The posting
Job Description
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is seeking an Assistant Operations Director to lead package and postal services within the Print & Mail department. This role is responsible for managing daily mail and package operations across a 920+ acre campus, ensuring reliable, efficient, and customer-focused service for faculty, staff, and students.
Serving more than 250 buildings and supporting thousands of campus users, Mail Services plays a critical role in campus connectivity—processing over 40,000 packages per month and more than 250,000 annually. The Assistant Operations Director provides leadership, operational oversight, and strategic direction to maintain high service standards while continuously improving processes, systems, and team performance.
Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Management
- Lead and supervise full-time staff and student employees, including scheduling, training, and performance management. This includes establishing an onboarding program, continuing regular team training and communication sessions, and performing annual, detailed performance reviews. Determine daily priorities, assign responsibilities, and establish/publish schedules to meet service standards and expectations while planning for what is ahead. Connect and maintain relationships with key campus partners which includes residential life, department heads, local USPS leadership, and local/regional Amazon, FedEx, and UPS reps. Develop and provide monthly reporting of performance indicators to the Director and Campus Operations Leadership. This includes analyzing metrics, identifying trends, and implementing solutions to improve service and efficiency. Needs to be able to foster a culture of collaboration and customer service.
Mail & Package Operations
- Supervise operations responsible for the accurate and timely handling of deliverables. As needed, this is a hands-on position, however, providing direction to the overall operation and supporting the team is first priority. Monitor performance and maintenance of the intelligent package locker system - troubleshoot hardware and software issues. Ensure that multiple team members are highly trained on such matters. Prepare and implement surge staffing plans as necessary, presenting plans to leadership where funding or additional hours are required. Ensure that return-to-sender items are processed in a timely manner. Develop and execute a standard equipment maintenance program on all assets, including vehicles and intelligent lockers, to maximize life spans and operations in an environment where redundancy is limited. Ensure regular cross-training activities for staff in all operational areas and document proficiency by team member.
Business & Financial Operations
- In coordination with the business office, reconcile financial transactions related to various postage accounts (postage due, business reply and or permit). Ensure that all postage and shipping costs are captured and charged back to departments. Ensure all the necessary billing and internal chargebacks are submitted in DFWorks for processing. Grant access to campus users as needed and provide educational training. Submit postage requests and monitor postage account balances and activity. Monitor Key Performance Indicators to ensure that service standards and deadlines are met. Prepare documentation and business models for equipment replacement, upgrades, or additions. In coordination with the business office, manage the inventory of supplies and materials used for mail and package processing and delivery. In coordination with the business office, ensure that public facing information remains up-to-date and accessible (web pages, intranet, etc.). Manage all service agreements, updates and repairs for equipment and software.
Compliance & Customer Service
- This position may require in and out of state travel up to a couple of times per year, with advance notice. Maintain all applicable certifications and compliance efforts, including, but not limited to: ensuring bulk mailings are processed under departmental guidelines and United States Postal Service rules and regulations maintaining passport agent status. Perform other job duties as assigned and as identified.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Education: High school diploma or GED
- Experience: 4+ years of progressive management, leadership, or supervisory experience in large scale processing/handling operations, logistics, distribution, service delivery, postal, and related functions. This includes staff supervision and performance management.
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Detailed experience with software and/or automation that supports processing/handling operations. Demonstrated history with team building and team member development. Must be able to lift 10 lbs frequently and up to 50 lbs infrequently. Must be able to occasionally work on weekends or evenings, and might have to travel overnight.
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: Associate’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree
- Experience: 2+ years management experience in a higher education mail services organization.
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Experience with intelligent package locker systems and associated package tracking software. Demonstrated knowledge of mail services practices, postal rules, and regulations and overnight shipping guidelines.
Work Location
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
- Onsite
Compensation and Benefits
- UT market range: MR13
- 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 November 9, 2026
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- List of 3 professional references will be requested if given an in-person interview
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!
