Grants & Contracts Coordinator II

UMass Amherst•Amherst, NY

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Grants & Contracts Coordinator II supports Civil and Environmental Engineering financial activity by preparing reports for Principal Investigators, the department, and the Department Head, including department centers. The role develops proposal budgets and documents in accordance with federal and Office of Management and Budget guidelines, coordinates with the Office of Pre-Award Services, the Office of Post-Award Management, and funding agencies, and manages post-award activities for sponsored grants and internal awards. The position provides end-to-end grant and contract administration, fund oversight, personnel budgeting and appointment support, purchasing, travel and event coordination, and financial reporting. It tracks funded awards from Notice of Award through closeout, advises faculty on proposal and spending requirements, and serves as a liaison among university offices, sponsors, collaborators, and vendors. The position is based in Amherst and offers a hybrid work arrangement, with work performed in a standard office or indoor university environment and minimal physical exertion. The schedule is Monday through Friday within standard working hours.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent and four years of professional finance/accounting experience, including at least two years in sponsored programs and grant management; an associate degree may substitute for two years of required experience.
Demonstrated post-award financial management experience and ability to analyze and interpret financial information.
Familiarity and experience with grants, contracts, subcontracts, and cooperative agreements.
Knowledge of program administration guidelines for federal and non-federal funding agencies.
Knowledge of Excel and Word.
Ability to maintain accurate records and prepare summary reports.
Ability to analyze complex situations, identify workable solutions, and balance service with regulatory compliance.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work independently.
Ability to work effectively and flexibly in a fast-paced, high-volume professional environment.
Ability to deal diplomatically with people at all levels, with personal integrity, discretion, sound judgment, and decision-making skills.
Ability to work extra hours with little or no advance notice.
Resume required with the application; finalists must provide contact information for three professional references.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of and experience with all aspects of accounting procedures.
Ability to take initiative and apply departmental, university, Commonwealth, and funding-agency policies and procedures.
Ability to work effectively with university offices such as OPAS, OPAM, Procurement, HR, and the Controller's Office, as well as external organizations, agencies, collaborators, vendors, and industry sponsors.
Ability to learn and use new software and hardware in a changing environment.
Knowledge of office administration and ability to prioritize and balance tasks in a demanding environment.
Ability to track and manage multiple deadlines.
Ability to write, coordinate, and compile reports and correspondence using correct policies and procedures.
Ability to work with minimal supervision and exercise independent judgment.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

Interpret requests for proposals and solicitations and support proposal development.
Apply sponsor, university, Commonwealth, and federal financial policies to proposal submissions and awards.
Develop, revise, review, and submit proposal budgets, justifications, and supporting documents; check final budgets and Memoranda of Understanding.
Coordinate proposal processing with OPAS, OPAM, funding agencies, faculty, and on- and off-campus collaborators; verify required documents and advise faculty on guidelines and compliance.
Submit proposals through grant accounting systems, including Kuali, NSF Fastlane, and Grants.gov; establish access for new faculty and assist with proposal development when requested.
Determine whether project participants are subcontractors, consultants, or vendors; organize applicable overhead return and cost sharing.
Manage award establishment and pre-award requests; facilitate renewals, extensions, amendments, and project closeout.
Prepare financial status reports and oversee subcontract budgets, invoices, payments, and purchase orders.
Oversee post-award grant management, including budget analysis and forecasting, effort tracking, compliance documentation, expenditure reporting, and award tracking.
Manage grant, contract, gift, and RTF accounts; prepare budget projections and advise faculty on spending rules and policies.
Review budgets and expenditures for compliance with agency and institutional requirements and ensure costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable.
Track encumbrances, expenditures, and indirect costs; reconcile account activity, resolve transaction issues, and manage grant rebudgeting with the Controller's Office or research accountants.
Prepare Contracts for Services and sole-source justifications as applicable; collaborate with the department Director on accounting activities such as overhead transfers and split funding.
Serve as liaison with sponsors, program managers, subcontractors, industry, and other universities.
Apply university personnel policies to grant-funded work; prepare personnel forecasts and initiate and track appointments, reappointments, and compensation for faculty, research assistants, and student hires.
Process financial documents for Research Experience for Undergraduates and use PeopleSoft and/or SUMMIT to track personnel and student employee information.
Interpret university accounting and procurement procedures; use UPST to prepare purchase orders and prepare, process, and track service contracts and invoices.
Process accounts payable, invoices, vouchers, orders, payments, vendor follow-up, problem resolution, and returns.
Serve as Bank Card Manager for self and assigned faculty; assist with expense reallocations and statement reconciliation, and reimburse faculty and students for university-related purchases.
Prepare disbursement vouchers and business expense forms; research prices and order equipment, supplies, and services.
Assist faculty and students with domestic and foreign travel authorizations; arrange travel and coordinate conference registrations and payments.
Organize conferences, workshops, meetings, and travel-related logistics, including hotels, meeting rooms, equipment, food, contracts, and post-event payments and paperwork.
Attend training sessions, workshops, and meetings to maintain relevant skills and policy knowledge; hold signature delegation and authority for department faculty PIs; perform other duties as assigned.