Accountant

About the role

The Controller's Office establishes and monitors the university’s internal control framework, collaborates with university units to establish fiscal processes, and provides guidance to academic and administrative units related to administrative policies and procedures. It maintains close working relationships with the Office of Budget and Planning, the Office of Sponsored Programs, Procurement and Accounts Payable, and Human Resources and Payroll.

Responsibilities

• Prepares schedules, reports, and documentation to support audit requests;
• Assists with annual Higher Education filings under Comptroller’s Directive and other requirements per the state audit and reporting processes;
• Gathers and analyzes data to support financial analysis and reporting and prepare related journal entries with schedules (including but not limited to debt service);
• Assists with monthly, quarterly, and year-end reporting including variance analysis, transaction research, and financial reporting. Perform balance sheet & P&L account reconciliations;
• Supports maintenance of Banner Chart of Accounts, such as new element workflow approvals, element inactivation and re-activation, and element changes needed due to departmental reorganizations;
• Designs, develops, and maintains financial dashboards and reports using Power BI;
• Utilizes Power Query to extract, transform, and model data from multiple systems;
• Applies data analytics techniques to identify trends and anomalies;
• Serves as backup for other staff members in Financial Reporting;
• Supports financial and analytical requests using structured and automated approaches;
• Leverages AI-enabled tools to enhance variance analysis, data validation, and reporting efficiency;
• Assists the Lead Accountant with financial reporting for the George Mason Research Foundation (GMRF);
• and Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Experience with financial accounting processes including journal entries, account reconciliations, financial close, and financial reporting;
• Experience with Power BI and Power Query or similar data visualization and ETL tools;
• Experience in using AI, automation tools, or RPA within finance or accounting;
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g. Ellucian Banner, Workday, Oracle);
• Demonstrated understanding of GAAP, financial reporting, and accounting principles;
• Knowledge of interpreting technical accounting guidance – preferably GAAP and relevant GASB/FASB pronouncements;
• Intermediate Excel skills with hands-on experience in data manipulation and analysis including advanced functions (e.g. Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, etc.);
• Effective oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to perform balance sheet & P&L account reconciliations;
• Demonstrated ability to analyze large datasets and communicate findings effectively;
• Ability to apply critical thinking; attention to detail; work independently; and focus on thoroughness and quality of information;
• Ability to interact effectively with a wide range of people within the university community.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Experience with financial accounting processes including journal entries, account reconciliations, financial close, and financial reporting;
• Experience with Power BI and Power Query or similar data visualization and ETL tools;
• Experience in using AI, automation tools, or RPA within finance or accounting;
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g. Ellucian Banner, Workday, Oracle);
• Demonstrated understanding of GAAP, financial reporting, and accounting principles;
• Knowledge of interpreting technical accounting guidance – preferably GAAP and relevant GASB/FASB pronouncements;
• Intermediate Excel skills with hands-on experience in data manipulation and analysis including advanced functions (e.g. Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, etc.);
• Effective oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to perform balance sheet & P&L account reconciliations;
• Demonstrated ability to analyze large datasets and communicate findings effectively;
• Ability to apply critical thinking; attention to detail; work independently; and focus on thoroughness and quality of information;
• Ability to interact effectively with a wide range of people within the university community.

Skills

• Strong technical accounting expertise;
• Modern data analytics skills;
• Leverages AI-enabled analytics, automation, Power Query, and Power BI to improve reporting accuracy, efficiency, and insight.

Benefits

Not specified.

Pay

Salary starting at $68k, commensurate with education and experience.

Schedule

Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk).