POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Office of Research
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

WE TRANSFORM LIVES.

Everything the College of ACES does is designed to improve the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across the nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to higher levels of understanding and influence.

Be a part of our story.

Title: Assistant Director for Research Administration

Primary Position Function/Summary: This position will oversee administrative and financial processes related to USDA-NIFA capacity funding for the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station (IAES) in the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences’ (ACES) Office of Research. The position will ensure compliance with relevant state and federal laws, University procedures, and USDA reporting requirements. This position will also develop processes and tools to streamline monitoring and reporting efforts and the allocation of resources.

All individuals with a bachelor’s degree and relevant experience are encouraged to apply.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Capacity Fund program management

o Manage the lifecycle of all capacity-funded projects, including the proposal process, project initiation, reporting, and close-out

o Serve as the administrative and financial liaison to ACES departments regarding matters related to capacity fund management

Financial oversight and reporting

o Monitor the operating budget of the IAES and manage allocation and distribution of capacity funds to departments and investigators

o Monitor expenditures, track future commitments and forecast the potential allocation of capacity funds using the BA4 system

o Manage cost share requirements

o Oversee the development and submission of all capacity funding financial and annual reports to the sponsor

o Provide oversight of project initiation and reporting for USDA sponsored research

o Develop and provide programmatic and financial reports to Office of Research leadership

Process and resource development

o Develop processes and tools to streamline monitoring and reporting efforts and the allocation of resources

o Create resources to improve the dissemination of information and transparency of processes regarding capacity funds for departmental staff and faculty

o Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements and Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, economics or a field related to the position required. Master’s degree preferred.

Experience:

Required:

• Three (3) years of grants and contracts and/or research administration experience
• Demonstrated experience in accounting, budgeting, or resource planning

Preferred:

• Experience in research administration that included reporting to external sponsors
• Experience with BA4 or similar financial software applications.
• Illinois Certified Research Administrator designation.
• General understanding of Federal Capacity Funds

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Candidates must have ability to act with initiative and make independent decisions with minimal direct supervision; strong communication and interpersonal skills; strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; ability to organize information and communications; ability to extract and synthesize important content from written material; ability to adapt to changing priorities and work under pressure; and ability to act with discretion when handling sensitive or confidential information. Candidates will benefit from having knowledge of University organizational structure, accounting system, and policies and procedures, and a strong background in accounting principles and sponsored projects administration.

Appointment Details: The position is classified as a 100%-time Grants and Contracts Associate on a 12-month service basis. The office allows hybrid remote/in-person work schedules, typically involving an in-office presence at least three days per week. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position. For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Salary/Appointment: Commensurate with education and experience. The starting date will as soon as possible after the closing date.

Procedures: Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on Wednesday, May 31. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of the posting on jobs.illinois.edu and upload a letter of application, resume, and the names, address, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of three professional references. All requested information must be submitted for your application to be considered. Transcripts may be requested. For further information about this position, candidates may contact search committee chair, Barbara Godlew at godlew2@illinois.edu . For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1017590
Job Category: Administrative
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu