LDA Meal Plan Analyst - VolCard - UTK

University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 46,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is seeking a finance professional to lead advanced reconciliations across Banner, CS Gold, and Meal Plan Manager, ensuring accuracy and strong internal controls. You will monitor performance, balance daily transactions, and resolve discrepancies to protect data integrity.

The role includes developing reporting tools, supporting cash management and year-end close, and assisting staff, while contributing to budgeting, forecasting, and audit readiness for

Qualifications

• 3 years of accounting experience with account reconciliations or an associate's degree plus 1 year in accounting.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel; basic SQL or MS Access; ability to learn in-house systems and identify discrepancies.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform advanced reconciliations across Banner, CS Gold, and Meal Plan Manager; ensure student meal plan transactions balance.
• Verify transactions in DASH and CS Gold; adjust in CS Gold as approved to resolve discrepancies.
• Provide accurate reporting to ensure timely payments to vendors and students; ensure collections are entered in Banner.
• Analyze Meal Plan Manager system needs and collaborate with Vol Dining and VolCard; may require travel for demonstrations.

Skills

Accounting

Reconciliation

SQL

MS Access

Excel

MS Office

Education

Associate's degree in accounting

Bachelor's degree in business/accounting (preferred)

Tools

Banner

CS Gold

Meal Plan Manager

DASH

Job description

Job Description

This position provides comprehensive financial and operational support by leading advanced reconciliations across multiple institutional ledgers, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and strong internal controls. The role monitors financial performance through variance analysis, manages daily transaction balancing across systems, and resolves complex discrepancies to maintain data integrity. Responsibilities include developing and enhancing financial reporting tools, overseeing cash management and deposit processes, and supporting transparency and audit readiness. Additionally, the position serves as backup to the VolCard Supervisor, assists staff, and handles credential-related functions, while contributing to budgeting, forecasting, and year-end close activities in alignment with organizational and strategic financial objectives.

Responsibilities

Financial Reconciliation and System Insight

• Independently perform advanced financial reconciliations comparing Banner, CS Gold, and Meal Plan Manager. Ensure all student meal plan transactions balance. Identify any discrepancies in data being transferred between systems and seek resolution. Collaborate with Vol Dining, VolCard Team, and OIT about any programming changes requested. Validate changes have the desired outcome.


• Verify transactions in DASH are accurate and match CS Gold. Identify any questionable charges or credits. Seek resolution between systems including processing journals in DASH. Make necessary adjustments in CS Gold as approved.


• Provide accurate, up-to-date reporting to ensure payments to Aramark and to students are accurate. Ensure collections from students are entered in Banner in a timely manner.


• Analyze Meal Plan Manager system along with the needs of Vol Dining and VolCard. Make recommendations towards new Meal Plan system functionality. This may require travel to other schools for demonstrations.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Education/Experience: 3 years of experience in an accounting position with reconciliation of accounts as a requirement OR an associate's degree and a year of experience in an accounting field.


• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, specifically in Excel, Outlook, and Teams. Must have basic knowledge of MS Access or SQL. Must have the ability to learn a variety of in-house computer systems. Accounting knowledge. Should have the ability to identify and resolve account discrepancies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education/Experience: Prefer a bachelor's degree in business/accounting with experience in reconciling accounts.


• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Knowledge of SQL and/or MS Access. Preferred knowledge of Banner. Preferred knowledge of reconciling ledgers. Strong Accounting Skills.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN


• Onsite

Compensation And Benefits

• UT market range: MR06


• Anticipated hiring range: $46,000 - $48,000


• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here


• Find more information on UT Benefits here

About The College/Department/Division

The VolCard serves as the passport to campus. A campus identification and access credential for students, staff, and faculty, the VolCard is accessible via mobile devices. The VolCard grants entry to housing facilities, dining services, academic buildings, and campus events such as graduation. It includes a declining balance account that can be used at vending machines, on-campus meal locations and POD stores, off-campus merchants including grocery stores, and at VolShop locations. The VolCard Office oversees the issuance and management of the credential, ensuring smooth and reliable service. Additionally, the office is responsible for managing vending services across campus.

About Us

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!