Director of Administration & Finance - Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering (Hybrid Opportunity)

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world. 

 

Job Summary

The Director of Administration and Finance, reporting directly to the Assistant Dean of Administration and Finance with a dotted line to the Senior Human Resources Business Partner, supports the overall management of the Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering.  This position oversees business, fiscal operations for academic, research, and outreach activities in the Riccio College of Engineering’s Dean’s Office.  The Director provides leadership, training and direct supervision of departmental personnel and participates in department policy development and implementation. 

 

Essential Functions

• Provides advice to the Assistant Dean of A&F on current and projected status of operations in the departments.  Contributes information and guidance for periodic departmental reviews.  Collaborates with the Assistant Dean to develop and implement strategic plans around departmental goal achievement. Communicates initiatives to appropriate stakeholders.
• Provides leadership and direct supervision for all assigned staff to ensure compliance with all relevant laws, policies, union contracts, and regulations. 
• Manages complete range of fiscal activity related to Dean’s Office budgets. Develops, assesses and administers departmental budgets, projections and spending plans.  Analyzes, forecasts and negotiates funding.  Makes spending recommendations that support department operations and goals. Serves as a resource and advisor on various fiscal matters such as policies pertaining to new funding initiatives.  Forecasts revenues and expenditures related to the development of new academic programs. Applies and conforms with internal financial policies to ensure transactions are processed properly (e.g. tax, HR, legal, federal).  Develops and implements short-term and long-term funding options for strategic plans and on-going operations. 
• Recommends departmental policy and procedure changes to ensure compliance with all applicable rules and regulations, including internal control. 
• Manages complete range of fiscal activity related to sponsored research including preparation of budgets, and justifications, final grant compilation and preparation in adherence to sponsor mandated financial regulations.  Serves as a liaison between principal investigators, University grant offices (currently OPAS and OPAM), and systems to manipulate and analyze financial data for internal and external reporting and decision-making.  Develops processes for monitoring and reporting account information.    
• Oversees execution of data analytics throughout the Riccio College of Engineering, including but not limited to: data collection, analysis, and dissemination of findings.  Using this data, makes recommendations to the Assistant and Associate Deans and Department Heads to improve data-driven decision making, optimize resource allocations, and enhance teaching and research within the College.
• Liaises with various on-campus offices such as Provost, Dean’s, Human Resources, Accounting, Unified Procurement Services Team (UPST), Graduate School, Global Affairs Office (GAO), University Analytics & Institutional Research (UAIR), and Information Technology (IT).  Acts as a resource for faculty and students with administrative problems and associations with other University offices. 
• Collaborates with the Riccio College of Engineering Facilities Manager Coordinates renovations, refurbishing, moving, and maintenance projects, inventory, and security related issues with offices, laboratories, classrooms, and storage spaces. Works with the Office of Campus Planning and Space Management on annual space inventory survey and special renovation projects. 

 

Other Functions

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