Clerk III (Research Support Services Clerical Administrator)

UMass Amherst•Amherst, NY

5d•Remote

About The Position

The Clerk III (Research Support Services Clerical Administrator) is responsible for coordinating contractual award processes, monitoring the central email account, and performing data entry into OPAM's (Office of Post-Award Management) award management system. This role involves coordinating administrative award procedures for negotiation and award acceptance by the University, collecting and organizing documents for electronic files, and creating tasks for missing file items. The position also entails initial data entry of award information into the award management system, ensuring accuracy of budget summaries. A key function is actively monitoring the central email account for time-sensitive award documents and critical communications, assessing and resolving inquiries, or routing them to the appropriate contacts. The Clerk III acts as a liaison with faculty, staff, and sponsors, ensuring proper assignments, assurances, and approvals. They also coordinate the submission of first-execution and fully executed award documents to sponsors and the Controller's Office. The role requires working under severe time constraints, with a critical need for accuracy and professionalism, as the revenue generated by sponsored research is significant to the University.

Requirements

Two (2) years of full-time or equivalent part-time experience in office work.
An Associate's degree or higher may be substituted for the required office work experience.
Interpersonal communication skills including the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
Experience with diverse clerical skills and organizational skills.
Knowledge of and the ability to work with computers (e.g., Microsoft Office, email, and other software systems).
Ability to work under pressure and time constraints and to coordinate several tasks simultaneously, adjusting priorities as the situation requires.
Makes appropriate job decisions following standard office policies and past precedents.
Ability to work cooperatively as part of a team.
Ability to understand and implement written and verbal instructions.
Attention to detail and ability to perform work independently, accurately, and efficiently.

Nice To Haves

Two (2) years experience in research administration.

Responsibilities

Coordinates administrative award procedures for negotiation and award acceptance by the University.
Collects documents and information for electronic files to be reviewed by the Award Administrators or Director/Assistant Director, ensuring the inclusion of applicable items and identifying any outstanding needed items.
Creates tasks to follow for missing file items.
Performs initial data entry of award data into OPAM’s award management system, entering detailed award information, and ensuring that the budget summary for data entry matches the awarded amount.
Actively monitors the central email account which receives time sensitive award documents and mission critical communications.
Assesses whether the inquiry can be resolved directly and processes it accordingly as appropriate, which may include providing routine information pertaining to OPAM services, procedures, and fact sheet data, or other clerical support.
Routes emails to appropriate contacts which might include OPAM Administrator, OPAS, Research Accounting, Controller’s Office, etc.
Saves emails in appropriate folders for document retrieval management and official records retention.
Acts as a liaison with faculty, academic department staff, and sponsors, ensuring proper assignments, assurances, and approvals are received.
Serves as a conduit of information, requesting, receiving, and distributing various items, including materials from the Principal Investigator (PI).
Coordinates the submission of first-execution award documents to sponsors for review/signature before award completion, as well as fully executed award documents to both the sponsor and the Controller's Office for account establishment in the University's financial system.
Performs other duties as assigned.