The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) invites applications for a Financial Analyst in the Office of Finance and Administration. Reporting to the Director of Finance and Administration, this position provides complex financial and operational analysis to support UTSI’s budgeting, planning, reporting, and strategic decision-making activities.

The Financial Analyst will collect and analyze financial, academic, research, personnel, enrollment, and operational data from multiple systems and transform that information into clear, actionable reports for campus leadership. The position will monitor actual results against budgets, identify trends and variances, develop financial forecasts and planning scenarios, and support the development and implementation of UTSI’s annual and long-range budgets.

This position will also serve as a primary point of contact for institutional data requests and will help improve and automate existing financial and managerial reports. The successful candidate will possess strong analytical and communication skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to explain complex financial and operational information to a variety of audiences.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, finance, data science, mathematics, or another closely related field from an accredited institution. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered where permitted by University policy.
• Three years of progressively responsible experience in financial or business analysis, budgeting, project financial management, data analysis, project management, research administration, or a closely related area.
• Experience analyzing financial, operational, project, or research data and preparing reports to support planning and decision-making.
• Experience using spreadsheets, enterprise systems, business intelligence tools, or other data-reporting applications.
• 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.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong analytical and computer skills, including the ability to transform raw data into meaningful reports, visualizations, and recommendations.
• Knowledge of data analysis, data modeling, and data-warehouse methodologies.
• Ability to identify risks associated with budgetary actions and evaluate the effects of alternative scenarios.
• Working knowledge of ERP systems and related data-reporting applications.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain financial information clearly to leadership, faculty, and staff.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and complete work accurately and within established deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, establish priorities, and exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to coordinate and provide direction to others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business, accounting, finance, data science, mathematics, or another closely related field.
• Four to six years of progressively responsible experience in financial or business analysis, budgeting, project financial management, data analysis, project management, research administration, or a related area.
• Experience with budget development, forecasting, variance analysis, or financial modeling.
• Experience managing or monitoring the financial and administrative components of projects, including budgets, expenditures, schedules, deliverables, and reporting requirements.
• Experience working in higher education, research, engineering, aerospace, defense, government, or another complex organization.
• Experience using ERP and business intelligence applications, such as SAP, Power BI, Power Query, Tableau, or comparable systems.
• Knowledge of fund accounting, governmental or nonprofit financial reporting, sponsored projects, or research administration.
• Experience providing work direction or coordinating the work of others.

Work Location

• Location: Tullahoma, TN

• Hybrid

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR13

• Anticipated hiring range: $80,000 - $87,000

• 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:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

• Collect, analyze, and report financial, academic, research, enrollment, personnel, and operational data.
• Develop recurring and ad hoc reports for UTSI leadership, including budget-to-actual comparisons, trend analyses, year-to-date reports, and long-range projections.
• Analyze revenues, personnel expenditures, operating expenses, allocated costs, endowment and gift activity, and reserve balances.
• Identify significant financial and operational trends, risks, and opportunities and communicate their potential effects to campus leadership.
• Develop financial forecasts and scenario models for projected revenues, expenditures, operating margins, surpluses or deficits, and reserve balances.
• Support the development, implementation, and revision of annual and multiyear budgets.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for UTSI’s use of DASH budgeting, planning, and reporting tools.
• Produce and maintain reports using DASH, Microsoft Excel, Power BI, Power Query, Tableau, Argos, Access, and other reporting platforms.
• Develop visualizations that present complex financial and operational information in a clear and understandable format.
• Assist with institutional surveys, research metrics, enrollment analyses, faculty workload information, and other reporting needs.
• Manage data cleansing and validation activities and help ensure the accuracy and consistency of information across university systems.
• Support data-governance practices related to data quality, access, security, sharing, and appropriate use.
• Collaborate with campus departments, Information Technology, and other university offices to improve reporting processes and organizational data literacy.
• Provide work direction and assistance to others as needed.