About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world. 

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Administration and Finance with a dotted line to the Associate Dean for Research, the Grants & Contracts Coordinator II position will provide specific expertise and support for all post-award activities occurring in the College of Engineering (CoE) Dean’s Office. This position requires extensive knowledge of school and university policies, procedures, systems; federal, state, and private grant policies and compliance issues, as well as a high level of discretion when handling confidential material and information.

Essential Functions

• Provide oversight and tracking of newly funded grants (and associated subcontracts) through the various UMass central offices and systems from receipt of Notice of Award through actual spending and project closeout.
• Provide up-to-date and accurate information on grant spending.
• Develop and provide routine budget analysis reports showing grant expenditures (to date/per period/per year) by relevant grant category versus what was proposed and/or awarded.
• Provide reports of faculty and employee efforts across multiple grants and overtime as needed.
• Assist with decisions and activities related to tracking of faculty effort on grants, including teaching buyouts, academic year salary recovery (including faculty bonuses) and summer salary.
• Process subcontractor invoices, including creating and amending purchase orders and maintaining account ledgers.
• Develop and maintain up-to-date grant-related faculty “Other Support” documents.
• Prepare forecasts of spending to keep projects on track and to assist in completing grant progress reports (e.g., RPPR) and no-cost extensions (NCE).
• Assist with rebudgeting of sponsored funds as needed.
• Assist with annual effort certification.
• Assist in grant and contract closeout process.
• Interpret and apply principles, rules, regulations, policies, precedents, or other guidelines specific to the assigned research project(s) and its sponsor to resolve problems, answer questions and provide information and advice.
• Work with the Research Administration Office (RAO), the Office of Pre Award Support (OPAS) the Office of Post-Award Management (OPAM) and the Controller's Office to respond to problems/concerns and find appropriate and timely solutions.
• Work with OPAS/OPAM and the Controller's Office on compliance with federal and private cost and administrative principles (Uniform Guidance, etc.) and assist in preparing and presenting responses to audit findings.
• Work with other departments with research grants tied to our faculty to develop processes to provide up-to-date data on grant expenditures and remaining funds (both for a single grant, and for tracking personnel efforts spread across multiple grants). Supports the CoE Assistant Dean of A&F to develop fiscal management processes for faculty to expedite paperwork and reduce investigator burden.
• Provides pre-award administration support in the absence or overflow from College of Engineering’s Research Development Services as assigned by the Associate Dean for Research.

Other Functions

• Perform other duties as assigned or required to meet the research goals and objectives of the RAO, COE and the University.
• Contribute toward creating a positive and respectful workplace defined by personal and professional competence, integrity, and collaboration.
• Understand and contribute to implementation of school and institutional goals for achieving non-discrimination and creating a respectful, inclusive environment that is supportive of diversity.
• Use access to sensitive and/or not yet public university related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercise care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.  

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• High school diploma or equivalent and four (4) years of professional experience in finance/accounting; an Associate's degree or above in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.
• Demonstrated financial management experience; ability to analyze and interpret financial information.
• Familiarity and experience with a range of award mechanisms, including grants, contracts, subcontracts, and cooperative agreements. 
• Knowledge of program administration guidelines for both federal and non-federal funding agencies.
• Ability to keep up-to-date on, understand and apply university policies and procedures, as well as the laws, rules and regulations pertaining to grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, sub-awards and subcontracts.
• Ability to work independently within the school, and to work as a team member within RAO and with the Office of Pre-Award Services, OPAM and other central administrative units of the university.
• Ability to plan ahead, prioritize, and work under pressure in a deadline-oriented environment in which workload ebbs and flows and can require the management of multiple activities across multiple research projects in a short span of time with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and to prepare summary reports as required.
• Ability to analyze complex situations, identify workable solutions, and effectively balance service with regulatory compliance.
• Outstanding organizational skills; ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously; capable of self-direction. Ability to work effectively and be flexible in a high-paced, high-volume professional environment.
• Ability to deal diplomatically with people at all levels, a high degree of personal integrity and discretion, solid decision-making skills, and judgment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Intermediate level of experience with Excel and Word and the willingness to learn new technology. 

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Experience in the interpretation and application of regulations pertaining to sponsored programs.
• Experience with enterprise research administration systems.
• Experience managing finances and/or projects with an institution of higher education, including knowledge of government and fund accounting. 
• Experience with Cost Accounting Standards and Uniform Guidance requirements.
• Certification in Research Administration such as CRA, CPRA, CFRA.
• Membership in professional organizations such as SRA and/or NCURA.
• Strong math skills, as well as expert Excel spreadsheet skills.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday; 8:30am - 4:30pm.
• 37.5 hours per week.
• This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee's work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the University Staff Association, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the University Staff Association collective bargaining agreement, therefore.

Salary Information

Grade 16 USA/MTA.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references. 

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.