CWSSP Program Administrator

Envision yourself in a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative work environment that has a deep commitment to position our graduates for success in their professional and personal lives. Visualize applying your energy and skills for an organization that respects and cares about its employees enough to offer some of the best benefits of the industry while encouraging every team member to grow, collaborate, and provide input on how to consistently make the workplace a place people love to work. Imagine working at a college that welcomes everyone — students, faculty, staff, and community members — regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or traditions. If what was just described is what you look for in a workplace, welcome to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) !

This position provides overall administrative support and coordinates the Colorado-Washington Security Scholars Program (CWSSP) at 0.3 FTE. CWSSP is a scholarship program for cybersecurity students at the Computer Science department at College of Engineering and Applied Science. 

Who We Are:

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system and is home to over 9,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students. We have a strong focus in fueling student success by creating, using, and maintaining a multitude of different offices and programs. Overall, UCCS is constantly focused of preparing our students to have success in the future, and we understand that every single employee on our campus has a significant effect on that focus. Find more information about working at UCCS here: https://hr.uccs.edu/work-at-uccs .

The city, which was recently ranked as the number nine Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report in 2023, known as Olympic City USA, rests at the base of Pikes Peak, the inspiration for the song “America the Beautiful” and a must-see for residents and visitors alike. With a mild climate and 247 days of sunshine each year, the Springs boasts some of the state’s best recreation opportunities. Find out more about living in Colorado Springs through the Visit Colorado Springs page: https://www.visitcos.com/ .

Job Duties:

• Communicate with the CWSSP faculty and the current, prospective, and alumni student scholars.
• Communicate and coordinate with the campus offices.
• Communicate with the SFS OPM office which manages the SFS program.
• Organize and coordinate the CWSSP events, including the semesterly workshops and conferences.
• Update and maintain the CWSSP website.
• Recruit the student scholars, e.g., recruiting event, drafting flyers.
• Assist the scholarship selection process.
• Maintain the student scholar applications and records.
• Track and monitor the student scholars' progresses and post-graduation career statuses.
• Work with the university offices, e.g., the Financial Office, to coordinate the repayment process for the scholars who failed to fulfill their service requirements.
• Make and process the purchases by CWSSP, e.g., the scholars’ allowances and travels.
• Monitor the budget use for compliance and appropriate accounting transactions.
• Develop, coordinate, and deliver activities, such as those to increase scholar engagement.
• Provide support as requested by CWSSP Director and faculty.

Other Post-Award Responsibilities Include: 

• Ensure that all financial transactions follow award guidelines and are properly recorded in a timely manner.
• Reconcile accounts to ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines, and update PI’s and Financial Administrator on a monthly basis, or as needed. 
• Process journal entries for necessary adjustments.
• Initiate and monitors all grant-related procurement.
• Coordinate human resources actions, to include preparation of required HR forms for hiring and termination and monitoring payroll expenditures.
• Work closely with sponsored project accounting (SPA), the office of sponsored programs and research integrity (OSPRI), and other appropriate university units to facilitate communication, problem resolution, teamwork, and process improvement.
• Assist in trouble-shooting any post award concerns in consultation with the PI, the grants accountant, and OSPRI as appropriate.
• Review and analyzes sponsored project awards to achieve a thorough understanding of the grant process once it has been awarded, including approval of expenses and reporting requirement in order to:
  • Interpret and communicate sponsor guidelines and requirements to research staff.
  • Coordinate and assist in the preparation of reports for timely submission.
  • Analyze and address all billing and payment concerns in collaboration with the PI and Sponsored Programs Accounting, as appropriate.
• Monitor awards for budget compliance and appropriate accounting transactions and assists Sponsored Programs Accounting to reconcile, analyze, and adjust general ledger accounts.
• Work with university personnel to establish timelines related to funding agency report deadlines, requirements and procedures.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Job Competencies:

• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Organizing and coordinating skills.
• Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.
• Negotiation and arbitration skills.
• Information research skills.
• Knowledge of grant funding policies and procedures and applicable local, state, federal and university regulations.
• Knowledge and understanding of intellectual property rights laws, guidelines, and policies.
• Knowledge and understanding of computer-aided research administration systems.   
• Ability to provide technical advice and information to tenured/tenure-track faculty in area of expertise.
• Ability to analyze budgetary line items for compliance with budget guidelines.
• Records maintenance skills.
• Database management skills.
• Website management skills.

Work Location:  On-site

This position has been determined to be eligible for overtime (non-exempt) under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

What We Offer:

Salary Range: Generally starting at $11,654.53-$15,038.10 annually (at .30 FTE)

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs offers excellent benefits , some of which include:

• Medical insurance, with the lowest cost option being $0 to the employee
• Dental, Vision, Life and Disability insurance
• Generous paid vacation and sick time accruals (14.67 hours of vacation and 10 hours of sick accrued per month, prorated if part-time)
• Mandatory retirement plans. Employees contribute 5% of their annual compensation. CU doubles that and contributes 10%
• Tuition Assistant Benefit available to you or a dependent
• Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of employment
• Off Campus Housing Resources

This position is dependent on the availability of external grant funding. Funding is currently expected to last one year.

Tentative Search Timeline:

• Priority will be given to applications submitted by January 22, 2024. However, this posting will remain open until filled.
• The potential dates for interviews with the supervisor and appointing authority will be the week of January 22, 2024.
• The potential employee start date is February 2024.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is committed to providing a safe and productive learning, living and working community. To assist in achieving this goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial and/or motor vehicle history check. 

UCCS is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, the University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation or political philosophy in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. Alternative formats of this ad can be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities by contacting the Office of Human Resources at (719) 255-3372.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work.

Please note that while the position details both required qualifications as well as preferred qualifications below, we want applicants to be aware that they do not need to have all of the preferred qualifications to be considered for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications, have passion for the work, along with experience in a related field, you are encouraged to apply. We encourage on-the-job training for any additional skills or knowledge that become relevant to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• At least 2 years of university experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least 1 year of experience in grant’s administration
• 1 year of experience with Concur, Peoplesoft, and Marketplace
• 1 year of experience with Drupal for website management
• Advanced degree

Physical Requirements:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, stand and move. Tasks may involve using a computer screen continuously for long periods of time. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the established essential functions and meet the physical and environment demands described satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, ability, physical and environmental conditions required of the employee on the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, physical and environmental demands.

Applicants with disabilities: If you have a mental or physical impairment, which limits one of your major life activities (e.g. walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, or learning) and require special accommodations for testing or interviewing, it is your responsibility to notify the office scheduling the interview or test at least 3 working days before the interview or test date.  If you need special accommodations at the work site, you must notify the appointing authority or Human Resources.