Grants & Contracts Coordinator II (Hybrid Opportunity)
Job no: 522901
Position type: Staff Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Division/Equivalent: Univ of Mass Amherst
School/Unit: ISSR
Categories: Accounting/Finance/Budget
About UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.
Job Summary
As part of the grant support team in the Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR), the Grants and Contracts Coordinator's primary focus is to provide comprehensive pre and post grant award administration.
Essential Functions
- Coordinates the development of research grant proposals to federal, state, and private funding sources, and provides guidance in the review and interpretation of opportunity announcement documents. Develops budgets and budget justifications sufficient to support project or program activities and consistent with applicable requirements. Drafts, writes, and edits proposal documents.
- Coordinates collaborative proposals with on-campus and off-campus personnel, including subcontract to and from other institutions. Prepares and submits timely routing documentation for internal proposal submission approvals. Coordinates the award set-up process, including any pre-establishment requests.
- Reviews grant award expenses for compliance with University and funding source policies and provides effective guidance to faculty and staff as it pertains to grants and contracts administration. Prepares post-grant award purchase orders and personnel appointments that are aligned with the expenses budgeted in the grant award, and in compliance with the funding agency and state/federal policies.
- Facilitates grant renewals, extensions, and amendments. Communicates with sponsors, program managers, subcontractors, faculty and staff at other universities, the Controller’s office, and the Office of Research and Engagement.
- Provides effective guidance to College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) faculty and staff as it pertains to grants and contracts administration.
- Provides problem solving in difficult or complex requests to support the goals of grant fulfillment. Builds and maintains effective communication channels with project investigators.
- Assists with the preparation of financial, progress and effort reports. Prepares forms, documents and reports required by funding organizations.
- Monitors budget compliance within grants and contracts. Makes recommendations for reconciling budgetary discrepancies and reallocations.
Other Functions
Serves in a back-up role for other ISSR staff as needed. Performs other related duties or special projects as assigned by supervisors, showing adaptability and flexibility to accomplish goals.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- High school diploma and three (3) years of related experience, including at least two (2) years of grants/contracts administration support. An Associate's degree or higher in accounting, business administration, business management, or public administration may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.
- Excellent knowledge of financial practices, with the ability to develop and prepare budgets, ability to maintain financial records and prepare reports from those records, including advanced use of Microsoft Excel.
- Ability to analyze complex situations, identify workable solutions, and effectively balance service with regulatory compliance.
- Ability to work independently within the College, and to work as a team member with the 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 submissions across multiple PIs in a short span of time with frequent interruptions.
- Ability to maintain accurate records and to prepare summary reports as required.
- Ability to work effectively, prioritize, and be flexible in a high-paced, high-volume professional environment.
- Outstanding organizational skills, ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, capable of self-direction, 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. Must have the ability to communicate effectively and serve as a liaison between granting agencies, university administration and the principal investigators.
- Intermediate level of experience with Microsoft Office and the willingness to learn new technology.
Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
Knowledge of current University policies, procedures and practices related to grant, financial, and personnel functions.
Physical Demands/Working Conditions
Typical office work environment.
Work Schedule
- Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm.
- 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
USA/MTA Grade 16.
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.
UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.
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