Financial and Program Specialist

Ball State University

Muncie, IN

ID: 7263497 (Ref.No. BSU43918)
Posted: 3 months ago
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Job Description

Provide budgetary oversight, fiscal support, and financial management of university internal funding programs, incentive programs, and initiatives designed to develop and increase sponsored project activity by faculty, staff, and students on campus, as well as support vital fiscal operations of Sponsored Projects Administration and the Office of Research.

Ball State University welcomes applications for a Financial and Program Specialist to join our Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) team in the Office of Research. SPA is a flexible, friendly, in-person workplace environment – we work closely together and enjoy being part of a collegial and supportive community of research administrators.
Salary and benefit packages for this position are competitive, with a starting salary range of $48,000-$51,000. Ball State offers generous vacation time and a fantastic tuition remission program for employees and their dependents.

If a rewarding opportunity like this appeals to you, then please consider joining our team.

Job Function:

Provide budgetary oversight, fiscal support, and financial management of university internal funding programs, incentive programs, and initiatives designed to develop and increase sponsored project activity by faculty, staff, and students on campus, as well as support vital fiscal operations of Sponsored Projects Administration and the Office of Research.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution by date of employment.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor or Master’s degree in business, finance, or related field

Minimum Experience:

At least one year of professional work experience.

Preferred Experience:

  • Professional work experience in program management
  • Experience in the creation, maintenance and tracking of multiple accounts and electronic documents
  • Experience using electronic research administration (eRA) systems, such as Cayuse Research Suite or InfoReady
  • Experience using enterprise-level software platforms, such as Banner ERP, Argos or Tableau reporting
  • Additional years of related and/or higher education experience.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Provide budget oversight and financial administration of the Aspire Internal Grant Program, collaborating as needed with the Aspire Program Manager. In consideration of the annual program budget, open, monitor & close award accounts, process payments, prepare journal vouchers & budget transfers, request reimbursement from the BSU Foundation, conduct grant reconciliation, resolve overdrafts, and prepare accounting reports as needed.

  • Serve as program manager for SPA’s incentive programs, review eligibility for participation, establish incentive allocation amounts, process journal vouchers & budget transfers, reconcile program budgets, perform data collection and reports. Current incentive programs include: the Submit program, Indirect Cost Recovery Distribution, other programs in collaboration with offices across campus, and pilot programs in development.

  • Provide financial administration and oversight of the Teacher-Scholar Program, including processing payments, preparing journal vouchers & budget transfers, requesting reimbursement from the BSU Foundation for scholarships and awards. Conduct award reconciliation, resolve overdrafts, and prepare accounting reports as needed. Work in collaboration with the Executive Coordinator to the VPR as needed.
  • Establish, monitor, and close Recognized Incentive Activity (RIA) accounts and departmental IDC accounts, reclaim funds, and prepare reports as needed. Field inquiries and provide guidance regarding eligibility of participation and expenses.

  • Manage financial administration of the University’s Technology Transfer activities, manage and process sales of University Intellectual Property products; deposit, transfer, and issue royalty payments, create reports of product activity, prepare invoices, process payments, and reconcile accounts.

  • Provide fiscal support for the Provost Start-up Program, reconcile award budgets, provide financial reports, and program expense projections.

  • Maintain large volumes of data, ensure data integrity in systems of record (Cayuse, Banner, etc.). In conjunction with the eRA Systems Coordinator, provide campus-wide reports for program usage, impact, and effectiveness, while interacting regularly with university, college, and foundation business offices to evaluate inefficiencies, create efficiencies and resolve issues.

  • Develop, maintain, and deliver financial training for university-wide departmental staff and faculty for internal grant and incentive programs; conduct regular information sessions for campus faculty, staff and students.

  • Create Cayuse proposal and award records, route for university approvals, and update statuses in appropriate systems, assist in maintaining data integrity of records.

  • Provide fiscal administration for special projects, SPA marketing/outreach and program initiatives designed to increase research and scholarly activity at the direction of the Director of Pre Award, Strategy, & Outreach and the Vice Provost for Research.

  • Hire, orient, train, supervise and evaluate student employees/graduate assistant; assign and review work, and make recommendations in all areas related to supervision, including but not limited to, interviewing and selection, compensation, discipline, and performance appraisal.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned.

  • Work with the Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives as needed regarding long-term planning for financial components of Technology Transfer program.


At Ball State University, we recognize inclusive excellence as an integral endeavor to fulfill our University’s mission and our strategic plan. We recruit, support, and retain a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff. We encourage and reward diversity of thought. We promote a work environment that encourages and rewards innovation and creativity. We pledge to keep Inclusive Excellence at the highest level of institutional importance and as a foundation in all that we strive to do. Our over-arching goal for Inclusive Excellence is to adopt a university-wide Inclusive Excellence approach to academic, administrative support, and service functions of the university. We believe Inclusive Excellence must be infused in every step we take.