Job Description

Job Description Summary:

UCAR Community Programs (UCP) is excited to announce the job opening for the Business Shared Services (BSS) Budget Analyst III role. This position will provide expert-level (1) financial analysis and award lifecycle management of assigned award portfolios that may include cooperative agreements, grants, and contracts, (2) budget development, projections, analysis, and cost control, and (3) financial reports and award documentation for external and internal entities. Additionally, the BSS-SPS Budget Analyst III will provide leadership in proposal development/review and programmatic financial analysis, trends, and statistics, and will advise and partner with program staff in business activities related to proposals, finance, and administration.

Lastly, this position will work closely with BSS, the Scientific Partner and Service Center’s (SPS) Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science’s (CPAESS) Leadership, and UCAR Operations to ensure compliance with federal sponsor and award requirements.

Successful candidates will demonstrate expert knowledge and application of institutional policies, federal and sponsor requirements, OMB Uniform Guidance, and generally accepted cost principles and audit requirements.

Position Details:

Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Position Type & Term:

Full time, Regular

Compensation Range:

$94,406 - $118,006

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.*

Application Notes

Application Deadline: This position will be posted until November 19, 2024. Applications will not be accepted past this date.

Required application materials (preferably in PDF Format): 

Resume

Cover Letter - Please address how your skills and experience meet the needs of this position (specifically within the Key Responsibilities categories (Award & Financial Management; Proposals and  Data Management, & Analysis) as well as the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities sections of this job posting).

Application Questionnaire - Provide brief responses to your experiences with the following topics/skills (to be completed within the application):

Diffrentiating communication across diverse audiences.

Comfortability/proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.

Managing complex awards (including providing a list of sponsor(s) and range of total award amounts).

Your management style and specific actions you have taken to create an environment where your supervisees feel safe to provide feedback.

Background checks are conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.

Work Location:  This position is open to candidates seeking in-person, hybrid (combination of in-person and remote), and fully remote opportunities. Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.

What You Will Do

Here is a summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.

Key Responsibilities

Award and Financial Management

Manage the lifecycle of complex direct awards (cooperative agreements, grants, contracts) and lead the coordination of administrative actions within the assigned portfolio.

Enter and maintain data in UCAR business systems, utilize financial systems for forecasting, monitoring, and reconciling awards, and conduct monthly monitoring of accounts, including expense and staff allocation tracking.

Identify discrepancies, perform necessary journal entries or budget transfers, and ensure compliance with UCAR policies, federal and sponsor requirements, OMB Uniform Guidance, and generally accepted cost principles.

Design and conduct both recurring and ad hoc financial reporting and expert reviews to monitor award activity, providing detailed analyses to CPAESS leadership and sponsors.

Proactively identify issues and risks, develop data-informed recommendations, inform/consult with CPAESS leadership, collaborate with the CPAESS communications team, and award PIs to develop and deliver required programmatic reports.

Proposals, Data Management, & Analysis

Serve as the lead proposal administrator, overseeing all aspects of proposal development within the assigned portfolio, including timelines and roles in collaboration with Principal Investigators.

Lead the creation of budgets and budget narratives with input from Principal Investigators, and coordinate the SPS-BSS team on supporting documents.

Enter proposal data into UCAR business systems and sponsor platforms, ensuring compliance with sponsor requirements in partnership with the UCP Proposal Office and UCAR Contracts.

Partner with relevant offices (UCP Proposal Office, UCAR Contracts) as needed to support proposal development and maintain adherence to sponsor guidelines.

Design and conduct comprehensive annual and long-range budgets, including direct and indirect funds, MTDC projections, and potential rate impacts, performing extensive budget data compilation and analysis.

Develop and conduct reporting for monthly, quarterly, and year-end statistics and trends, creating and maintaining financial statistics, visual charts, and graphs to ensure consistent and accurate data usage.

Lead the development and implementation of data tracking and analysis systems, maintaining metrics and ensuring accurate data for informed decision-making.

Liaison to Federal Stakeholders

Act as a financial subject matter expert for federal stakeholders, providing guidance on award allowability and compliance within the assigned portfolios.

Track and coordinate sponsor inquiries and requests, ensuring timely and accurate responses.

Prepare budgets and projections for sponsors, and develop and present recurring and ad hoc budget reports, analyses, and other relevant information.

Who We'd Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:

Education & Experience

Bachelor's degree in a relevant academic discipline; 

8 years of related experience; 

Or an equivalent combination of education and experience that qualifies the individual to perform the duties as described (e.g. a Master’s degree in a relevant academic discipline and 6 years of related experience, etc.).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Expert skill in proposal/budget preparation and submission via federal and organizational proposal platforms and management systems

Expert skill in budget development and analysis, cost control, and development of relevant statistics

Expert skill in financial analysis and the use of spreadsheet applications to develop and present status reports, trend analysis, and metrics using graphs/charts.

Advanced working knowledge of government award requirements (cooperative agreements, grants, and contracts) including knowledge and application of OMB Uniform Administrative Guidance and UCAR policies and procedures.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills ( both orally and in writing), including a proven ability to translate complex information into easily understood language. 

Sensitivity and discretion in handling confidential information.

Ability to work independently and also able to work effectively in a team situation.

Ability to identify information sources for solving problems, anticipate organizational problems before they arise, and respond appropriately.

Desired, but not required:

Advanced skill in proposal submission via federal and UCAR proposal platforms and management systems.

Benefits Overview 

UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance,  UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:

Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities

UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one

Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions)

10 paid holidays

10 days of sick leave each year

12 weeks of paid parental leave

Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary

EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost