Job Description

UCAR's rich package of employee benefits includes medical, dental, vision, education assistance, retirement, and life insurance. UCAR offers a variety of programs designed to assist with work-life balance including flexible work alternatives, paid time off and 14 weeks of paid parental leave.

Where You Will Work:

The UCP Directorate provides strategic leadership and operational support for UCP Centers and Programs, in fulfillment of UCP's mission in education and training, Earth observation and data services, scientific partnership and services, and the transition of research to operations.

What You Will Do:

The UCP Senior Administrator is a key leadership role within the Earth Observation and Data Services (EODS) Center and UCP and is a senior member of UCP Directorate, Center, and program management teams. This position manages the Center’s administrative group, providing leadership and implementation of strategic and tactical decisions impacting the Center, its programs and UCP and is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in UCP.

For UCP, the Senior Administrator is a thought partner for the long term strategic vision and implementation of Business Shared Service (BSS). The position will drive process improvements and development of best practices with an eye toward proactive change management. The position will ensure consistent implementation of BSS at the Center. The position will manage work allocation, supervise, mentor and promote the professional growth of UCP administrative staff.

As part of the UCP strategic planning, the position will work on early stage business development strategies that align with UCP, Center and Program core competencies. As part of the UCP Directorate team, the position will serve as the primary administrative lead for high level funding and business development opportunities and collaborate to develop and implement high level financial tools to drive informed business decisions.

The position will partner with UCP leadership, Center leadership and the UCP integrators and strategic partners to develop and ensure high level support for Centers and Programs. For the EODS Center this position leads, directs and provides overall administrative management and coordination of various business functions such as finance, budget, proposal and post award administration, and policy interpretation. This position is responsible for the development and implementation of Center reporting, leading the preparation and analysis of program business plans, budgets and forecasts, analyzing performance trends, evaluating the financial aspect of high profile projects, maintaining long range financial plans, and other special reporting as needed. The Senior Administrator manages and oversees the programs’ detailed operating budgets and Working Plans and is responsible for strategic analysis on a variety of large, complex awards and projects providing crucial fiduciary information to the Center’s stakeholders such as PIs, directors, program governing committees, and program sponsors. The Senior Administrator provides oversight and leadership to Center proposal development, contract and subaward administration, and other administrative activities to meet Center and program driven requirements. In this role, the UCP Center Administrator is responsible for ensuring that the EODS Center establishes and maintains sound, effective financial and administrative practices through collaborative efforts with other UCP Centers and programs, as well as with organization-wide divisions and departments.

Responsibilities:

Center/Program  Based Responsibilities

As a member of the Center Management team builds and executes the strategic vision of the Center
As a member of or liaison to the program management teams, supports the execution of program strategic plans
Strategic staffing management FTE projections/needs for Center as a whole and individual programs
Develops and manages comprehensive Center budget for all Center funding, including scenarios such as what-if, risk mitigation, and business development
Manages Center indirect funds including G&A funding as applicable
Responsible for task allocation to and performance of deployed BSS
Provides administrative direction to Administrators and Budget Analysts in the formulation, interpretation of program and project budget scenarios and management
Primary administrator for large, complex awards across programs within Center award and financial management and analysis, contracts and subawards, oversees related travel and procurement
Provides administrative direction to deployed BSS team for all functional areas (award and financial management and analysis, proposals, contracts and subawards, travel, procurement and HR)
Leads large Center-based proposals, including development and coordination of timeline, proposal team roles and responsibilities and budget development
Provide strategic analysis, advise and support to Center leadership for HR matters
Primary HR connector for Center to coordinate HR actions with UCP HRA and UCAR CHRO
May serve as acting Program Director
Supervisory line for Center deployed BSS staff
Other duties as assigned

UCP Responsibilities

Leads change management
Serves as a senior member of the UCP BSS Leadership Team
Leads standardization/streamline of business process and cultural change for BSS
Partners with AD to coordinate BSS assignments to meet Center needs
Develops and maintains effective team processes for communication, constructive debate, conflict resolution, identifying innovation opportunities and joint problem solving across all of the UCP Centers
Trains, coaches and mentors BSS staff
Leads large proposal coordination (high dollar, new funders/opportunities)
Leads large proposal budget development
Develops and implements high level financial tools to drive informed business decisions and strategy
Develops implementation plan and leads onboarding of new large awards
Solves complex problems
Represents UCP on UCAR committees
May serve as acting UCP Assistant Director
Additional UCP level duties as assigned

What You Need:

Education and Years of Experience

Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, or related field with 10 years of relevant experience.
Demonstrated successful experience in management at a senior level, including:

managing complex strategic operational issues
the  interface between strategic development and operational delivery
workforce planning
leading and developing a team approach in a multi-disciplinary, shared services environment

Demonstrated success serving and supervising in a matrix-managed organization
Leading process improvement and developing efficiencies across working groups
Identifying best practices in an organization and leading wider adoption of those practices

Desired but not required:

Master’s Degree in business, accounting, or related field.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Proven leadership skills and ability to achieve organizational goals
High level technical and professional skills in finance and financial management such as budget management and analysis
Knowledge of project management principles 
Advanced change management leadership skills
Excellent analytical, interpersonal, communications and presentation skills
Strong supervisory and mentoring/coaching skills
Knowledge of  managing in a shared services, matrixed environment
General knowledge of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
Knowledge of diversity, equity and inclusion issues in the workplace
Advanced skills in MS Excel, Word, Google Suite, and  in financial management software
Advanced knowledge of proposal development for different award vehicles such as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, IDIQs
Demonstrated skill in business process improvements

Applicant Notes:

A cover letter is required.
Pre-employment screenings and background checks are conducted in conjunction with an offer for employment into risk-based positions. This screening may involve verifying or reviewing any of the following relevant information: restricted parties screening, employment verification, education verification, reference checks, verification of professional licenses, certifications, and Motor Vehicle Records. Risk-based positions require pre-employment screening, a criminal background check, and Sex Offender Registry screening (for positions working with vulnerable populations). UCAR complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Please note that while the position description details both minimum requirements as well as desired skills and experience, we want to remind applicants that you do not need to have all the desired skills and experience to be considered for this role. If you have the passion for the work along with experience in a related field, you are encouraged to apply. We can provide on-the-job training for the rest.