Department: 150402 - Extension - Forestry & Env Res

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Essential Job Duties:

The University Program Associate serves as the primary administrative and fiscal manager for the College of Natural Resources (CNR) Extension program. Operating with a high degree of independence, this position is responsible for the strategic administration of the unit's financial, personnel, and operational functions. The incumbent exercises discretionary authority over complex budget portfolios, including State and Federal capacity funds, and acts as the lead administrator for the office of Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) financial workflows.

Beyond office support, this role functions as a programmatic subject matter expert, providing consultative guidance to Principal Investigators (PIs) and ensuring all unit operations align with University, State, and Federal compliance standards. The position serves as the authoritative administrative liaison between the program and central University offices, including Sponsored Programs, the Controller's Office, and Human Resources.

The University Program Associate manages the following core functional areas with a high degree of autonomy and independent decision-making:

Financial Management and Oversight

• Independently manages and monitors all Extension fiscal accounts, including State, Federal, and Discretionary funds. This includes the authority to process reallocations and redistributions to align with program goals.
• Executes all procurement functions, including authorizing payments, processing purchase requisitions, and managing small purchase vouchers. Ensures all transactions meet University and State auditing standards.
• Performs comprehensive monthly statement reconciliations and travel reimbursements, maintaining a high degree of accuracy to ensure the fiscal integrity of the Extension Forestry unit.
• Provides detailed budget summaries and financial planning data for Principal Investigators (PIs), routinely meeting with the Associate Dean to review account statuses and funding health.

Programmatic and Technical Operations

• Serves as the primary financial lead for the office of Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) activities. This involves managing accounts payable and receivable, conducting revenue/expense reconciliation, and resolving complex discrepancies within the REPORTER system.
• Independently identifies, develops, and implements internal mechanisms to improve administrative and research efficiency, ensuring the day-to-day operations of the unit support its strategic mission.
• Maintains specialized publication databases and manages website content, ensuring that the program's public-facing information and internal records are current and accurate.

Contracts and Grant Administration

• Collaborates independently with College Research Office to coordinate personnel, budget, and project-related issues at both the departmental and college levels.
• Acts as a technical resource for PIs during the planning phases of grant-funded projects, providing expertise on allowable exceptions and budgetary constraints.

Business and Personnel Administration

• Serves as the authoritative liaison for Human Resources, International Employment, and International Affairs for the unit, managing the administrative lifecycle of personnel actions.
• Manages motor fleet management vehicles, including mileage tracking and payment processing, and ensures all event documentation from filing to closeout is completed and approved.

Other Work/Responsibilities:

• Coordinates all high-level office operations and program logistics with total independence, ensuring the seamless functionality of the Forestry Extension unit and serving as the primary strategic assistant to the Associate Dean.
• Leverages office technology and advanced digital systems to customized workflows for information management, record retention, and the maintenance of complex programmatic files.
• Directs program events and extension meetings, independently managing the end-to-end process of venue reservations, material compilation, and stakeholder registrations.
• Serves as the lead professional contact for the unit, overseeing the expert distribution of communications and managing the first-point-of-contact experience for visitors, clients, and university partners.
• Combine data and administrative requirements to provide programmatic support to leadership, ensuring all daily activities and departmental needs are prioritized and executed without direct supervision.

Minimum Experience/Education:

Bachelor's degree; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Required Qualifications:

• Expert proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, with advanced Excel skills used to engineer customized tracking databases and complex financial models.
• Comprehensive mastery of NC Cooperative Extension operations, applying expert knowledge via institutional memory to ensure programmatic compliance with university and federal mandates.
• Strategic management of program visibility through social media and WordPress, independently overseeing web content and digital communication to reach statewide stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience and proficiency with NC State specific systems, including PeopleSoft Financials/HR, REPORTER, WOLF Reporting, RED, and Mypack Portal.
• Demonstrated experience in post-award grant administration and the management of complex multi-fund budgets (State, Federal, and Discretionary) within a university setting.
• Proven ability to operate with total independence as a process owner, including experience developing customized tracking tools in Excel or Google Workspace to improve departmental efficiency.
• Deep understanding of the Land Grant Mission and the specific operational structure of the NC Cooperative Extension and Forestry programs.

