Human Resources Consultant, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

The UTIA Human Resources Consultant serves as a senior, internally facing HR consultant and generalist who partners with leaders across a large, decentralized academic enterprise. You will diagnose workforce and organizational needs, apply policy and precedent, and frame evidence-based options (not decisions) that strengthen leadership decision-making. The portfolio includes complex employee relations, HR projects/continuous improvement, HRIS-enabled reporting and data interpretation, compensation partnership, and organizational effectiveness support (e.g., role clarity and change navigation). This position is one of five peer HR Consultant roles that work closely as a team—sharing expertise, ideating together, and providing backup support—and reports to the Director of Human Resources for UTIA.

Key Responsibilities:

• Advise and coach leaders on workforce and organizational matters—diagnosing issues, applying policy/precedent, and framing evidence-based options.
• Manage complex, sensitive employee relations matters from intake through resolution with timely, well-documented case handling and defensible rationale; coordinate escalation and partner engagement when appropriate.
• Lead HR projects and continuous-improvement workstreams—aligning stakeholders, defining deliverables, and driving implementation.
• Partner with UTK HR centers of expertise to coordinate employee lifecycle transactions and position management; use HRIS reporting and workforce data to provide decision-ready insights; contribute to peer-team knowledge sharing and backup coverage.
• Recommend and assess workforce changes that enable individual and organizational success, including adoption of new technologies, culture initiatives, and employee engagement strategies.

Required Qualifications:

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience).
• Experience:
  • 5 or more years of progressive HR experience in a large, complex, decentralized organization, including consultative leader advising and employee relations.
  • Demonstrated skill in influencing without authority, applying policy/precedent, and managing sensitive matters with discretion and sound judgment.

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 in Industrial/Organizational Development, Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA), Higher Education Administration, Educational Leadership, or related field.
• Experience:
  • Higher education and/or complex public-sector experience; familiarity with shared governance dynamics.
  • Experience working in a partnered HR service model with centers of expertise (e.g., compensation, employee relations, recruiting, operations).
  • Project/workstream leadership and organizational effectiveness experience (e.g., workforce planning, organizational design, change-impact assessment).
  • HRIS reporting/analytics capability and comfort using emerging tools (including AI where appropriate) to improve insights and service delivery while protecting confidential information.

Self Selection Information:

• Great fit if you bring strong HR generalist experience and enjoy complex, consultative work in a matrixed academic environment (influence without authority).
• May not be a fit if you are early in your HR career and want highly structured direction or have limited experience independently navigating complex workplace/people issues.
• Role structure: this is a senior individual contributor role (no direct reports), ideal for HR professionals who prefer to lead through expertise, partnership, and influence rather than formal people management.

Work Location:

• Knoxville, TN (UTIA Campus)

• Hybrid – Must be available to work on campus, generally three days per week, as  a regularly scheduled and predictable in-person presence.

   

 

Compensation and Benefits:

• UT market range: MR11

• Anticipated hiring range: $67,000 – $77,000 annually

• Salary offer will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Candidates with directly relevant experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications for this role may be considered above the anticipated hiring range, consistent with university policy and internal equity considerations.

• 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 April 18, 2026.

• Resume

• Cover Letter

 

About The College/Department/Division:

At UTIA, we’re not just solving problems—we’re delivering Real. Life. Solutions. Through teaching, research, and Extension programs, UTIA advances the university’s land-grant mission by serving Tennessee and communities around the world. Please visit UTIA’s website to learn more about UTIA’s mission driven culture and work. Find out more about UTIA at: https://utia.tennessee.edu

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 well as the UT Institute of Public Service.  
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone. 
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.  
Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!