Administrative Specialist - RecSports - UTK

The Administrative Specialist provides primary HR and payroll processing support for approximately 400 employees and oversees the student/staff training programs database. This role is also responsible for managing the reservation and scheduling system for RecSports facilities, ensuring smooth operations and excellent customer service.

• Collect, review, and submit HR paperwork for hires, terminations, and pay adjustments.
• Initiate background checks and report findings.
• Process raises and terminations for student employees.
• Review and submit bi-weekly payroll; resolve payroll issues.
• Maintain training database and generate labor cost reports.
• Serve as primary contact for facility reservations.
• Manage scheduling system: enter, update, and confirm bookings.
• Provide customer support and assist with event logistics and accounting.
• Assist with travel arrangements and expense tracking.
• Perform general office tasks and respond to inquiries.

Required Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or GED required. 
• Experience: Minimum of 2 years office experience required.
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Skills in Microsoft Office, strong customer service and conflict resolution abilities.

 

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.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Associate or bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Experience: Experience in a university setting and familiarity with DASH

 

Work Location 

• Location: Knoxville, TN
• Onsite, Hybrid, or Remote: Onsite

 

Compensation and Benefits 

• UT market range: MR 05
• Anticipated hiring range: 
• 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 5/15/26.

 

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 Professional References

 

About The College/Department/Division

 The Division of Student Life is comprised of an outstanding group of professionals who create student-centered opportunities that contribute to a transformative Volunteer Experience. These opportunities allow students to grow their skills and knowledge outside of the classroom. From health and wellness to service and engagement, we provide opportunities where students exemplify the Volunteer Spirit, inspiring others to learn, lead, and serve.

The departments and offices housed within Student Life provide the daily services our students need to thrive and plan strategically for the future of student life at UT. These departments and offices foster student engagement and leadership opportunities, prioritize the health and wellness of our students and staff, and work to enhance a sense of belonging. The division illustrates a collective effort that is greater than the sum of its parts. The departments and programs of Student Life are providing students with transformational experiences that are critical to the realization of their academic and personal aspirations.

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 wel