during training sessions, ensuring participants receive clear guidance and follow up resources.
Produce metrics and status reports (e.g., backlog volume, missing documentation trends, audit readiness checklists).
Create and maintain standard operating procedures for validation processes to promote audit readiness.
Manage digital records and document lifecycle processes, ensuring compliant organization, storage, archiving, retention, and secure disposition.
Maintain and enforce recordkeeping systems and standards across SharePoint, Teams, and shared drives, including structure, metadata, version control, and data quality.
Support users and operations through quality assurance, training materials, and guidance, and oversee sponsored project record archiving, including audit and retention requirements.
Answers the door and welcomes guests to ORIED’s CM suite.
Manages reservations for CM conference rooms and workspaces.
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.
Develops and updates written work process guides associated with the position’s assigned support functions.
Performs regular cross-training on tasks assigned to other DRASS team members.
Provides flexible coverage across functional areas as part of the shared services team.
Support human resources and operational processes, including coordinating staff searches, onboarding, and related documentation to ensure efficient hiring and integration of new employees.
Contribute to process improvement and departmental initiatives by supporting procedure development, research, and implementation of best practices to enhance operations and customer service.
Provide administrative and analytical support across functions, including committee participation, stakeholder coordination, and delivery of high-quality customer service to internal and external partners.