UCP Budget & Planning Integrator

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; United States; Hybrid; USD 96,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental

Retirement plan

Leave plans

Tuition assistance

Employee assistance programs

Time Off Plans

FAMLI Leave

PSLF eligible employer

Job summary

UCAR is seeking a Budget Analyst III to join the Office of the CFO and support the Community Programs with budgeting, forecasting and financial management across centers and programs.

The role collaborates with the BSS and UCP leadership to develop indirect cost budgets, monitor MTDC, and provide timely analyses for decision-making in a complex federal funding environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelors with 8+ years experience, or Masters with 6+ years experience.
• Experience in budget development, forecasting, and indirect cost management.
• Strong knowledge of government contract requirements and OMB guidelines.
• Proficient with Excel, financial reporting tools, and Workday or similar systems.
• Ability to communicate with senior leaders and manage cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial analysis and budgeting support for UCP programs and portfolios.
• Develop and monitor MTDC and indirect cost budgets; advise on allocations.
• Prepare monthly financial reports and ad-hoc analyses for leadership.
• Support audits and strengthen internal controls; ensure compliance with policies.
• Collaborate with Contracts Office and BSS on budgets and compliance.

Skills

Budget development

Budget analysis

Cost control

Contract management

Excel

Interpersonal skills

Financial reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree + 8 years exp

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Excel

Workday Financials

MS Office

Google Apps

Job description

Position Type: Regular Visa Sponsored Job: No Relocation Assistance Eligible: Yes Hiring Range: 96,266.00 USD - 120,331.00 USD *Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

About the Role

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) - Office of the CFO is seeking for a Budget Analyst III to be integrated into UCAR's Community Programs (UCP). This individual will provide leadership and subject‑matter expertise to promote consistent and sound budgeting, pre‑ and post‑award, financial management, and compliance practices across UCP Centers and Programs. They will work closely with the UCP Director of Business Operations to support strategic and annual planning for the UCP Directorate and Centers, including detailed indirect budget development and oversight. They will also work closely with the UCP Business Shared Services (BSS) team to provide senior‑level financial and administrative support for UCP‑sponsored research programs and research portfolios and contribute to the development and continuous improvement of award management processes, controls, reporting practices, and research administration standards across UCP. Within the Office of the CFO, the position directly supports the Lead, Financial Planning and Analysis role by providing timely, accurate forecasts of indirect spending and MTDC generation and providing ad‑hoc support to the UCAR Budget and Planning team as needed.

Job Description

Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 12 am MDT on Monday, October 5, 2026

Work Location

Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories. All hybrid staff are expected to work on‑site approximately 3 days per week.

What You Will Do

Integration and Development: Supports the UCP BSS in providing UCP Programs with financial analysis, strategies and metrics for program management and decision‑making; Designs and implements best practices of budget planning and development procedures and guidelines for UCP in coordination with the UCAR Budget & Planning office and the financial functional area teams within the UCP BSS; Participates in recurring triage meetings and serves as the liaison between UCP’s programs and the Office of the CFO, focusing on budgetary support and ad‑hoc reporting needs; Collaborates with BSS teams to support proposal development, including budget development, financial analysis, and alignment with applicable UCAR and sponsor requirements. Applies contract management expertise, including experience with IDIQ contracts, to support UCP programs by monitoring contract budgets and expenditures, financial and progress reporting, performance milestones, and deliverable requirements; collaborates with the Contracts Office and UCP programs to identify and proactively address issues and elevate risks as appropriate; Develops and monitors successful internal financial controls and guidance in compliance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance and UCAR policies and procedures; Develops and produces financial reports, analyses, and special projects as determined by the UCAR Financial Planning and Analysis and UCP Leadership; Develops a strong understanding of UCAR’s financial and business applications and leverages these systems to support accurate, efficient, and consistent financial planning and reporting; Develop the components of the indirect cost budget and indirect cost rate for UCP, including estimates for Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC), and provides recommendations to executive teams on the allocation of indirect funds to the UCP Programs; Provides expert financial guidance and serves as a strategic partner to the BSS team, promoting consistent financial practices, strengthening analytical capabilities, and supporting effective financial award management across UCP.

Analysis and Reporting: Analyzes financial data and translates into high‑value, actionable insights for UCP Directorate and Programs, developing and refining new analyses in response to changing business needs; anticipates and advises on budget strategies; Provides expert guidance and direction on the development and maintenance of methodologies used for organizational reporting, ensuring overall data integrity; Ensures financial systems provide timely and accurate data and that the tools and processes are in alignment with the entity’s financial requirements; Develops and monitors financial and non‑financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), historical statistics and the appropriate reporting to assess financial performance across UCP; Monthly monitoring of the UCP indirect budget and ad‑hoc analysis of UCP financials; Provides support across UCP for audit reporting, including multi‑year data requests and analysis, where accuracy is critical and turnaround time is short.

Decision‑Making & Problem‑Solving: Designs and manages complex analysis for the planning and direction of management and evaluates budget and strategic risks. Exercises independent judgment on complex matters with broad implications. Responsible for making effective recommendations that are supported by UCAR policy. Makes recommendations for new policies. Solves complex problems using innovation and in‑depth analysis. Requires integrated understanding of program goals and impacts of decisions. Receives direction from management. Defines job goals and objectives and works with considerable independence under broad management direction. Maintains confidentiality.

Who We'd Love To Join Our Team

Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:

• Education and Experience: Required: Bachelor's degree in a relevant academic discipline, plus eight years related experience, or Masters plus six years, or an equivalent combination of education and experience which qualifies the individual to perform the duties as described
• Desired, but not required: Master’s degree in finance, accounting or business‑related discipline
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Expert skill in budget development and analysis, cost control and development of relevant statistics; Advanced knowledge of government contract/agreement requirements, policies and procedures; Advanced knowledge of and understanding of OMB circulars and UCAR policies and procedures related to budgets and indirect costs; Expert knowledge of and skill in managing proposal/budget preparation and submission; Advanced skill in planning and implementing effective techniques to achieve organizational goals; Proven experience in budgeting and forecasting with direct and indirect costs in a complex federal funding environment; Proven ability to work collaboratively in a matrix managed environment; Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to communicate complex ideas and information effectively using both oral and written presentations to a wide audience from different technical disciplines and backgrounds; experience working with senior leaders on complex financial planning and reporting issues; Maintain high ethical and confidentiality standards, capable of dealing with sensitive and confidential information; Expert knowledge of Excel, reporting and financial tools, mastery of MS Office and Google Apps tool suites; experience with Workday Financials or similar financial reporting tools, proficient in preparing and presenting complex financial material

Preferred Qualifications

Hiring Salary Range: $96,266 - $120,331 *Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.

Benefits Overview

UCAR offers a comprehensive benefits package:

• health insurance
• dental
• retirement plan
• leave plans
• tuition assistance
• employee assistance programs: Medical, Dental, Vision, and Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Generous retirement plan - UCAR contributes of 10% of base salary
• Time Off Plans Minimum 20 days of annual PTO 10 paid holidays 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• FAMLI Leave
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer

UCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from all individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants are not required to provide age‑related information (like date of birth or graduation dates) in initial submissions.

For sponsored positions: UCAR can sponsor individuals for H‑1B status only if they are already in the U.S. in H‑1B status or another visa status that allows them to change to H‑1B status within the U.S. UCAR is unable to sponsor new H‑1B visas for individuals who are outside the U.S. and need to obtain H‑1B status through Consular Processing.

All hybrid staff are expected to work on‑site approximately 3 days per week.

At NCAR - the National Center for Atmospheric Research - we study weather, water, climate, air quality, and space weather to help protect lives and livelihoods, grow the economy, and enhance our nation’s security and well‑being. We collaborate with research partners to advance the science that makes predictions better and with end users to develop applications for forecasters, farmers, resource managers, retailers, the military, and many other stakeholders. UCAR - the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research - manages NCAR on behalf of the National Science Foundation. We are a nonprofit consortium of more than 115 colleges and universities with research and training programs in Earth system science. We bring together the academic community and provide the operational management that are both essential to NCAR’s success. UCAR’s community programs, from educational resources to data delivery and other services, extend the reach and impact of NCAR’s world‑class research to the community and society. We seek talented people with diverse backgrounds, training, and skills to join us in our mission of science in service to society. Want to learn more? Visit ucar.edu.