BUSINESS MANAGER III

Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent and 5 years of professional experience

• Strong organizational and time management abilities, with a demonstrated capacity to prioritize tasks effectively and maintain a high level of attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret complex financial policies and procedures, conduct research, and draw informed conclusions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and professionally across diverse audiences.
• Effective interpersonal and listening skills, enabling productive communication and collaboration across all organizational levels.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, with the ability to adapt to evolving technologies and systems.
• Working knowledge of UGA administrative systems preferred, including e-Check Request, e-Travel, P-Card Accounting System, Web DFS, UGA Mart, and honoraria/participant payment processes.

• Serve as liaison to faculty, departmental staff, Contracts & Grants, and Sponsored Programs, facilitating clear communication and collaboration to ensure financial compliance across all grant and contract accounts in accordance with institutional and sponsor guidelines.
• Conduct regular monitoring of grant account balances, proactively identifying potential financial discrepancies or risks.
• Provide timely, data-informed advisories to faculty and departmental accountants, along with actionable recommendations to resolve issues and maintain fiscal integrity.
• Provide training and supervision to the Office of Research and Graduate Education's grant/business manager to ensure understanding of externally funded project funding mechanisms and accounting practices.
• Assist Principal Investigators (PIs) within MFE COE Centers in the development of project management tools and procedures for externally funded grants.
• Train PIs in the development of comprehensive project management plans tailored to their grant requirements.
• Provide direct supervision to the Office of Research and Graduate Education's accountant.
• Supervise the initial implementation of project management practices for new grants and provide continued guidance to staff and graduate students hired by centers to manage research practices.

• Provide oversight to staff and graduate students assisting PIs in managing large-scale externally funded grants, including assigning responsibilities, monitoring progress, resolving challenges, and fostering professional development to ensure efficient and compliant grant operations.
• Collaborate with pre-award staff to prepare comprehensive annual reports for granting agencies, including the compilation of personnel effort reports and financial expenditure summaries to support carryover requests and other reporting requirements.
• Design and deliver targeted training programs for PIs to support the development of comprehensive project management plans for externally funded grants, ensuring alignment with institutional policies, sponsor requirements, and best practices in research administration.
• Oversee compliance with Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) regulations, specifically for NSF and NIH-funded projects, ensuring all required documentation and training are completed and up to date.
• Prepare and submit grant modifications through the Grant Portal, including No-Cost Extensions, account code openings, re-budgeting requests, and residual balance transfers, ensuring all submissions meet sponsor and institutional guidelines.
• Maintain and reconcile an Excel-based financial tracking system for grants and contracts, ensuring accurate documentation of expenditures and adherence to cost-sharing requirements.
• Perform monthly reconciliations of internal financial spreadsheets against UGA Account Status Reports to ensure consistency, accuracy, and timely resolution of discrepancies.

• Review travel requests, P-Card transactions, and purchase requisitions across all grant, contract, residual, and UGARF accounts, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and sponsor guidelines.
• Certify payroll for personnel, verifying accuracy and adherence to budget allocations and funding source requirements.
• Utilize Financial Management System (FMS) queries to validate payroll postings in the Grants Portal during certification periods; initiate and submit corrections as needed to maintain financial integrity and audit readiness.
• Collaborate with the unit Business Manager to coordinate faculty grant buyouts, ensuring proper documentation, budget adjustments, and alignment with grant terms and institutional procedures.

• Participate in regular departmental staff meetings and university-wide Research Account Discussion Group sessions, fostering cross-functional collaboration to support continuous improvement in research administration practices.
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned