The University of Tennessee’s Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership (NCEL) is seeking a Customer Engagement and Operations Coordinator to join its Knoxville office. NCEL, a division of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service, delivers leadership development training, consulting, and research for local, state, and federal government officials and employees.

This position plays a key role in coordinating a full range of NCEL training programs by managing program operations and logistics. Responsibilities include overseeing program-specific financial functions, developing and maintaining complex calendars and resource plans for staff and programs, managing contracts for upcoming events, entering evaluations and analyzing training data within the learning management system, ensuring timely invoicing and payment processes, and assisting customers and other stakeholders by assessing their organizational needs and explaining the wide-range of services offered through the agency to support those needs.

Required Qualifications

Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree required in the areas of public administration, political science, business, and/or a related field of study

 

Experience: 

• A minimum of two years of professional experience coordinating and hosting organizational events
• Utilizing evaluation software and data analytics tools
• Organizing complex schedules and calendars across multiple programs or functions
• Engaging and recruiting stakeholders or customers for services
• Conducting research to develop and present recommendations based on findings.

 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

• Astute knowledge, skills, and abilities using the Microsoft suite of tools including PowerPoint, Word and Excel. 
• Ability to use various software programs for measuring programmatic key performance indicators.
• Ability to design and evaluate training programs.
• Customer service skills and abilities to provide timely, personable, and professional responses.
• Interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral.
• The ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituents in a diverse community, including high-level executives in local and state government.
• The ability to enter data into a learning management system, and the ability to produce and customize reports from the same.
• The ability to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports.
• The ability to use tact and discretion when dealing with a variety of issues.
• Problem-solving and critical thinking skills to complete assignments.
• Ability to actively listen and identify solutions for customers and organizations, articulating services provided by the agency to meet stakeholder needs.
• The ability to prioritize work based upon objectives and goals of the agency and make recommendations to create and change office-level procedures.
• The ability to make effective decisions by interpreting situations and providing solutions that are innovative and meaningful to making the agency more efficient and effective.
• The ability to initiate and draft correspondence on behalf of the supervisor.
• The ability to prepare budgets, reconcile accounts, and perform contract management.

 

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: Master’s Degree preferred.
• Experience: Previous experience in the field of public service and/or higher education operations.

 

Behaviors:

This position will exhibit qualities of emotional maturity, genuineness, common sense, judgment, fairness, creativity, discretion, decisiveness, diplomacy, tact, resiliency, adaptability, and tolerance for ambiguity. 

This position also entails exposure to the highest level of confidentiality. Demonstrated behavioral expectations include:

• unquestioned integrity and trustworthiness.
• commitment to the University’s mission and strategic plan, as well as missions and strategic plans for each campus/institute/agency.
• ability to make good, consistent, and fair decisions (based on fact and data).
• ability to work with cross-functional teams and to foster teamwork.

Work Location: 

• Location: Knoxville, TN

This position must be able to travel to perform some job duties. If a private vehicle is used for business related purposes, automobile liability insurance must be maintained. 

 

The Institute for Public Service (IPS) supports a formal Alternative Work Arrangement program currently in place and more information can be provided if candidate progresses through the recruitment process.

 
Benefits  

• 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 November 23, 2026.

 

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 Professional References
• Writing sample 
   

About The College/Department/Division 

The UT Institute for Public Service provides outreach and assistance to all of Tennessee. Through our agencies and initiatives, we offer technical assistance, training and consulting on a wide variety of services, including government operations, language services, law enforcement excellence, leadership training, manufacturing excellence, opioid abatement and much more.

 

Customer Engagement & Program Consultation 

• Serves as a primary resource for government and organizational stakeholders by assessing organizational and professional development needs and determining appropriate NCEL programs and services to address identified needs. 
• Consults with customers and stakeholders to evaluate requests, identify underlying service needs, and recommend appropriate leadership development programs, training opportunities, or other agency services. 
• Exercises judgment in determining how customer needs should be addressed and resolves non-routine service issues or coordinates customized solutions with appropriate program and agency leadership. 
• Develops and implements customer engagement activities designed to increase awareness of NCEL programs and strengthen participation in leadership development opportunities. 
• Analyzes participant feedback, program evaluations, customer engagement information, and other relevant data to identify trends, service gaps, emerging customer needs, and opportunities for program improvement or expansion. 
• Evaluates the effectiveness of customer engagement efforts and recommends changes to communication, outreach, or service strategies based on findings. 
• Develops and presents recommendations to the Executive Director regarding program planning, customer engagement strategies, service improvements, and future programming based on analysis of customer feedback and program data. 
• Maintains effective relationships with a broad range of external stakeholders, including local and state government officials, executives, program participants, vendors, and other organizational partners. 

Financial & Contract Administration 

• Monitors program and event budgets and analyzes expenditures, commitments, and available resources to identify discrepancies, financial concerns, and issues requiring corrective action. 
• Interprets applicable University fiscal policies and procedures and determines appropriate processing or resolution of non-routine financial transactions and issues within established guidelines. 
• Reviews financial activity for accuracy and compliance and investigates discrepancies by researching transactions, documentation, policies, and supporting information. 
• Coordinates contractual administration for vendors, venues, and service providers, including reviewing agreements for accuracy, business requirements, financial terms, and alignment with program specifications before routing through the University's contracting process. 
• Oversees the administrative execution of agreements through ESM, DocuSign, and other University systems and independently investigates and resolves contractual or processing discrepancies in consultation with program managers, vendors, and appropriate University offices. 
• Reviews and reconciles vendor invoices against contract terms and program requirements to determine the appropriateness of charges and initiates corrective action when discrepancies are identified. 
• Evaluates financial and contractual processes and identifies opportunities to strengthen internal controls, improve efficiency, and reduce operational or financial risk. 
• Conducts research and analyzes financial and contractual information to develop recommendations for the Executive Director regarding financial management, vendor issues, contracts, resource utilization, and operational practices. 

Administrative Operations & Resource Management 

• Evaluates administrative operations and resource needs and develops recommendations for the Executive Director regarding operational priorities, resource allocation, administrative procedures, and process improvements. 
• Independently administers operational planning for NCEL programs, including establishing work priorities, coordinating competing scheduling and resource requirements, and resolving operational conflicts across multiple programs and initiatives. 
• Develops and maintains complex program calendars and resource plans to support effective delivery of NCEL programs and services. 
• Coordinates program curriculum, materials, assessments, and administrative resources and evaluates processes to identify changes needed to improve accessibility, consistency, and program delivery. 
• Analyzes program evaluation information and other operational data maintained through the learning management system and prepares reports and recommendations based on findings. 
• Administers agency fiscal and operational processes and interprets applicable University and agency procedures to determine appropriate actions and ensure compliance. 
• Identifies non-routine operational issues, evaluates alternative courses of action, determines appropriate solutions within established authority, and recommends procedural changes when broader action is warranted. 
• Supports institutional compliance activities involving inventory, space, control assessments, and related operational requirements. 
• Represents NCEL on Institute for Public Service committees and initiatives as assigned and evaluates resulting requirements, recommendations, or changes for their operational impact on the agency. 
• Recommends changes to office-level procedures and administrative practices that improve efficiency, consistency, customer service, or operational effectiveness.