Fiscal Specialist - Pmfo (Remote Opportunity)

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute (UMDI) Program Management and Fiscal Operations (PMFO) Fiscal Specialist enhances the Regional Grantee Specialists’ knowledge of Office of Head Start (OHS) program management and fiscal operations through the provision of Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) and consultation via various means including virtual technology, national and regional conferences, and on-site visits. The Fiscal Specialist operates within a matrix organization which includes the Federal Government and three national organizations as partners.

Essential Functions

• Provides TTA across the following areas:
  • Management of financial systems for fiscal oversight.
  • Handling of contracts and agreements, including the process for the Head Start grant application.
  • Documentation and reporting of financial transactions and records, including SF 425 and 425A reports, to various recipient grant stakeholders.
  • Adherence to and management of cost principles.
  • Incorporating the Uniform Guidance (UG), Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), Head Start Act, and Head Start Monitoring protocols into fiscal policies and procedures.
  • Management of wage structures, comparability studies, and cost of living adjustments (COLAs).
  • Implementation of internal controls, and the creation and management of project and operating budgets.
  • Strengthening fiscal capacity through management of multiple funding sources, audits, correction of audit findings, and monitoring of regulatory impacts and trends.
  • Asset management, capital improvement planning, documentation of financial records, including SF 428 and 429 Attachments A–C, and adherence to grants management procedures, 45 CFR Part 5, Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and environmental compliance requirements in collaboration with PMFO Facilities Specialist.
• Develops and provides PMFO Fiscal TTA resources for both virtual and in-person presentations and for the Head Start national website, Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC).

Other Functions

• Participates in regular monthly virtual and occasional on-site team meetings of Fiscal TTA Specialists.
• Develops and maintains a working understanding of key University administrative procedures, systems, and tools.
• Participates in business unit and UMDI-wide initiatives.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) OR Bachelor’s degree.
• More than five (5) years' experience providing fiscal TTA to non-profit leadership teams and Boards of Directors.
• Experience implementing the following policies and standards: Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Health and Human Services Awards (45 CFR Part 75), the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and the Head Start Act, including Part 1303 – Subpart E (Facilities Management).
• Excellent public speaking, group facilitation and writing skills as well as knowledge of adult learning, leadership, reflective practice, team processing and working with diverse groups.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities effectively.
• Ability to establish priorities, work independently and proceed with objectives without supervision.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint in addition to collaborative tools such as SmartSheet and virtual platforms, for example, Zoom.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master’s degree.
• Academic disciplines: business administration, public administration, non-profit management, or a related field.
• Bilingual fluency (Spanish) in support of developing and presenting content.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Conduct work in a home-based office with high-speed internet access, sufficiently free of distractions, where employee will be expected to maintain regular communication with supervising manager(s) and clients.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time using office equipment and computers.
• Some moving and transporting supplies and materials weighing less than 20 pounds.
• Must have flexibility to travel on a frequent basis (50% or more), to deliver TTA and attend meetings nationwide.
• The employee will be exposed to outside environmental conditions during travel times.
• The physical/mental demands and work environment factors described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Additional Details

• This position is funded by grants and/or contracts and is contingent upon funding.
• This is a full-time, benefited position.
• Applicants must be work authorized for employment in the U.S. on a full-time basis.
• Any job offer is specifically conditioned upon the potential candidate consenting to and successfully completing a background review.
• For more information about the Donahue Institute, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@umassdonahueinstitute2556/videos.

Work Schedule

• Standard full-time work schedule consisting of five, eight-hour days and 40 hours each workweek. Work performed in addition to the regular work hours may be necessary and may require a change in availability at specific times, to accommodate for variations in work demands.
• This position has the opportunity for a remote work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where the employee’s work location is to work from a site other than the UMass Amherst campus. As this position falls within the Professional Staff Union, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the Professional Staff Union collective bargaining agreement.

Salary Information

Salary Level 31.

Exempt Hiring Ranges.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.