Business Administrative Associate - INHS/PRI

Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), one of the five Scientific Surveys housed by the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is seeking a Business Administrative Associate (BAA) for its Illinois River Biological Station. This role focuses on pre- and post-award administrative duties for sponsored projects, ensuring compliance with institutional, state, and federal policies. Remote and hybrid work options may be available, with on-site presence required as needed. Primary location: Havana, Illinois.

Responsibilities

• Provide post-award fiscal administration for the field station director and co-PIs, monitoring and approving grant expenditures as PI Proxy and Fund Manager to ensure allowability, allocability, and reasonableness.
• Reconcile and verify expenditures monthly, requesting additional approvals as required by the sponsor, and maintain accurate obligations for each grant fund.
• Manage electronic grant information document storage and complete corrective journal voucher entries and labor redistributions.
• Prepare and distribute reconciled fund statements monthly, and provide ad hoc expenditure reports and projections to PIs.
• Process subaward invoices, review expenditures for allowability, and ensure timely payment throughout the project period.
• Review cost share commitments, coordinate corrections for errors, and provide documentation for internal and external audits.
• Interpret agency, university, and institute policies and collaborate with funding agencies, auditors, campus offices, and PIs.
• Coordinate semi-annual expenditure confirmations and oversee the setup and closeout processes for new and ending awards.
• Facilitate major field station purchases, supplies, and services, coordinating with PRI and UI purchasing staff on contracts.
• Assist with field station inventory verification across all locations and maintain inventory records.
• Review and approve technician timecards, assist with I-9 verification, and support the annual hiring process for fisheries technicians.
• Provide financial projections for staff salaries, including funding breakdowns and appointment assignments aligned with grant guidelines.
• Coordinate all-staff training, including annual CPR/First Aid certification, and provide general administrative support for day-to-day operations.
• Order office, lab, and field station supplies, and administer P-Card and T-Card duties, including reconciliation and expense reporting.
• Utilize the PRIDE system for staff planning, appointment changes, and processing HRTs, and prepare/submit travel requests (TPWs).
• Prepare and process earnings transfers and manage travel/meeting arrangements, including reservations and registrations.
• Oversee pre-award (proposal) processing, assisting researchers with complex collaborative proposals and multi-year/multi-organizational budgets.
• Act as liaison to subaward agencies, gather required documentation, and manage submission of unfunded agreements to the Sponsored Programs Administration Pre-Award office.
• Monitor and manage proposal submissions and PRI’s PRIDE proposal tracking system, maintaining electronic files of all grant submissions.
• Assist in developing and reviewing new University and PRI electronic proposal submission processes.
• Participate in infrastructure planning, providing recommendations for long-term and short-term goals, including building maintenance and improvements.
• Coordinate with vendors and contractors on field station improvement projects and review/recommend changes to internal operating procedures.
• Maintain sponsored research skills through continued training and stay updated on developments in the discipline.
• Participate in outreach activities, committees, conferences, workshops, and annual meetings as needed.
• Perform other duties to support the mission and goals of the Field Station, Survey, PRI, and the University of Illinois.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, or a related field.
• Two years of professional business, financial, and/or managerial work experience.
• Experience in grant and/or contract administration in a research university setting.
• Experience working with Principal Investigators (PIs), funding agencies, and/or Sponsored Programs Administration.
• Experience developing complex budgets and interpreting federal/non-federal guidelines for proposal development/submission.
• Experience interpreting and complying with University, Federal, and State statutes, regulations, and policies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency with University of Illinois accounting/reporting systems and agency proposal submission systems.
• Current affiliation with the University of Illinois.
• University of Illinois Certified Research Administrator (CRA) certification or enrollment in the SPaRC’Ed program.

Skills

• Knowledge of grants management, including University of Illinois Sponsored Programs Administration and Institute policies.
• Knowledge of accounting principles, including allowability, reasonableness, and allocation of costs for grants/contracts.
• Knowledge of proposal preparation, project accounting, budgeting, and re-budgeting processes.
• Knowledge of business/management principles, including strategic planning, resource allocation, and leadership techniques.
• Knowledge of administrative/clerical procedures, office systems, and technology applications.
• Ability to identify complex problems, develop solutions, and implement them effectively.
• Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Ability to work independently, organize tasks, and prioritize multiple responsibilities.
• Ability to analyze guidelines, develop procedures, and implement plans to achieve goals.
• Ability to manage budgets and work within financial constraints.
• Ability to interpret and explain work-related documents, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Pay

The budgeted salary for this position is $71,400, with adjustments based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity.

Schedule

This is a 100% full-time, 12-month Civil Service position. The preferred start date is October 1, 2026.