Financial Associate - Nutrition and Public Health Sciences - UTK

The purpose of this position is to assist the Department Head and Business Manager in overseeing the fiscal compliance and data management responsibilities in the department of Nutrition and Public Health Sciences. This includes financial accounting and financial analysis, reporting, and compliance. This position will provide direction and assistance to principal investigators (PIs), faculty, staff and students for fiscal compliance with Uniform Guidance and UT policy.

The position processes guest travel (in-state, out-of-state and international travel), orders supplies, reconciles procurement card statements. It also requires implementation and comprehensive knowledge of, and ability to interpret and analyze college and university policies, federal and state guidelines, rules and regulations relating to accounting, purchasing, travel expense reporting and record maintenance.

• Serves as subject matter expert for the department, provides guidance and expertise to staff and faculty on financial matters.
• Reconcile monthly financial ledgers for assigned accounts including state appropriated accounts, start-up accounts, seed accounts, endowed and non-endowed gift accounts, income accounts, and research accounts
• Researches and provides solutions to resolve accounting and payroll issues related to distribution accounts.
• Interpret data for preparation, analysis, and submission of reports providing estimates, projections, department's status and spending recommendations to the Business Manager
• Process invoices and procurement card purchases: verify goods or services were received, charges are accurate, and appropriate account/G/L codes are assigned
• Reviews and assesses change requests for accounts; resolves problems; closes accounts as necessary under supervision of the Business manager.
• Order office supplies and research new deals and suppliers.
• Reconcile and process purchases made with procurement cards; compile required documentation and audit receipts; assign to appropriate account and G/L codes.
• Prepare cash/check deposits as necessary.
• Compile and submit contracts for review and approval.
• Purchase supplies as needed; assist faculty, staff and students with purchases and ensure we have necessary documentation.
• Assist business manager and department head with budget planning and forecasting as well as strategic planning for the department.
• Review DASH transactions at department level when necessary
• Assist business manager with payroll reconciliations and fee waiver management, and assist on employee reimbursements.

• Maintains and manages individual travel budgets for all faculty, staff, and students who are eligible to travel throughout the fiscal year.
• Implementing and interpreting accounting and travel policy and procedures.
• Creates and submits travel requests and travel expense reports.
• Advises Department Head on travel funding used, to aid in decision making process for use of additional funds outside of the allotted budget.
• Coordinates travel for all guest travelers (search candidates, guest speakers, etc.)
• Processes various travel reports to ensure all reimbursements are processed and received
• Assist traveler with any problems throughout the process
• Implements departmental travel procedures, submits requests to the college for travel funding assistance.
• Leads and maintains Travel Credit Card trainings and requests
• Assist faculty, staff, and students with policies, procedures, and form completion throughout the travel process.
• Researches reasonably priced airline tickets and hotels for the department head and the department's guests (interview candidates, guest speakers, etc.)

• Assists Business Manager with reconciling ledgers related to department F&A, start-up, gift and endowment and grants and contracts and maintain status of expenditures on sponsored research projects when appropriate.
• In collaboration with business manager, monitors faculty start up budgets.
• Collect and retain documentation for department events, this could include food and/or supplies and reconcile to ledgers
• Coordinate purchases with other departments as needed
• Initiate and create asset records for equipment inventory and prepare and submit annual space and equipment inventory.
• Create subcontracts, MOU (Memo of Understanding), special payments for independent contractors for sponsored accounting projects as needed.
• Manages gift card inventory; provides reports to Business Manager to ensure award compliance