Job Details

The Center for Financial Wellness (CFW) looks to hire a Financial Wellness Peer Guide to assist UTK students with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage their finances and achieve financial independence. A guide is a person who shows the way to others and this is the Financial Wellness Peer Guide’s role in the Center for Financial Wellness. The Center is dedicated to providing a caring, efficient, trustworthy and confidential environment, where students are welcome to address their personal financial concerns. The Financial Wellness Peer Guide enhances awareness of the importance of managing personal finances as part of student success and provides support to students looking to improve their overall financial wellbeing through student-focused financial programming and information. Peer Guides will be equipped with the training to provide UTK students with one-on-one financial counseling and information sessions in the areas of: budgeting, saving, credit and loan repayment. The goal of this program is to provide students with resources and education to help them make well informed financial decisions throughout college, and to assist them in successfully achieving their lifelong financial goals.

The Financial Wellness Peer Guide program is managed by the Coordinator of Financial Wellness and Education within the Division of Enrollment Management.

Duties / Responsibilities

• Facilitate one-on-one financial wellness appointments with current students who request to meet with a peer.

• Assist the program in creation of workshops, presentations, outreach, and marketing.

• Work on various tasks as assigned.

• Act as mentor to Tier 1, 2, and 3 Peer Guides.

• Research and develop financial wellness topics that are requested.

• Use CFW survey data to assist Tier 1, 2, and 3 Peer Guides develop and create content.

• Provide leadership during tabling events, presentation and workshops.

Time Commitment - Required to attend mandatory training, which the Center for Financial Wellness will supply. Also required to attend meetings, where you are provided with a chance to share your experiences with your peers, gain advice and solve problems collaboratively. We also provide ongoing training and professional development throughout the semester. 

• Must work between 10-20 hours per week for the entire academic year (August through May, with the option of working the summer sessions). Must be able to work at least 3 days per week between the hours of 9:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday.

• Must be available for a 1-hour weekly training/meeting (Time and Date TBD).

• Occasional meeting with Coordinator of Financial Wellness and Education (when needed). 

Benefits of participating in this role

• Development of both personal and professional skills

  • Receive training on financial-related topics and resources

  • Develop leadership and peer advisory skills

  • Further develop communication skills, both verbal and written

  • Experience working with diverse teams, including peers and professional staff

• Involvement in the University Community

  • Team members are part of a larger community within the Division of Enrollment Management, as well as campus-wide, collaborating with other peer programs

  • Develop positive relationships with students within the peer program, students you’re helping, and professional UT staff

  • Contribute to increasing financial wellness among students

  • Participate in meaningful conversations that will assist students during their time at UTK

  • Proactively assist students with increasing financial wellness and competency that will empower them to make sound money management decisions

Student performance will be evaluated after 30 days from the student's first day of each semester.  Students will have a second evaluation at the end of each semester. Evaluations are a learning tool to assist the student in further developing their work skills and abilities, and functions as an indicator of current job performance and expectations.

These evaluations are used in addition to intentional conversations where supervisors are checking in formally and informally with students throughout their employment to strengthen the connections with students.

Student should expect feedback throughout their employment as needed.