Coordinator of NIL Operations - Tennessee Athletics - UTK

The Coordinator of NIL Operations independently administers and evaluates Athletics’ NIL, grant-in-aid, scholarship, awards, benefits, and expense programs. The position applies specialized knowledge of NCAA, SEC, institutional, and applicable legal requirements to interpret regulations; assess compliance, financial, operational, eligibility, and reputational risk; and determine or recommend appropriate action affecting student-athlete financial aid, benefits, NIL activities, and institutional compliance. The Coordinator oversees the grant-in-aid process from agreement development through payment, establishes and implements operational controls and procedures, resolves non-routine issues using independent judgment, and serves as a principal liaison among Athletics, Financial Aid, the Bursar’s Office, Legal Affairs, student-athletes, coaches, and external stakeholders. The position operates with delegated authority to approve routine matters, require corrections or additional documentation, and elevate material, high-risk, precedent-setting, or policy-exception matters for institutional review.

NIL, Grant-in-Aid, and Financial-Aid Compliance Administration:

• Interpret and apply NCAA Bylaw 15, Bylaw 16, SEC requirements, institutional policies, and other governing requirements to student-athlete grant-in-aid, scholarship, awards, benefits, expenses, and NIL-related matters.

• Review, analyze, and determine whether proposed grant-in-aid, scholarship, SAF, benefits, expenses, and NIL-related requests meet applicable requirements; approve routine matters within delegated authority, require corrections or additional documentation, and deny or escalate matters that present material compliance, financial, eligibility, or policy risk.

• Evaluate non-routine, incomplete, conflicting, or novel fact patterns; identify available options and associated risks; make recommendations for resolution; and elevate matters requiring institutional legal advice, executive decision-making, or policy exceptions.

• Oversee the end-to-end grant-in-aid process, including development and submission of agreements, verification of required information, coordination of awards and payments, reconciliation of exceptions, and confirmation of timely completion by campus partners.

• Exercise judgment to determine when payment, award, benefit, expense, or NIL activity should be delayed, corrected, suspended, or referred for further review to protect institutional compliance and student-athlete eligibility.

• Serve as the principal operational contact for student-athletes, families, coaches, and campus partners on grant-in-aid and financial-aid matters; provide authoritative guidance on applicable requirements and explain decisions, processes, and corrective actions.

NIL Operations, Controls, and Risk Management:

• Manage daily NIL operational processes and monitoring activities; establish work priorities, organize workflow, and determine appropriate methods for completing assigned program objectives within applicable rules and institutional policy.

• Analyze NIL-related data, transactions, agreements, systems, and partnerships to identify compliance gaps, control weaknesses, adverse trends, or operational risks; recommend and implement corrective actions within delegated authority.

• Develop, revise, and implement procedures, workflow controls, templates, training materials, and documentation standards that promote consistent application of NCAA, SEC, and institutional requirements.

• Determine appropriate follow-up, documentation, and escalation for potential violations, discrepancies, and high-risk NIL matters; coordinate investigations and corrective actions with Compliance, Legal Affairs, and other institutional partners as appropriate.

• Monitor NIL systems and third-party relationships to evaluate whether processes, records, and operational practices support compliance, accurate reporting, and sound internal controls.

• Advise Athletics leadership on the operational and compliance impact of proposed NIL practices, program changes, and emerging issues and provide recommendations as needed.

Contract and Regulatory Analysis:

• Conduct initial substantive review of NIL-related agreements, contracts, correspondence, and related documents to identify regulatory, institutional-policy, financial-aid, and operational concerns; recommend revisions and required safeguards before referral or execution.

• Analyze contract and regulatory issues involving student-athlete benefits, compensation, use of institutional resources, third-party services, and related program activities; distinguish routine matters from those requiring review by Legal Affairs or the Office of General Counsel.

• Draft and revise operational documents, forms, guidance, and communications to implement approved requirements and mitigate identified compliance risks.

• Serve as a liaison to Legal Affairs and the Office of General Counsel by preparing fact summaries, documenting issues, coordinating responsive information, and facilitating implementation of legal guidance.

Program Support and Other Duties:

• Provide functional direction, training, and technical guidance to student workers and other personnel supporting NIL and financial-aid processes.

• Perform other related duties consistent with the scope, authority, and exempt administrative responsibilities of the position.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree in Sports Management, Athletic Administration, Business Administration, or related field. 
• Experience:
  • 1+ year in NCAA administration or compliance (may include internships or GA positions)
  • Experience working efficiently with student-athletes, coaches and officials regarding compliance issues
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  • Significant working knowledge of the rules and regulations set forth by the NCAA and SEC
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Strong computer skills
  • Ability to multi-task and effectively balance multiple situations
  • Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and projects according to the severity and importance
  • Self-motivated with the ability to work independently as well as in a team-oriented environment
  • Qualities of emotional maturity, genuineness, self-confidence, common sense and good judgment
  • Ability to make good, consistent and fair decisions (based on facts and data)
  • Working knowledge of NCAA software platforms and the NCAA Eligibility Center

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: Doctorate degree preferred.
• Experience:
  • Experience with NCAA Bylaws 15 (Financial Aid) and 16 (Awards, Benefits and Expenses)
  • Experience with contracts and legal documents
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  • Working knowledge of Banner

Work Location 

• Knoxville, TN
• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits 

• UT market range: 11
• 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

• List of 3 Professional References

About Tennessee Athletics 

Tennessee Athletics Mission, Vision & Core Values

Mission: To lead the way forward in all aspects of college sports

Vision: Deliver an unparalleled student-athlete experience fueled by the relentless pursuit of comprehensive excellence; be bold and innovative in our approach to recruiting and developing well-rounded graduates, championship-driven competitors and world-changing leaders.

Core Values: Vols lead through…
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