Job Description Summary
The Center for Global Sustainability (CGS) at the University of Maryland is seeking a Financial Services Coordinator to support CGS’s financial, business, procurement, and sponsored research operations.
The Financial Services Coordinator reports to the Assistant Director of Finance and plays a key role in supporting pre-award and post-award activities, financial transactions, procurement, account reconciliation, financial reporting, and general business operations. This position works closely with Principal Investigators, CGS leadership, university administrative offices, sponsors, institutional collaborators, and domestic and international vendors to ensure financial and sponsored project activities are completed accurately, efficiently, and in compliance with university and sponsor requirements.
The successful candidate will be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple requests, deadlines, and competing priorities while providing excellent customer service to CGS’s internal and external communities.
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Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Sponsored Award Administration
The Financial Services Coordinator will support CGS’s sponsored research portfolio by assisting with pre-award proposal preparation, post-award financial coordination, subaward administration, sponsor communication, and compliance monitoring.
• Work closely with Principal Investigators to prepare proposal budgets that align with sponsor guidelines, university policies, and project needs.
• Compile proposal materials and route proposals through Kuali Research for institutional review and approval.
• Coordinate with the Office of Research Administration to support timely and accurate proposal submission.
• Communicate with sponsors, Principal Investigators, and internal stakeholders to track proposal status and respond to proposal-related questions.
• Assist with the preparation and submission of IDC waiver and IP waiver requests, as needed.
• Coordinate with ORA, institutional collaborators, and CGS stakeholders to support the setup and management of subawards.
• Track sponsored project expenses to help ensure spending aligns with approved budgets, sponsor terms, and project timelines.
• Monitor award activity and assist with identifying potential budget concerns, spending issues, or compliance risks.
• Work with Sponsored Programs Accounting and Compliance to support timely sponsor invoicing, financial reporting, and award closeout.
• Assist Principal Investigators and the Assistant Director of Finance with sponsored project questions, budget updates, and financial status information.
• Maintain organized documentation for sponsored project transactions, approvals, reports, and related correspondence.
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Financial Activities
The Financial Services Coordinator will support CGS’s financial operations by processing accounting transactions, completing reconciliations, maintaining financial documentation, and supporting accurate financial reporting.
• Enter journal entries, cost transfers, and salary expense transfers in accordance with university policies and procedures.
• Gather, review, and maintain required backup documentation for financial transactions.
• Complete monthly account reconciliations for sponsored and non-sponsored accounts.
• Review account activity to identify discrepancies, missing documentation, incorrect charges, or other financial issues.
• Research and resolve reconciliation issues in a timely manner, coordinating with appropriate university offices as needed.
• Assist with preparing financial reports, budget summaries, and account updates for Principal Investigators and CGS leadership.
• Monitor expenses to help ensure transactions are properly allocated, allowable, and charged to the appropriate accounts.
• Support financial tracking for grants, contracts, internal accounts, and other CGS funding sources.
• Assist with payroll-related financial functions, including salary allocation review, as needed.
• Help ensure financial records are accurate, complete, and maintained in accordance with university retention and audit requirements.
• Provide financial transaction support for CGS faculty, staff, students, and project teams.
• Assist with special financial projects, data requests, and ad hoc reporting as assigned.
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Procurement
The Financial Services Coordinator will assist with procurement, vendor coordination, invoice processing, payment tracking, and related documentation for CGS.
• Work with domestic and international vendors to support CGS purchasing, contracting, invoicing, and payment needs.
• Coordinate with vendors and UMD Procurement to establish new vendors in university systems.
• Assist with preparing and processing procurement documents, contracts, purchase orders, and related approvals.
• Work with vendors to obtain required documentation, submit invoices, and resolve payment-related questions.
• Coordinate with Accounts Payable to track invoice status and help ensure payments are processed in a timely manner.
• Review procurement and payment documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with university requirements.
• Make payments using P-card, as needed, while ensuring compliance with university policies.
• Maintain organized procurement and payment records for reconciliation, reporting, and audit purposes.
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Operations, Administrative Support, and Customer Service
The Financial Services Coordinator will provide general operational and administrative support to help ensure CGS’s financial and business processes run smoothly.
• Provide responsive customer service to CGS faculty, staff, students, visitors, collaborators, sponsors, and vendors.
• Serve as a knowledgeable point of contact for routine finance, procurement, and sponsored project questions.
• Help resolve administrative and financial process questions by coordinating with appropriate university offices.
• Support CGS staff and project teams in understanding financial procedures, documentation requirements, and transaction timelines.
• Assist with organizing and maintaining financial, procurement, and sponsored project records.
• Support general CGS business operations and assist with process improvements to increase efficiency and accuracy.
This position requires the highest level of confidentiality, attention to detail and deadlines, and professional interaction as a liaison between CGS, UMD central offices, and internal and external sponsors.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Experience: One (1) year of professional budget, finance, or accounting experience.
Other: Additional work experience as defined above may be substituted on a year for year basis for up to four (4) years of the required education.
Knowledge of finance functions.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Skill in the use of Microsoft Office products.
Ability to multi-task and prioritize assignments.
Ability to analyze situations and determine the best solutions.
Additional Job Details
Required Application Materials:
- Cover Letter
- Resume/CV
- List of Professional References
Best Consideration Date:
Open Until Filled:
Job Risks
Not Applicable to This Position
Financial Disclosure Required
Yes
Department
PLCY-Center for Global Sustainability
Worker Sub-Type
Staff Regular
Salary Range
$60,960.00 - $73,152.00
For more information on Regular Exempt benefits, select this link.
Background Checks
Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.
Employment Eligibility
The successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization. Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.
The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.
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