Sponsored Research Business Analyst - Crop Sciences

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

About The Position

The Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign seeks a Sponsored Research Business Analyst to support faculty, staff, and students with sponsored program administration, proposals, grants, contracts, and general financial activities. The position is part of a four-person team, reports to the Assistant Head, and includes a comprehensive onboarding strategy led by Crop Sciences professionals. The analyst works with faculty and principal investigators to manage funded research projects and accounts, prepare financial forecasts and reports, review project transactions, and support proposal preparation and submission. The role also serves as a liaison to Sponsored Programs Administration and supports procurement, awards and scholarships, travel reimbursements, and other departmental financial processes. This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5040 - Grants and Contracts Associate appointment on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 12/21/2026. Salary is commensurate with experience. The position is not eligible for work-authorization sponsorship and is intended to be eligible for benefits.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, economics, or a field related to the position.
Knowledge of, or ability to learn, federal, state, and funding-agency policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and codes applicable to grant and contract administration.
Knowledge of, or ability to learn, University policies and procedures.
Knowledge of guidance and processes involved in contractual and grant monitoring procedures.
Knowledge of computers, word processing, spreadsheets, and database management.
Ability to negotiate and persuade, reconcile differences, and persuade others to change their minds or behavior.
Ability to communicate effectively and work with a wide range of constituencies; strong relational and communication skills.
Ability to provide technical advice and information to faculty and staff in the area of expertise.
Ability to perform complex tasks and prioritize multiple projects.
Ability to motivate, develop, and direct people at work and identify people suited to a job.
Ability to analyze data and formulate conclusions.
Ability to function in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.
Ability to take initiative, assume responsibilities and challenges, and exercise independent judgment and discretion.

Nice To Haves

University grant management experience.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with faculty and principal investigators on funded research projects, programs, and accounts, including preparing financial forecasts as needed.
Consult on personnel budgets and expenditures by reviewing and approving proposed appointments and redistributing appointments in response to changes in research effort.
Prepare statements and reports requested by faculty and principal investigators.
Liaise with SPA Award Management and assist with grant account setup, management, budgeting, subaward billing, billing, and closeout activities.
Ensure completed projects are closed promptly and according to award terms.
Review accounts regularly for integrity, accuracy, and allowability under project budgets, agreement terms, and University, federal, and sponsor guidelines.
Move unallowable or questionable charges to appropriate funding sources, including complex sponsor-project corrections and adjustments.
Process and approve labor redistributions and journal vouchers to allocate expenses to proper funds.
Assist principal investigators with semi-annual expenditure confirmations for sponsored projects and Federal Hatch projects.
Prepare budget requests to SPA to establish explosion funds for co-principal investigators on sponsored projects.
Request anticipation funds for awarded sponsored projects and requests to use expired funds while awaiting continuation funding.
Work with department personnel on no-cost extensions, budget revisions, and other sponsored-program questions.
Assist faculty and principal investigators with preparing and submitting proposals to federal and non-federal sponsors, reviewing sponsor requirements and University policies and procedures.
Prepare proposal prepackages, including budgets and justifications, document uploads, collection of subaward documentation, and review and recommendations to meet sponsor guidelines.
Liaise with the Sponsored Programs Administration Office on proposal submission and grant or contract negotiations, making independent decisions and necessary submission changes.
Recommend proposal changes to principal investigators based on SPA reviews.
Follow up on pending agreements and work with SPA to finalize them and establish funded project accounts in a timely manner.
Assist with fiscal-year-end FACT sheet creation by tracking accrual, deferral, and inventory adjustments to self-supporting funds.
Review and approve departmental procurement requests up to $50,000, including requisitions, purchase orders, standing orders, P-cards, and iBuy transactions.
Review and approve departmental awards and scholarships for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students using the DAWS system.
Review and approve departmental travel reimbursements, T-card transactions, travel advances, and vendor payments using Chrome River.