Senior Accountant - Endowment and Gifts Accounting

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintains accounting records for all endowment funds, including true endowments, term endowments, annuities, and quasi-endowments.
• Records endowment contributions, investment activity, spending distributions, fees, and reallocations.
• Reconciles endowment balances between the general ledger, investment custodian statements, and endowment management systems.
• Maintains compliance with donor restrictions and applicable state and federal regulations, including Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA).
• Calculates and records endowment spending allocations in accordance with university policies.
• Serves as a key liaison between Finance, Development, Investment Management, and academic departments, supporting the stewardship of donor funds and the integrity of endowment accounting.
• Supports audits, annual financial reporting, and ensures compliance with gift agreements and endowment spending policies.

Gift Accounting

• Reviews, reconciles, and monitors charitable contributions, pledges, planned gifts, and donor-restricted gifts.
• Ensures gifts are accurately classified and recorded in compliance with donor agreements and accounting standards.
• Collaborates with Development staff to resolve discrepancies and improve data integrity.
• Maintains restricted fund balances and ensures expenditures comply with donor intent.

Financial Reporting

• Prepares monthly, quarterly, and annual reports related to endowments, gifts, and restricted funds.
• Supports preparation of audited financial statements and related disclosures.
• Prepares and analyzes schedules supporting net assets with donor restrictions.
• Assists in developing management reports for university leadership, trustees, and investment committees.
• Provides financial analysis related to endowment performance, gift utilization, and fund activity.

Audit and Compliance

• Serves as primary contact for external auditors regarding endowment, investment, and gift accounting.
• Prepares audit workpapers and supporting documentation.
• Ensures compliance with GAAP, institutional policies, investment policy, donor agreements, and regulatory requirements.
• Assists with implementation and documentation of internal controls over gifts, endowments, and investments.

Process Improvement

• Identifies opportunities to enhance accounting processes, reporting capabilities, and internal controls.
• Participates in financial system upgrades, integrations, and process automation initiatives.
• Develops and maintains policies and procedures related to gift and endowment accounting.
• Provides training and guidance to departmental stakeholders regarding restricted funds and endowment management.

Other Functions

• Maintains confidentiality of sensitive or private information.
• Communicates with employees, students, and others in a respectful and clear manner.
• Serves on University committees, councils, workgroups, or other designated bodies as assigned.
• Achieves, maintains proficiency in, and utilizes computers, telephones, and other job-related equipment, including related systems and software.
• Speaks, reads, and writes in English.
• Communicates by telephone, email, letter, in person, or other means or device.
• Performs other tasks as assigned by supervisor.