Administrative Specialist - College of Architecture & Design - UTK

The University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design invites applications for the position of Administrative Specialist for the School of Architecture. This role reports to the Director of the School of Architecture and provides essential administrative support to ensure the smooth operation of the school. The Administrative Specialist plays a key role in the evolution and success of the school, working collaboratively with the director to ensure effective and efficient operations for faculty, staff, students, alumni, and visitors.

Administrative Support and Coordination:

• Maintain the director's calendar and assist with school scheduling needs.
• Take meeting minutes for the director as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the director.
• Serve as a backup for other school administrative assistants.
Assist with internal and external reporting and data management within the school.

Event Planning and Financial Management:

• Oversee the planning and setup of school-level events, including payment and expense processing.
• Organize and coordinate school-specific events such as faculty and student luncheons, and guests to the school.
• Process school-funded purchasing requests and assist with the monthly reconciliation of the director’s P-card.
• Facilitate signatures and processing of honoraria and out-of-pocket expense reimbursements.
• Process faculty HR paperwork and procedures (hires, reappointments, promotion and tenure, evaluations, etc.) in liaison with the CoAD Finance and Administration Unit.
Support faculty purchasing related to course materials.

Student Support and Admissions:

• Assist prospective M.Arch students with information requests and track admissions process completion.
• Support enrolled M.Arch students with registration, degree candidacy, etc., and assist undergraduate Interior Architecture students registering for 500-level classes.
Assist with the processing of graduate Chancellor’s Fellowships and notify the Bursar’s office on GA tuition waivers.

Travel Management:

• Assist faculty with school-funded travel requests and the planning of field trips.
Make all travel arrangements for the director and manage travel by faculty and students in the school.

Strategic Initiatives and Recruiting:

• Assist with the implementation of strategic initiatives planned for and within the department.
• Assist the director directly in recruiting, admissions, and retention of students.
• Manage and maintain a strong recruiting process, including coordinating inquiries, scheduling campus visits, and keeping records on all prospect interactions.

Required

• Education: Associate’s degree
• Experience: 4 - 5 years of professional administrative or customer service experience at a reputable organization.
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
• Excellent presentation, communication, and writing skills
• Excellent decision-making and team-based interpersonal skills and sound judgement
• Ability to multi-task in a high stress and fast paced environment.
• Knowledge of related procedures and systems.
• Computer skills, including MS Office 365, financial records, student records systems.
• Customer service skills.
• Ability to multitask
• Interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituents in a diverse community.
• Ability to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports.
Ability to use tact and discretion when dealing with a variety of confidential issues.

Preferred

• Education: Bachelor’s degree
Experience: 4 -5 years of professional administrative or customer service experience at a University

Work Location

Compensation

• UT market range: MR 06
• Anticipated hiring range: Between the 50 th and 75 th percentile, depending on experience and qualifications
Find more information on the UT Market Range structure

Benefits

• Generous paid leave starting at 8 hours per month, with opportunities for increased accrual rates as your service with us grows. Additionally, benefit from 12 days of sick leave annually, plus 14 paid holidays and administrative closing days.
• Flexible work arrangements, offering a hybrid schedule to most team members
• Education benefits for employees and their dependents at UT System campuses
• Retirement and deferred compensation plans, including 401(k), 403(b), etc.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Employee discounts to attractions, services, and goods
Find more information on UT Benefits

Application Instructions

For full consideration, applicants should submit a cover letter detailing relevant experience along with a resume and the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three to five professional references. References will not be contacted without explicit permission from the candidate.

The College

The College of Architecture and Design (CoAD) is one of 14 academic colleges at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a Research-1, land-grant university that houses 900 programs of study. CoAD is situated in both the award-winning Art Architecture Building on the UTK campus and the FabLab, which is a 20,000 square-foot facility located in town on North Gay Street. The college is currently poised to undertake an historic expansion which will extend CoAD’s footprint to two additional buildings located close to the FabLab in Knoxville’s Old City.

The College of Architecture and Design promotes imagination, curiosity, and empathy as we advocate for the power of design and catalyze the importance of the built world. We are committed to excellence in design education, research, creative scholarly activity, and outreach missions. The college is comprised of the Schools of Architecture, Design, Interior Architecture, and Landscape Architecture. These four schools contribute to an engaged community of 740 undergraduate and graduate students, 50 full-time faculty, 15 part-time faculty, and 22 members of the administrative staff. The Administrative Specialist will join a dynamic team working in a fluid and fast-paced environment. The entire CoAD staff shares the dean’s mission to make design education as vivid as possible.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices that attract and retain a diverse community and that support a culture where everyone matters and belongs.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!