Operations Administrative Specialist: Natalie L Haslam College of Music - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

21h•Onsite

About The Position

This position reports to the Director of Finance and Administration and serves as the operational coordinator and primary administrative hub for the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music. Located in the Dean’s Suite, this role simultaneously manages three core operational areas: front-facing reception and visitor engagement, functional oversight and training of student employees assigned to the Dean’s Suite, and continuity support for Finance & Administration workflows. The position applies independent judgment to triage complex inquiries, route sensitive HR and financial matters, and ensure uninterrupted administrative operations across the college. The role functions as the college’s institutional knowledge resource for daily administrative operations — proactively identifying workflow issues, developing and implementing student worker training programs, maintaining Finance & Administration continuity in the absence of coordinators, and serving as a knowledgeable bridge between the Dean’s Suite, academic departments, and external stakeholders. The complexity and breadth of these simultaneous operational responsibilities require substantial independent action and professional expertise across administrative, supervisory, and financial process domains. This position will also be cross trained in Academic and Faculty Affairs as well as Admissions and Student Engagement operations in order to maintain comprehensive understanding of the full student and faculty lifecycle and ensure continuity of administrative support across the college. Because this position serves as the college’s primary public-facing service point, consistent on-site presence is required Monday through Friday during standard university business hours. Remote work is not available for this role.

Requirements

Associate’s Degree (equivalent combination of education and experience considered)
Minimum 2–3 years of experience providing administrative support in a professional office environment with significant customer interaction, multi-tasking across operational areas, and demonstrated exercise of independent judgment.
Knowledge of administrative operations, policies, and procedures within a higher education environment, including familiarity with university systems and organizational structures.
Skill in developing and implementing operational procedures and training programs for front office and reception functions.
Skill in navigating complex stakeholder relationships across academic, administrative, and external audiences in a professional and service-oriented manner.
Ability to independently assess situations, apply institutional policy, and determine appropriate courses of action with minimal supervisory guidance.
Skill in coordinating concurrent administrative workflows across multiple operational areas while prioritizing competing responsibilities and deadlines.
Knowledge of HR administrative processes and financial transaction workflows within a university environment, including document routing, tracking, and approval coordination.
Ability to functionally supervise, train, and provide performance guidance to student employees performing administrative support functions.
Ability to exercise sound professional judgment when routing sensitive inquiries, handling confidential information, and managing high-stakes visitor interactions.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive HR, financial, and personnel information with appropriate discretion.
Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and administrative units to support efficient and integrated college operations.
Skill in verbal and written communication sufficient to represent the college professionally with students, faculty, staff, leadership, and external partners.
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 in Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.
3+ years of experience in a higher education administrative environment with demonstrated responsibility for coordinating student employees, managing concurrent operational workflows, and providing administrative support across HR and financial processes.
Knowledge of university academic programs, student services environments, and the operational structure of a college of music or performing arts.
Skill in designing, delivering, and evaluating training programs for student workers in a higher education administrative setting.
Ability to coordinate and lead administrative support functions across multiple operational areas simultaneously with limited supervisory oversight.
Knowledge of university financial systems, purchasing procedures, and HR administrative workflows used in a Dean’s Suite or comparable environment.

Responsibilities

Assessing, triaging, and resolving complex inquiries from students, faculty, staff, visitors, and external partners, applying knowledge of college programs, academic structures, university systems, and administrative policies to provide accurate and complete information.
Serving as the college’s primary information resource for multi-department navigation, independently directing individuals to appropriate departments, programs, or personnel.
Managing all reception communications including phone calls, emails, and walk-in inquiries; independently resolving ambiguous or escalated visitor situations using institutional knowledge and professional judgment.
Proactively monitoring reception workflows and visitor traffic patterns to identify operational gaps and implement process improvements that ensure timely responses and a professional, welcoming environment.
Coordinating high-level visitor interactions with college leadership and administrative offices, exercising discretion and professional judgment in managing sensitive or confidential communications.
Maintaining comprehensive awareness of college programs, facilities, events, and services to ensure accurate and current information is provided to all stakeholders.
Recruiting, onboarding, and developing comprehensive training curricula for student employees assigned to the front reception area, ensuring they are equipped to accurately represent the college and assist visitors effectively.
Independently developing and maintaining student worker schedules to ensure consistent front desk coverage; adjusting coverage in response to operational needs with minimal supervisory input.
Monitoring service quality on an ongoing basis, providing direct performance feedback and guidance to student workers, and implementing corrective measures as needed to maintain professional standards.
Independently evaluating student worker performance against established service expectations and initiating appropriate follow-up action, including escalation to the Director when necessary.
Assigning, monitoring, and reviewing quality of administrative tasks completed by student assistants across multiple operational areas.
Collaborating with the Director of Admissions and Student Engagement to align student worker knowledge with current academic programs, facilities, events, and services.
Developing and maintaining onboarding materials, training guides, and informational resources that enable student workers to confidently assist guests and support college operations independently.
Independently maintaining day-to-day Finance & Administration operational workflows in the absence of HR and Financial Coordinators, ensuring requests and inquiries are processed without interruption.
Serving as a knowledgeable resource for standard HR administrative processes including document routing, coordination of documentation, and administrative tracking; resolving routine process questions without requiring coordinator intervention.
Processing financial administrative tasks including documentation for Payment Works, reimbursements, tracking requests, and coordinating internal approvals in accordance with established university policies.
Proactively identifying and resolving routine administrative workflow issues before escalation, applying sound institutional knowledge of university policies and Finance & Administration procedures.
Coordinating administrative workflows within the Dean’s Suite to ensure all requests and inquiries are appropriately routed and addressed in a timely manner.
Managing shared administrative workroom supplies, coordinating supply orders, monitoring inventory levels, and ensuring office resources remain stocked and operational.
Supporting Finance & Administration workflows that facilitate efficient and compliant college-wide operations, including logistical coordination related to purchasing, reimbursements, and internal administrative requests.
Assisting with internal communications and scheduling coordination as needed to support senior administrative staff.
Assisting faculty with administrative tasks and operational requests in accordance with established timelines and departmental procedures.
Assisting the Director of Graduate Studies with administrative tracking and coordination of graduate student forms and documentation.
Supporting communication and coordination related to graduate student administrative processes.
Overseeing student worker support for choral uniform inventory and library organization.
Supporting administrative logistics for choral program events and activities as needed.