Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS)

University of Tennessee College of Social Work

The Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS) seeks Director of Research Budget, Finance, and Operations who will enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to provide fiscal and operational support for the SWORPS. We need a hardworking and flexible professional who will be responsible for managing the annual contracts that fund the office, as well as overseeing the human resources and business operation.

Who We Are:

The Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS) is an applied research center of the University of Tennessee College of Social Work (CSW). We are a dynamic and close-knit interdisciplinary team of individuals with a shared vision of thriving communities with equitable outcomes for all. We do that by building partnerships that leverage research, technology, and human connection to improve lives in Tennessee and beyond.

Over the past fifty years, SWORPS has worked with local nonprofits such as the United Way of Greater Knoxville, University of Tennessee departments and faculty researchers, state agencies such as the Tennessee Department of Human Services, and federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Our annual portfolio consists of 25-40 sponsored projects spanning a wealth of different content areas, but one common thread -each project contributes one more building block for thriving communities with equitable outcomes for all.

Learn more about SWORPS and some of our programs and resources by visiting our webpage: https://www.sworps.tennessee.edu/

Who We Are Looking For:

The Finance and Operations Director will play a key role in leading the financial strategy and operations for SWORPS, overseeing a team of 170 and managing a grant portfolio of $32 million. This position will be responsible for structuring the SWORPS business office, ensuring compliance, and fostering the growth of sophisticated financial management systems. This position is necessary to enhance the college's research enterprise through implementation of pre-award and post-award strategies, policies and procedures relative to the submission of successful proposals. The SWORPS Finance and Operations Director will ensure expert oversight of proposal budgets, compliance with UT and funding agency requirements, coordinate with the Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development (ORIED), Division of Research Administration (DRA) and other college research offices, oversee data reporting and analysis, facilitate strategies for proposal success, and provide training and support to SWORPS staff, division/department level staff, and investigators. This position provides strategic leadership and direct and indirect oversight of fiscal, information technology and operations.

Reporting to the College of Social Work Assistant Dean of Finance, Administration and Operations, this position provides leadership for all of SWORPS administration functions including budgeting and financial planning, facilities and operations, information technology, data management, and strategic planning. The position supervises SWORPS fiscal/operations unit staff and has the following primary duties and responsibilities: