Director of Accounting and Reporting, Student Financial Services

Position Purpose

The Director of Accounting & Reporting, Student Financial Services, under the administrative direction of the Associate Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, provides oversight and leadership in Student Financial Services, which includes cashiering, collections, student accounts, and campus billing for main campus as well as four auxiliary business units.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary business administrator officer for Student Financial Services responsible for the oversight of the daily operations of Student Financial Services department.
• Ensure timely account analysis and maintain procedures that assure efficient processing for all student refunds in compliance with Department of Education Regulations.
• Manage the University's student debt collection efforts, including procedures and policies for returned checks, payment plans, institutional emergency loans, and other outstanding student indebtedness.
• Assure compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
• Oversee complex projects requiring considerable coordination with campus constituents as well as the CSU Chancellor's Office staff and other governmental agencies as appropriate.
• Exercise considerable discretionary decision making as it pertains to reviewing and preparing necessary journal entry transactions and planning daily tasks and work activities.
• Financial Management: Responsible for the financial management of areas under Student Financial Services management including developing and implementing fiscal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with appropriate government regulations and related accounting pronouncements (GAAP, GASB, FASB, etc.), and accurate and timely cash management, financial and managerial reporting, and financial account closeout procedures.
• Evaluate, develop, and implement policies and procedures to support the department, division and University.
• Perform special projects as directed by the AVP.

Qualifications

• Equivalent to a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration or related field and five (5) years of professional level accounting experience in a high-volume automated accounting department.
• Experience should include managing and leading various classifications of employees.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, and the ability to think strategically in the preparation, review, maintenance, and reporting of complex financial data.
• Strong demonstrated knowledge of general accounting functions to include applicable rules, regulations and internal controls.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, and familiarity with GASB and/or FASB standards for financial reporting.
• Ability to build queries/reports and analyze systems and processes within an automated financial system with an emphasis on improved efficiency.
• Management and leadership skills with the ability to be creative, make informed decisions, and inspire staff to perform successfully.
• Excellent interpersonal skills are necessary to communicate effectively with campus personnel, the State Controller's Office, other CSU entities, and governmental agencies.
• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Ability to supervise, direct, train, mentor, and evaluate a team of professional staff.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure, policies and procedures.
• Willingness to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• Ability to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.