Business Specialist

Department:

Office of Center Administration and Management (OCAM)

OCAM provides comprehensive administrative support for both pre-award and post-award activities, financial management, and research compliance. Our team works collaboratively with principal investigators, research staff, and university departments to facilitate seamless research operations.

Position Overview:

The Business Specialist serves as OCAM’s operational backbone for multiple research centers-owning budgets and reporting, HR actions and salary distributions, purchasing and travel, and sponsored award administration. The role applies independent judgment to interpret policy, approve transactions, solve exceptions, and improve processes via OCAM’s RT ticketing system to deliver compliant, timely, and high-quality service.

Why Work at UMBC?

UMBC offers competitive compensation.  This role starts at $57,000 and has over 4 weeks of vacation for regular full time roles. Tuition remission is also available.

What is it like to work at UMBC?  Check out Glassdoor or Indeed.

For 15 years in a row UMBC has been recognized as a Great College to Work For! 

Telework:

A hybrid telework schedule may be available.

Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities — Business Specialist (OCAM)

• Pre-Award Leadership: Advise faculty on proposal strategy; develop and review budgets/justifications; verify compliance with sponsor and UMBC policy; coordinate subaward packages (SOW, budgets, commitment forms); and initiate/route proposals in Kuali, resolving issues independently.

• Post-Award Management: Set up awards; reconcile monthly all research accounts (sponsored, cost-share, self-support, foundation); monitor burn rates, commitments, and cost share; prepare/approve corrections within authority (e.g., JEs/payroll redistributions); and coordinate rebudgeting, NCEs, carryforward, and award modifications.

• Faculty Partnership & Forecasting: Meet with PIs on a regular cadence (per PI preference) to deliver clear financial summaries, projections, and spending plans; advise on risks and compliance.

• Subaward Administration: Manage the subrecipient lifecycle-initiate and amend subawards with OSP, track deliverables, review/approve subrecipient invoices, and resolve compliance exceptions.

• Reporting & Closeout: Coordinate timely financial and technical closeouts-provide required closeout materials to OCGA (financial) and OSP (administrative/subaward) and ensure records are audit-ready.

• Ticketing & Service Quality: Triage, prioritize, and resolve RT tickets; maintain SLA targets; document processes and recommend improvements.

• Analysis & Continuous Improvement: Perform ad-hoc project analyses (scenario modeling, burn-rate trends, funding gaps) and propose process enhancements.

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Two years of progressively responsible experience in a combination of budgeting, accounting, payroll, purchasing, and personnel work
• Must have excellent communication, organization, problem-solving, and customer service skills
• Proficiency in the use of computers and Microsoft Office
• The ability to work independently and proactively

Preferred Qualifications: 

• PeopleSoft, Paw Procurement System (PPS) and Report Exchange (REX) experience
• Strong knowledge of MS Word and Excel
• Uniform Guidance

Background Screening Statement:

A background check will be required. 

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Upload a resume.  

Closing Date: 09/08/2025 Benefits:

UMBC offers a rich benefits package.

Regular and grant funded regular positions (