Business Manager, Administration, College of Veterinary Medicine: UTIA

The College of Veterinary Medicine invites applicants to apply for the position of Business Manager. This position manages and holds approval authority for all business, financial, budgetary, and administrative functions within the Dean’s Office of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the UT Institute of Agriculture, as well as the Associate Deans’ Offices for Academic Affairs, Research, and Outreach & Global Engagement. For the purposes of this description, “Department” refers collectively to these units. The position ensures compliance with University policies, established procedures, and applicable legal and regulatory requirements across financial operations, human resources, and grant and contract administration. It is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all business operations within the Department. This role provides advanced accounting and budgeting support to the Dean’s Office and supervises one non-exempt staff member (Accounting Specialist – Financial Associate 3).

Budget and Financial Operations:

• Serves as a primary resource and advisor to department leadership on financial and business matters.
• Administers and holds approval authority, in coordination with the Budget Director, for financial, budgetary, and related business activities.
• Manages all aspects of the Department’s budget, including annual budget development, ongoing oversight, forecasting, and maintenance.
• Oversees all departmental financial operations, including supervision of day-to-day business functions and data entry processes (e.g., purchase requisitions, sole source justifications, accounts payable/receivable, procurement card transactions, internal transfers, petty cash reimbursements, and similar activities).
• Maintains and monitors Center of Excellence (COE) accounts, ensuring accurate tracking of current and projected expenditures, startup packages, proposals, and other commitments.
• Responsible for departmental ledger reconciliation and approvals, including tracking, investigating, and resolving variances and maintaining accurate balances.
• Ensures full compliance with UT fiscal policies, procedures, and internal controls across all departmental financial activities.
• Coordinates general business operations such as facility space inventory, equipment tracking, and related administrative functions.
• Prepares and delivers regular and ad hoc financial reports to the Budget Director, Dean, Associate Deans, and Assistant Deans.
• Provides financial control and oversight information to the Budget Director and unit leadership to support informed decision-making.
• Collaborates with the Budget Director in the development, monitoring, and management of the departmental budget.
• Supervises the Accounting Specialist and provides guidance to departmental staff on financial, human resources, and budget processes.
• Conducts financial and human resources training for faculty and staff within the Department.
• Prepares budget requests for all units within the Department.

Accounting:

• Reconciles and approves all Dean’s Office accounts, ensuring accuracy and compliance with University policies.
• Manages contracts for the Dean’s Office, including review, administration, and oversight of contractual obligations.
• Reviews and approves all Dean’s Office position transactions, accounts payable and receivable, and travel-related expenses.
• Prepares miscellaneous financial reports, including routine college-wide monthly forecasts, annual carry-forward reports for Dean’s Office accounts, and historical analyses such as tuition income by student.
• Manages the MeDIC recharge center, including tracking expenses, billing departmental usage, and adjusting rates as necessary to ensure proper cost recovery.

Miscellaneous:

• Maintains administrative provisions for gift accounts, ensuring proper management and compliance with university policies.
• Provides training for new personnel within the Dean’s Office and other departments as requested or needed.
• Assists college employees and students with questions and issues that fall within the scope of this position.
• Participates in the Senior Awards Committee, ensuring accounts are properly funded and that award guidelines are consistently followed.

Human Resource and Payroll Operations:

• Reviews and oversees all DASH human resource, personnel, and payroll actions initiated by the Department.
• Provides review and oversight for position creation and management, including budget considerations, new hires, position transfers, and processing transactions for pay changes, funding adjustments, terminations, additional payments, salary transfer vouchers, and related transactions.
• Ensures all departmental HR and payroll actions comply with University of Tennessee Human Resource policies and procedures.
• Prepares and delivers ad hoc human resource, personnel, and payroll reports as requested by the Budget Director, departmental faculty, and Dean’s Office leadership.
• Evaluates existing internal departmental business procedures, develops improvements, and implements changes with consensus from the department head.

Required Qualifications:

• Education:
  • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field
• Experience:
  • At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in financial accounting and management.
  • Demonstrated experience with financial reporting, ledger reconciliation, payroll/HR processes, and compliance with policies and regulations.
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Ability to manage all business functions of the department

  • Ability to independently manage departmental budgets on unrestricted and restricted funding sources

  • Advanced knowledge of both Fiscal and Human Resource University Policies and Procedures or the ability to become conversant with them

  • Ability to oversee and supervise designated accounting and administrative support staff

  • Advanced skills and knowledge in use of relevant institutional electronic information systems (ERP/Oracle, grants/contracts, etc.)

  • Advanced knowledge of MS Office and related products

  • Advanced knowledge of sponsored research accounting related to grant and contract operations preferred

Preferred Qualifications:

• Education:
  • Master's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field
• Experience:
  • At least 2 years of progressively responsible experience in financial accounting and management.
  • Experience with grants and contracts administration in higher education or research settings.
  • Advanced knowledge of university systems and policies (UT Fiscal Policies, HR/Payroll systems, DASH, etc.).
  • Strong project management and process improvement experience.
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  • Experience managing finances, budgets, equipment inventory and maintenance contract agreements.
  • Experience in financial position within UT, UTIA, or CVM.

Work Location:

• Knoxville, Tennessee
• On-Site

Compensation and Benefits:

• UT market range: MR11
• Anticipated hiring range: Depends on experience and qualifications.

Application Instructions:

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments.

• Resume

• Cover Letter
• List of 3 Professional References

About The College:

The UT College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM), located in Knoxville, was established by an act of the Tennessee Legislature in 1974 and is part of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture .

UTCVM is one of 33 veterinary colleges in the United States and provides opportunities for Tennessee students while serving pet owners and the livestock industry as well as protecting public health, enhancing medical knowledge and generating economic benefits to the state and nation.