Required license or certification: n/a

Position Number: 00103404

Department: 150402 - Extension - Forestry & Env Res

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Essential Job Duties:

The University Program Associate serves as the primary administrative and fiscal manager for the College of Natural Resources (CNR) Extension program. Operating with a high degree of independence, this position is responsible for the strategic administration of the unit's financial, personnel, and operational functions. The incumbent exercises discretionary authority over complex budget portfolios, including State and Federal capacity funds, and acts as the lead administrator for the office of Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) financial workflows.

Beyond office support, this role functions as a programmatic subject matter expert, providing consultative guidance to Principal Investigators (PIs) and ensuring all unit operations align with University, State, and Federal compliance standards. The position serves as the authoritative administrative liaison between the program and central University offices, including Sponsored Programs, the Controller's Office, and Human Resources.

The University Program Associate manages the following core functional areas with a high degree of autonomy and independent decision-making:

Financial Management and Oversight

• Independently manages and monitors all Extension fiscal accounts, including State, Federal, and Discretionary funds. This includes the authority to process reallocations and redistributions to align with program goals.
• Executes all procurement functions, including authorizing payments, processing purchase requisitions, and managing small purchase vouchers. Ensures all transactions meet University and State auditing standards.
• Performs comprehensive monthly statement reconciliations and travel reimbursements, maintaining a high degree of accuracy to ensure the fiscal integrity of the Extension Forestry unit.
• Provides detailed budget summaries and financial planning data for Principal Investigators (PIs), routinely meeting with the Associate Dean to review account statuses and funding health.

Programmatic and Technical Operations

• Serves as the primary financial lead for the office of Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) activities. This involves managing accounts payable and receivable, conducting revenue/expense reconciliation, and resolving complex discrepancies within the REPORTER system.
• Independently identifies, develops, and implements internal mechanisms to improve administrative and research efficiency, ensuring the day-to-day operations of the unit support its strategic mission.
• Maintains specialized publication databases and manages website content, ensuring that the program's public-facing information and internal records are current and accurate.

Contracts and Grant Administration

• Collaborates independently with College Research Office to coordinate personnel, budget, and project-related issues at both the departmental and college levels.
• Acts as a technical resource for PIs during the planning phases of grant-funded projects, providing expertise on allowable exceptions and budgetary constraints.

Business and Personnel Administration

• Serves as the authoritative liaison for Human Resources, International Employment, and International Affairs for the unit, managing the administrative lifecycle of personnel actions.
• Manages motor fleet management vehicles, including mileage tracking and payment processing, and ensures all event documentation from filing to closeout is completed and approved.

Other Work/Responsibilities:

• Coordinates all high-level office operations and program logistics with total independence, ensuring the seamless functionality of the Forestry Extension unit and serving as the primary strategic assistant to the Associate Dean.
• Leverages office technology and advanced digital systems to customized workflows for information management, record retention, and the maintenance of complex programmatic files.
• Directs program events and extension meetings, independently managing the end-to-end process of venue reservations, material compilation, and stakeholder registrations.
• Serves as the lead professional contact for the unit, overseeing the expert distribution of communications and managing the first-point-of-contact experience for visitors, clients, and university partners.
• Combine data and administrative requirements to provide programmatic support to leadership, ensuring all daily activities and departmental needs are prioritized and executed without direct supervision.

Minimum Experience/Education:

Bachelor's degree; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Required Qualifications:

• Expert proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, with advanced Excel skills used to engineer customized tracking databases and complex financial models.
• Comprehensive mastery of NC Cooperative Extension operations, applying expert knowledge via institutional memory to ensure programmatic compliance with university and federal mandates.
• Strategic management of program visibility through social media and WordPress, independently overseeing web content and digital communication to reach statewide stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience and proficiency with NC State specific systems, including PeopleSoft Financials/HR, REPORTER, WOLF Reporting, RED, and Mypack Portal.
• Demonstrated experience in post-award grant administration and the management of complex multi-fund budgets (State, Federal, and Discretionary) within a university setting.
• Proven ability to operate with total independence as a process owner, including experience developing customized tracking tools in Excel or Google Workspace to improve departmental efficiency.
• Deep understanding of the Land Grant Mission and the specific operational structure of the NC Cooperative Extension and Forestry programs.

Required license or certification: n/a

Position Number: 00103404