Employee Experience Consultant - Office of Human Resources - UTK
University of Tennessee Athletic Marketing Department
People & HR
Knoxville, TN, USA
USD 55k-60k / year
Posted on Dec 5, 2025
The all-new Employee Success Center within UTK Human Resources enhances employee experience and career development through innovative programs that foster connection, growth, and leadership across every stage of the employee lifecycle. The Employee Experience Consultant leads the development and delivery of strategic onboarding programs for new employees at UT Knoxville, from offer acceptance through the first year of employment. This position manages New Vol Onboarding, oversees onboarding content and communications, and partners with HR teams and campus stakeholders to align processes, strengthen consistency, and enhance operational efficiency.
The consultant provides direct guidance to departments on best practices, evaluates and improves onboarding workflows, gathers feedback and data to drive continuous improvement, and supports broader Employee Success initiatives that contribute to employee connection, engagement, and retention.
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 to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.
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!
The Employee Experience Consultant plays a key role in shaping the first-year journey for new employees at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This position designs, implements, and enhances comprehensive onboarding and employee experience programs that foster connection, belonging, and long-term retention. As part of the all-new Employee Success Center within the Office of Human Resources, the consultant leads campus-wide onboarding initiatives and collaborates with departments and campus stakeholders to ensure a seamless, consistent, and engaging experience for every new Vol.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business, Human Resources or a relevant field and 2 years of relevant experience - OR – an Associate’s degree with 3 years of relevant experience – OR – in lieu of degree, 5 or more years of relevant experience.
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with HR or data management systems, including tools such as Smartsheet, Qualtrics, and other applications used for reporting and collaboration.
- Knowledge of HR principles, processes, and best practices.
- Skill in developing and delivering professional presentations and materials.
- Skill in project management and process improvement.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships.
- Strong customer service skills.
- Ability to analyze feedback and data to make recommendations for improvement.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize multiple projects, and meet deadlines.
- Ability to foster belonging and a positive employee experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in higher education or HR consulting roles
- SHRM, PHR or other HR related certification
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Knowledge of higher education or large public-sector HR environments.
- Skill in utilizing HRIS and for onboarding processes.
- Ability to create visually engaging materials and digital resources for employees and managers.
Work Location
- Fully on-site for an initial training period with the option to work 1-2 remote days per week after training, depending on departmental needs.
- Knoxville, TN
Compensation and Benefits
- UT market range: MR 09
- Anticipated hiring range: $55,000 - $60,000
- Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
- Find more information on UT Benefits here
Application Instructions
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before 12/14/2025
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- List of 3 Professional References
Program Development & Implementation
- Lead and manage the full campus onboarding process from pre-boarding through the first year of employment.
- Design, deliver, and continuously refine campus-wide onboarding programs, resources, and events.
- Oversee New Vol onboarding, ensuring alignment of messaging, delivery, and experience across platforms.
- Partner with the Employee Success team to integrate onboarding efforts with engagement, recognition, and development programs.
- Enhance onboarding materials, communications, and digital resources in collaboration with HR Communications and center leadership.
- Maintain toolkits and onboarding resources utilizing multiple media formats.
Consultation & Partnership
- Serve as the primary onboarding consultant to departments, hiring managers, supervisors and campus leaders.
- Provide guidance on timelines, best practices, and strategies for new employee support.
- Partner with stakeholders such as OIT, Payroll, Benefits, HRIS, and Parking to streamline workflows and improve consistency.
- Facilitate departmental consultations and presentations related to customized onboarding needs.
Assessment & Continuous Improvement
- Design and deploy onboarding-related surveys; analyze data to evaluate the employee experience.
- Identify trends, gaps, and improvement opportunities in onboarding processes and materials.
- Present recommendations to leadership and support the implementation of enhancements.
Engagement & Retention Support
- Support initiatives that promote employee connection, belonging, and long-term retention.
- Coordinate touchpoints and engagement opportunities for new employees throughout their first year.
- Collaborate with committees, faculty and staff senates, and campus partners to integrate engagement into onboarding events and programs.
- Contribute to Employee Success programs and signature events across the center.