The Director of the Center for Financial Wellness (CFW) provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the university’s financial wellness initiatives, ensuring alignment with enrollment, retention, student success goals, and the Strategic Enrollment Plan. Reporting to the Assistant Vice Provost (AVP) for Financial Initiatives & Chief Financial Aid Administrator, the Director sets the Center’s vision and direction, leads institution-wide financial wellness programs, and drives initiatives that improve students’ financial capability and persistence.

The role includes full responsibility for the Center’s operations, including staffing, resource management, organizational development, and performance oversight. As the university’s primary financial wellness expert, the Director collaborates with senior leaders, academic departments, and campus partners to embed financial wellness throughout the student experience. The Director also cultivates external partnerships and funding opportunities to ensure the Center’s long-term growth, sustainability, and measurable impact.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Implementation & Organizational Alignment 

• Establishes and leads the strategic direction of the Center for Financial Wellness, aligning priorities with Enrollment Management goals and the university’s Strategic Enrollment Plan.
• Develops and implements multi-year strategic and operational plans that position financial wellness as a core driver of student success, retention, and institutional effectiveness.
• Exercises independent decision-making authority in setting priorities, allocating resources, and determining the Center’s approach to program development, service delivery, and campus engagement.
• Provides full organizational leadership for the Center, including oversight of staffing structure, supervision of the Associate Director, and development of a scalable operating model to support growth.
• Leads the evaluation and continuous improvement of financial wellness initiatives, ensuring programs are data-informed, outcome-driven, and aligned with institutional performance metrics.
• Establishes policies, frameworks, and standards that guide the delivery of financial wellness education, coaching, and outreach across the university.
• Oversees the Center’s financial resources, including budget planning, allocation, and sustainability strategies, ensuring responsible stewardship and alignment with strategic priorities.
• Serves as the primary advisor to the AVP on financial wellness strategy, providing recommendations that influence divisional and institutional decision-making.

Institutional Integration & Cross-Campus Coordination

• Lead coordination across academic, enrollment, and student success units to embed financial wellness into the student experience.
• Operationalize campus-wide initiatives by aligning stakeholders, timelines, and deliverables.
• Ensure consistency and scalability of financial wellness efforts across colleges, populations, and delivery methods.
• Support the removal of institutional barriers that impact implementation and student engagement.

Partnerships & Program Expansion 

• Research strategies to secure external funding, including grants, corporate partnerships, and philanthropic opportunities, in alignment with defined priorities.
• Develop and manage partnerships that expand program reach, enhance service delivery, and support innovation.
• Identify opportunities to scale successful programs and introduce new initiatives that align with institutional goals.
• Ensure sustainability of programs through resource development and strategic investment.

Performance Management, Assessment & Impact 

• Establish and oversee performance metrics aligned with institutional goals, including student engagement, financial literacy outcomes, and retention impact.
• Ensure the development of dashboards, reporting structures, and assessment frameworks led by the Associate Director.
• Translate data into actionable insights to improve programs, inform leadership, and demonstrate value.
• Ensure accountability for achieving measurable outcomes tied to the Strategic Enrollment Plan and Enrollment Management priorities.

Organizational Leadership & Capacity Building

• Provide leadership and direction to the Associate Director, ensuring clarity of roles, priorities, and expectations.
• Guide organizational structure, staffing models, and resource allocation to support growth and scalability.
• Foster a high-performing, collaborative culture that supports innovation and continuous improvement.
• Ensure alignment between team efforts and strategic priorities.

National Engagement & Strategic Visibility

• Support the AVP in advancing UTK’s national presence in financial wellness through partnerships, research, and professional engagement.
• Represent the Center in select external engagements and collaborations.
• Contribute to thought leadership and dissemination of best practices.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Expert knowledge of financial literacy concepts, including but not limited to budgeting, credit management, student loans, and debt repayment.
• Strong leadership, communication, and public speaking to effectively engage students and campus stakeholders.
• Demonstrated skills in designing and delivering financial education workshops, resources, and outreach campaigns.
• Skilled in collaborating with cross-campus partners to integrate financial wellness into student success efforts.
• Demonstrated skills utilizing financial wellness technology, learning platforms, and digital engagement tools.
• Proven ability to lead and supervise staff, graduate assistants, and peer educators in delivering financial wellness services.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, adapt to changing priorities, and respond to emerging financial trends.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree 
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in financial wellness, financial aid, student success, or a related area.
• 3 years minimum of supervisory experience of professional staff.
• Familiarity with learning technologies, financial wellness software, or financial coaching platforms.
• Experience integrating financial wellness into broader student success initiatives.
• Experience with partnerships or program scaling

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of behavioral economics, financial decision-making psychology, and student financial behaviors.
• Knowledge of grant writing, fundraising, and resource development to expand financial wellness programming.
• Skilled in developing digital financial literacy tools and technology-driven financial coaching.
• Skilled in identifying and implementing innovative financial education approaches to enhance student engagement.
• Ability to analyze and apply national best practices in financial wellness for continuous program improvement.
• Ability to advocate for financial wellness as a key component of student success and institutional strategy.
• Knowledge of higher education financial aid policies and their role in student success, retention, and financial decision-making.
• Knowledge of program development, assessment, and administration to create impactful financial wellness initiatives.
• Knowledge of data analysis methods to measure program effectiveness and student financial wellness trends.
• Skilled in managing budgets and financial resources to ensure program sustainability.
• Proven ability to develop and implement innovative financial wellness strategies that meet diverse student needs

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master's degree
• At least 7 years of progressive experience in financial wellness, financial aid, student success, or a related area.
• Certifications such as Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), or Financial Literacy Educator certification.
• Experience working in higher education financial wellness centers or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience leading strategic implementation and cross-functional initiatives
• Engagement in national conversations, research, or professional organizations

To express interest, please submit an application and include a letter of interest and CV/resume. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before Sunday, September 20, 2026. For confidential inquires or nominations, please contact Brooke M. Swart, Executive Search Manager at bswart@utk.edu.