Academic Program Coordinator - Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations - CCI- - UTK

The Academic Program Coordinator is a highly public-facing role responsible for managing the daily front-office workflows, course scheduling logistics, school-level programs and events, and student program support for the Tombras School. This position serves as the primary front-line contact and coordinator for undergraduate and graduate students, student organizations, competition teams, fellowship programs, and faculty logistical workflows. Additionally, this role coordinates general room bookings and collaborates with college and university-level offices to ensure smooth daily operations.

School Logistics & Academic Support

• Provide front-line customer service by greeting visitors, routing incoming calls, managing general departmental emails, and handling mail distribution.

• Serve as the primary, accessible point of contact for undergraduate and graduate student inquiries, providing baseline troubleshooting for registration or timetable difficulties.

• Manage local office supply inventories and handle direct, low-level vendor interactions for routine needs.

• Coordinate the input and adjustment of the class timetable each semester, communicating with faculty to resolve scheduling conflicts before final submission.

• Prepare documents, agendas, and presentation materials for school faculty meetings.

• Record and distribute accurate minutes for general faculty meetings and departmental committee sessions.

• Compile documentation, feedback data, and manuals for internal use, accreditation reviews, or institutional surveys.

• Act as the building and facilities contact for the school, reporting space, equipment, or maintenance issues to the college IT/facilities teams for resolution.

• Manage the reservation and scheduling of school-controlled rooms, labs, and collaborative spaces for routine student meetings and student organization usage.

• Assists the director in ensuring course guides are up to date and shared with faculty. 

• Assists the director in the onboarding of new faculty members and serves as main point of contact for adjunct faculty.

• Supports the director and faculty members in curricular revisions.

• Oversees the process for Vol Core designation, supporting faculty in completing applications and ensuring the requirements are being met.

• Serves as primary school contact with the Registrar's Office.

• Supports the director in preparing the school’s course schedule, completing necessary revisions and sharing information about courses with students.

• Identifies critical issues including potential scheduling or class assignment conflicts and supports the director in resolving these issues.

Program and Event Coordination

• Plan, coordinate, and execute school-level programs and events, symposia, and special lectures on and off campus.

• Identify and reserve campus venues, coordinate catering, handle vendor setup details, and manage day-of event logistics and volunteers.

• Coordinate the fall and spring ADPR Advisory Board meetings, ensuring smooth hospitality and material preparation.

• Oversee logistical arrangements for the annual professional networking trip, coordinating student registrations, itineraries, lodging arrangements, and chaperone schedules.

• Create, update, and manage localized communication materials, such as flyers, internal newsletters, and digital display signage.

• Collaborate with the CCI Communications & Marketing team to ensure school announcements, banners, and digital collateral align with college branding requirements.

• Coordinate with/respond to Tombras Program manager for school outreach and community engagement.

Student Organization Support

• Serve as the primary staff liaison and resource for departmental student clubs (e.g., AAF UTK Chapter, PRSSA) and competition teams (e.g., NSAC, Bateman Team).

• Guide student leaders and faculty advisors through university event compliance, campus activities policies, and space reservation workflows.

• Provide operational support for the co-directors of The Orange Room (TOR), helping coordinate its physical space, student schedules, and programmatic activities.

• Coordinate non-financial, program-related arrangements for competition teams and student organizations, including scheduling 

  practice rooms, arranging guest speaker panels, and managing sign-ups.

Other/Supplementary Duties

• Provide critical operational coverage and temporary administrative backup for the Administrative Specialist during peak processing periods, absences, or vacancies to ensure continuity of operations

• Perform other duties as assigned by the School Director.

Required Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or GED

• Experience: Minimum of 1-2 years of experience with general office duties, logistics, student group involvement, or extensive customer service. Student or part-time employment welcomed and considered.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  •  Strong interpersonal communication skills.

  • Ability to collaborate with others.

  • Strong customer service skills.

  • Ability to solve problems in a professional and proactive manner.

  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office products.

     

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: Bachelor’s Degree

• Experience: Higher education or event coordination experience.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

  • Knowledge of higher education operations.

Work Location 

• Knoxville, Tennessee

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits 

• UT market range: MR05

• Anticipated hiring range: $40,000 - $43,000

• 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:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

• 3 professional references

To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before July 10, 2026

About The College/Department/Division 

CCI is part of a Land Grant Institution embedded in communities to make those communities a better place. Our alumni, students, faculty, and staff strive to positively impact on the lives of people in our state through our teaching, scholarship, creative work, and through our engagement and service. CCI as a college is well poised to deliver upon all those areas to become the most nationally distinctive but locally relevant College of Communication and Information in the country.