Program and Finance Manager

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 27005 For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Ben Williamson

ben.williamson2@montana.edu

Classification Title Finance Professional Working Title Program and Finance Manager Brief Position Overview

The Fiscal Administrator is uniquely responsible for developing and maintaining an advanced accounting management structure to accommodate and support the specific needs of the Montana NSF EPSCoR program. This program is a five-year grant totaling $20M in federal funding, plus $4M in cost match, for a combined total of $24M in federal and state funding. This position works seamlessly with the Montana State University Grants and Contracts personnel, the University of Montana administrative team, and federal and state agencies to ensure compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, policies, and procedures mandated by the National Science Foundation and the State of Montana.

Position Number 4C7139 Department NSF EPSCOR Division Office of Research and Economic Development Appointment Type Professional Contract Term Fiscal Year Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date FLSA Exempt Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining FTE 1.0 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary $70,000 - $80,000 annually, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications Contract Type LOA If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

Montana NSF EPSCoR is a statewide research and STEM education capacity-building program that develops, manages, and sustains NSF EPSCoR aligned with the Montana Science & Technology Plan. The current SMART FIRES RII Track-1 project focuses on prescribed fire and smoke, integrating expertise in fire and smoke science, smart optical sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and social psychology, economics, and ethics. The SMART FIRES project began on August 1, 2023, and runs through December 2028.

Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Management (50%)

• Participates in programmatic decision-making procedures, including planning, organizing, and coordinating the execution of federal and state mandates for grant goals and objectives.
• Develops systems and procedures to ensure smooth operation of administrative and financial components in an ever-changing federal, state, and university fiscal environment.
• Manages budget development and administration, including re-budgetary authority within programmatic goals and objectives; sets up new project-year indices upon receipt of annual funding.
• Provides oversight and management of all participating internal and external institution financial transactions; maintains monthly expenditure spreadsheets, reconciling and verifying for accuracy and compliance.
• Prepares highly detailed and accurate financial and budgetary reports for use by program directors and federal and state agencies.
• Resolves fiscal problems both internally and externally, working with MUS departments and outside agencies at the state and federal levels; handles audit issues, exceptions, and questionable costs.
• Provides oversight of payroll practices involved in the project.
  
  

Data Management and Reporting (20%)

• Develops, maintains, and manages financial databases for all Principal Investigators involved in the project.
• Maintains accurate and organized financial records to support annual reporting and NSF compliance requirements.
  
  

Contracts and Agreements (15%)

• Executes contractual agreements, including subawards and contracted service agreements for the program; monitors agreements for compliance.
  
  

Representation and Collaboration (15%)

• Works collaboratively with MSU and UM administrative teams, as well as federal and state agencies, to ensure programmatic and financial compliance.
• Provides professional representation of the program internally and externally, representing Montana EPSCoR at state, regional, and national meetings and conferences.
  
  

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
• Demonstrated experience with financial reporting, accounting, budgeting, or research administration.
• Demonstrated competence and experience in development, analysis, and execution of complex budgets and long-range business/fiscal management plans.
• Demonstrated experience in interpreting, explaining, and presenting detailed budget and fiscal data, both verbally and in writing, to a broad group of constituents.
• Demonstrated experience using the Microsoft suite, including Excel, Teams, and SharePoint.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Experience working in financial-based roles at a higher education institution.
• Experience managing budgets for federally funded grants or multi-institutional projects.
• Experience working with federal or state reporting systems.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to reconcile accounts and maintain accurate records.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  
  

The Successful Candidate Will

• Demonstrate a high degree of accuracy and reliability in financial reporting and reconciliation.
• Work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders, including university administrators, federal program officers, and state agency personnel.
• Show initiative in identifying and resolving fiscal problems and audit issues.
• Adapt readily to evolving Federal, State, and University fiscal environments and policy changes.
• Support a collaborative, team-oriented work environment within Montana NSF EPSCoR.
  
  

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This position is contingent upon the availability of funding.

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

This position has supervisory duties? No

Posting Detail Information

Number Of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Upon Completion Of a Successful Search Position End Date (if Temporary) Open Date Close Date Applications Will Be

Screening of applications will begin on July 20, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

This position is not eligible for sponsorship.

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter
  
  

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).