Controller

About the role

The Controller is a strategic and detailed leader responsible for the integrity of the financial systems of the University. Reporting directly to the Assistant Vice President, the Controller oversees all accounting operations, including financial reporting, audits, grants accounting, and compliance with applicable regulations and standards.

Responsibilities

• Provides strong leadership and management of the accounting services staff and functions of the department.
• Develops and oversees the University’s financial accounting system to account for receipt and expenditure of all funds and to report operating results in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and other authoritative literature.
• Oversee all day-to-day accounting operations, including treasury functions and activities, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, fixed assets and reconciliations.
• Reviews all daily, monthly, quarterly and annual journal entries, all weekly check, wire transactions and ACH disbursements, and maintains the University’s chart of accounts.
• Develops, reports and presents financial statements, including but not limited to monthly cash and investment statements, accounts receivable and payable, fixed capital assets, bond compliance, as well as execution of annual financial statement preparation of financial audits.
• Career Development
• Develops, updates and administers internal controls, accounting procedures, and financial policies to efficiently safeguard the University’s assets, including restricted/designated funds, endowments, grants, and capital projects.
• Lead annual external audit and coordinate with auditors to provide required documentation and support.
• Prepare and submit survey data to multiple government and regulatory agencies and information-sharing consortia, including IPEDS and Common Data Sets.
• Oversee the hiring and evaluation of professional and non-professional staff and provide opportunities for the development of professionals in the department for personnel sustainability and growth.
• Stays current with changes in accounting standards, higher education regulations, and best practices.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of GAAP, fund accounting, and financial reporting standards in higher education or nonprofit settings.
• Knowledge of workings of university structure, academic programs, policies and procedures.
• Leadership, supervision, planning and organization skills including team building, strategic planning, and continuous quality improvement.
• Effective written and oral communication skills; ability to communicate complex ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse constituencies across the University and the community.
• Ability to operate independently and collaboratively with a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong time management skills; ability to handle multiple tasks with accuracy while adhering to tight deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, and Outlook) and ability to operate other web-based platforms.
• Required Qualifications: Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Bachelor’s degree in any financial discipline such as accounting, economics, finance, or related field, seven (7) years of progressive accounting experience in a supervisory role, or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.
• Preferred Qualifications: Higher education management experience, Master’s degree in accounting or related field, public accounting experience, Ellucian Banner experience.