Hiring Department

ERP Project

Job Description

A successful candidate for this position in the ERP Forward Program will:
• Understand financial and research administration operations, business processes, and systems.
• Demonstrate strong analytical, documentation, and organizational skills.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders across the University.
• Support continuous improvement through process evaluation and system innovation.

The ERP Forward Finance Workstream supports the University of Missouri's financial systems and manages technology processes and functions that affect transaction processing, data reconciliation, reporting, system maintenance, and upgrades. The University is preparing to implement a new ERP system over the next three years, along with an Electronic Research Administration (ERA) platform that will be implemented first to support pre-award grants management. The Finance Workstream team will provide functional expertise for both efforts and will assume ownership of the ERA platform after implementation.

Reporting to the ERP Pillar Lead, this position serves as the functional lead for pre-award research administration systems with initial focus on implementing the University's pre-award ERA platform. The role will document requirements, redesign processes, lead testing, and prepare the organization for adoption in coordination with stakeholders across all four campuses and the health system. It will work closely with the post-award functional lead, a peer role under the same manager, to support a seamless proposal-to-award-to-project lifecycle.

Following ERA go-live and stabilization, the position will retain ongoing functional ownership of the ERA platform in production. The position will also support the broader cloud ERP implementation where ERA, finance, research administration, reporting, data validation, integrations, or business process design intersects.

This position offers a substantive role in the implementation and long-term support of major University systems, with opportunities for growth as the ERA and ERP programs mature.

Key Responsibilities

ERA Implementation and Functional Leadership
• Own assigned workstreams for the ERA implementation, with primary responsibility for pre-award functionality and related business processes.
• Partner with Research Administration, Finance, Sponsored Programs, and Information Technology stakeholders across all four campuses and the health system to define requirements, redesign processes, and prepare for adoption.
• Guide pre-award process design for proposal development and budgeting, internal routing and approval, sponsor submission, and award intake.
• Lead functional design for ERA integrations with the University's financial system of record (currently PeopleSoft), including data mapping, interface design, error handling, and the transition from PeopleSoft to the new cloud ERP, partnering with the post-award functional lead on the award handoff between the two systems.
• Maintain key implementation documentation, including process maps, configuration workbooks, security role definitions, data validation and testing materials, and functional decision records.
• Coordinate system integration, end-to-end, and user acceptance testing; manage defect triage and resolution with the implementation partner.
• Develop and deliver end-user training and change management activities across decentralized campus research administration offices.

ERA Production Support and Continuous Improvement
• Serve as the primary functional owner of the ERA platform after go-live, including configuration maintenance, security administration, user provisioning, and resolution of escalated user issues.
• Manage vendor's SaaS release cycle impacts by assessing functional changes, coordinating regression testing, and communicating updates to campus users.
• Monitor ERA data quality and integration activity, resolve exceptions, and support ongoing reporting needs.
• Maintain end-user documentation and training resources, and identify opportunities to improve processes, configuration, and user experience after go-live.

ERP Implementation and Cross-System Alignment
• Support the cloud ERP implementation while maintaining ERA production responsibilities.
• Partner with ERP functional leads to validate requirements, solution designs, integrations, reporting, data conversion, and deployment readiness.
• Lead planning and testing for the transition of ERA financial integrations from PeopleSoft to the new cloud ERP, including interface redesign, cutover planning, and post-cutover reconciliation.
• Identify risks, issues, process gaps, and improvement opportunities that affect ERA, ERP, or the broader proposal-to-award-to-project lifecycle.

As with all positions, involvement with other duties and responsibilities may be expected to support the mission and purpose of the University of Missouri System.

Shift

M-F 8:00AM to 5:00PM

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 3 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary.

Preferred Qualifications
• Direct experience in pre-award research administration or sponsored programs administration in higher education or an academic medical center.
• Experience implementing or administering an electronic research administration platform (for example Cayuse, Concourse Tech, Huron Research, Kuali Research, Novelution, or Streamlyne).
• Working knowledge of federal research administration requirements, including 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), sponsor submission systems such as Grants.gov, Research.gov, and NIH ASSIST, and F&A rate and cost share concepts.
• Experience with system implementation or conversion projects, including integrations, data mapping, and reconciliation between enterprise systems.
• Experience gathering and documenting business requirements and process flows, test planning and user acceptance testing.
• Experience with cloud-based enterprise systems, particularly SaaS platforms with vendor-driven release cycles.
• Experience supporting change management, developing training materials, and building consensus on standardized processes across decentralized units or multiple campuses.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, manage complex cross-functional work, and translate business needs between research administration, finance, technical teams, vendors, and campus stakeholders.

Anticipated Hiring Range

Salary Range: $80,000 - $95,000 annually

Grade: GGS-11

University Title: ERP Module Lead

Internal applicants can determine their University title by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

Sponsorship Information

Employment visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Other Information

Given the strategic importance of the UM System ERP implementation and the University's preference for an in-person work model, a moving allowance may be available for select candidates who are willing to relocate to within a commutable distance of the Columbia, Missouri area to accept this position. Eligibility for a moving allowance is determined by the University and is subject to applicable policies, approvals, and business needs. [HR-103 Moving Allowance]

Community Information

Columbia offers small-town friendliness with big city features and a high quality of life for people of all ages and interests. Founded on education and known as an ideal college town, its location also makes it an attractive spot for businesses and travelers. Located on Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 63, Columbia is right in the middle of the state and the nation. Just a couple hours' drive from St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia is Boone County's largest population center offering big-city culture, activities, and resources with a low cost of living. Columbia is home to a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues and hosts more than a dozen festivals each year. If you want to grow your career, continue your education, raise a family, and retire, Columbia is a good place to be!

Benefit Eligibility

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/departments-staff/human-resources/benefits-retirement