Financial Assurance Manager - Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Financial Assurance Manager in the Sponsored Projects Accounting (SPA) unit provides leadership and expertise to strengthen financial stewardship, compliance, and audit readiness across the sponsored projects life cycle. The role supports institutional and sponsor requirements by monitoring risk areas, interpreting regulations and award terms, and partnering with departments to promote consistent, well-controlled financial practices. The manager leads policy development and implementation, oversees testing of departmental controls, and drives training and outreach so campus partners understand and can apply compliance expectations. The manager also serves as audit liaison, coordinating responses to audits and monitoring reviews, using trends and results to guide continuous improvement, and developing and overseeing corrective action plans when issues are identified. The position supervises two Financial Assurance Officers and promotes high-quality work, clear priorities, and a service-oriented approach in support of the university’s research mission. The role leads the financial assurance program for UTK and UTSI sponsored projects. It designs and implements a risk-based financial compliance monitoring program; benchmarks peer institutions and federal agencies; interprets changing regulations and sponsor guidance; partners with IT and data/reporting teams on dashboards and exception reports; develops policies and procedures; coordinates audit and monitoring requests; and conducts departmental reviews of financial controls. The manager communicates review results and works with departments to develop and track corrective action plans. People-management duties include recruiting and hiring, onboarding, training and cross-training, setting team priorities and service-level goals, monitoring work, evaluating performance, coaching staff, and providing decision support on escalated or high-risk matters. The manager plans stakeholder engagement and change management for program rollout, creates training materials and resources, evaluates training effectiveness, and improves materials based on feedback, monitoring results, audit trends, and recurring issues. The role also develops communication and outreach strategies for faculty, principal investigators, and departmental staff; communicates changes to policies, sponsor terms, and regulations in actionable terms; issues formal notifications regarding compliance concerns or violations; and represents the division in meetings, working groups, and committees. The position is based in Knoxville and is hybrid, with occasional in-person requirements. Applicants must live in Knoxville or within a commutable distance. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without current or future need for employment-based visa sponsorship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Six years of Sponsored Projects Accounting (Grants & Contracts) experience, or eight years of related work experience with a background in accounting, auditing, risk assessment, or regulatory compliance.
Three years of prior supervisory oversight of personnel.
Experience with computer systems, including spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Office.
Knowledge of research administration issues, including financial management, and ability to interpret and communicate federal, state, and local laws and regulations relevant to research administration operations, policies, and procedures.
Knowledge of Uniform Guidance, Federal Acquisition Regulations, and granting agency requirements.
Effective communication and active listening skills, and ability to work with diverse faculty, staff, administrators, and other stakeholders.
Detail orientation and strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
Flexibility, sound judgment, and an open, collaborative leadership style that encourages teamwork and cooperation.
Commitment to excellent customer service and exceptional quality.
Independent analytical, quantitative, creative, and strategic thinking, with skepticism.
Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve common goals.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office.
Ability to use judgment to determine compliance and implement processes to mitigate risk.
Ability to develop and conduct training.
Supervisory skills to serve as a role model, lead, coach, and professionally develop staff.
Legal authorization to work in the United States on a full-time basis without current or future need for employment-based visa sponsorship.
Must live in Knoxville or within a commutable distance.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Certified Research Administrator or Certified Professional Accountant.
SAP experience.
Experience in higher education administration with knowledge of federal cost accounting principles.
Knowledge of UT fiscal, human resource, and research policies.
Knowledge of IRIS and Cayuse.

Responsibilities

Lead the financial assurance program for UTK and UTSI sponsored projects.
Design, develop, and implement a risk-based financial compliance monitoring program, including its scope, methodology, work plans, documentation standards, and reporting cadence.
Benchmark peer institutions’ and federal agencies’ compliance programs and use best practices to develop scalable risk-based monitoring frameworks, tools, and platforms.
Monitor evolving federal regulations and sponsor guidance, interpret requirements, and translate them into clear institutional expectations.
Partner with IT and data/reporting teams to develop compliance dashboards and exception reports, including requirements gathering, validation, testing, and continuous enhancement.
Lead development of sponsored-project financial compliance policies and procedures, coordinate stakeholder review, support implementation, and communicate updates.
Coordinate sponsored-project audit and monitoring requests, gather information, ensure timely and consistent responses, track trends, and inform corrective actions and risk mitigation strategies.
Conduct departmental financial compliance reviews of internal controls, including documentation, approvals, allowability and allocability practices, and timeliness.
Communicate review results and work with departments to develop and track corrective action plans.
Lead and manage two professionals, fostering a collaborative, service-oriented culture and consistent execution of responsibilities.
Recruit, interview, and hire staff; develop position requirements and coordinate selection processes.
Plan and deliver structured onboarding and develop training and cross-training plans for staff.
Set team priorities, communicate expectations, establish deliverables, timelines, and service-level goals, monitor progress, and rebalance workload as needed.
Evaluate performance, establish goals, provide feedback and coaching, conduct formal evaluations, and address performance issues constructively and promptly.
Resolve escalated issues and provide decision support on high-risk or high-impact matters, ensuring decisions align with compliance requirements, policy, and institutional risk tolerance.
Plan and execute stakeholder engagement and change management for program rollout, including gathering input, addressing concerns, and supporting adoption across departments.
Create and maintain training communications and resources, such as job aids, guides, FAQs, quick-reference tools, templates, and recorded demonstrations.
Evaluate training effectiveness and improve materials using feedback, monitoring results, audit trends, and common issues.
Develop and execute communication and outreach strategies for faculty, principal investigators, and departmental staff.
Draft and distribute communications about changes to institutional policy, sponsor terms and conditions, and applicable regulations, translating requirements into actionable guidance.
Issue formal notifications about compliance concerns or violations, coordinating with appropriate offices to ensure accurate, consistent, documented communications aligned with escalation and resolution processes.
Represent the division in meetings, working groups, and committees, providing subject-matter input and communicating unit priorities while maintaining two-way communication with stakeholders.