Director of Accounting & Financial Reporting

Duties and Responsibilities

• Financial Reporting & Audit Management
  • Lead the preparation of annual consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP.
  • Manage the external audit process, serving as the primary liaison between the University and independent auditors to ensure a timely, accurate, and “clean” opinion.
  • Oversee the audit and compliance requirements for the University’s 403(b) retirement savings plans in alignment with Department of Labor (DOL) regulations.
  • Direct the financial reporting for University subsidiaries, including the review of external management company statements for real estate holdings and the preparation of consolidated reporting.
  • Maintain the integrity of the General Ledger, ensuring all financial information meets University standards and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Treasury, Debt, & Asset Management
  • Manage debt compliance and bond commitments, including debt service payments, bank covenant monitoring, and Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA) reporting.
  • Ensure rigorous internal controls for tuition application and cash handling.
  • Responsible for institutional compliance regarding the generation and distribution of year-end 1098-T tax statements.
  • Optimize cash management strategies to maximize short-term investment returns while ensuring sufficient working capital for University operations.
  • Oversee fixed asset accounting, including software maintenance and depreciation calculations for the University, its subsidiaries, and the Jesuit Community.
  • Cook up capital accounting, partnering with the Budget Department on Construction in Progress (CIP) and capitalized interest entries.
• Analysis & Strategic Partnership
  • Provide expert financial analysis and data-driven insights to address campus-wide issues and support strategic decision-making.
  • Collaborate across Finance and Administration to ensure data accuracy for financial planning, institutional reports, and tax returns (Form 990).
  • Manage external reporting requirements, fulfilling surveys and data requests for external entities and internal departments with precision.
• Leadership & Administration
  • Supervise and develop a high-performing accounting and Cashier’s office team, with responsibility for hiring, training, workload distribution, and conducting annual performance reviews.
  • Participate in University governance through committee service and perform other strategic duties as assigned by the Controller or CFO.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or closely related field from an accredited business school.
• Five or more years of professional accounting experience.
• Experience with preparation of financial statements.
• Strong understanding of banking processes and financial data analysis, and current generally accepted accounting principles.
• Working knowledge of national and local tax regulations and compliance reporting.
• An exemplary history of financial project management.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and working knowledge of their Google App equivalents.
• Interest in understanding and supporting John Carroll’s mission to inspire individuals to excel in learning, leadership, and service in the region and in the world.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Public Accountant license.
• Experience with fund accounting.
• Experience in overseeing payroll and/or purchasing functions.
• Experience at a Higher Education institution.
• Ellucian Banner and Tableau software experience.
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration or equivalent advanced degree.

About John Carroll University

John Carroll University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit Catholic university, founded in 1886, dedicated to developing people with the knowledge and character to lead and to serve. The University is located in University Heights, Ohio, an attractive residential suburb 10 miles east of downtown Cleveland. Academically, the University consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and the Boler College of Business, which include graduate programs. The University offers more than 70 Academic Programs in the arts, social sciences, natural sciences, and business at the undergraduate level, and in select areas at the master’s level. The University enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students and has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1. John Carroll University is one of 27 Jesuit universities in the United States and has been listed in U.S. News & World Report magazine’s top 10 rankings of Midwest regional universities for more than 30 consecutive years.