Director of Accounting (Hybrid)

Department: Accounting Services
Salary/Grade: EXS/11

Target hiring range for this position will be between $125K to $166K per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary:

Reporting directly to the Controller, the Accounting Director is responsible for overall operational accounting, treasury operations including e-commerce, and core general ledger maintenance. This role also supports periodic/ad hoc financial reporting, planning, and analysis, as well as the annual external financial statement audit. The Accounting Director:

• Directs accounting professional staff across functions including cash, receivables, plant, balance sheet and funds.
• Directs Accounting Manager. Manager is responsible for:
• General Accounting Services tasks across all areas, coordinating with technical support functions, COA integrity, accounting period openings and closings, and system processing roles. Provides oversight of reconciliation software, account reconciliations, and balancing of ledger.
• All aspects of University Depository Services, including cashiering operations, stored value cards, and future initiatives, and all aspects of Depository Services' transactional activity (journals, bank wire/ACH transactions, CRTs, etc).
• Directs Accounting Manager, Capital and Debt. Manager is responsible for:
• Life cycle of capital assets, such as the capitalization policy, lease accounting, construction in process tracking, depreciation, componentization, and impairment.
• Management of the equipment tagging program and annual equipment inventory
• Accounting for the University's short and long-term debt portfolio
• Providing guidance and operational strategies related to accounting treatment, financial reporting, planning and analysis, significant/unusual transactions, and technical updates
• Manages all aspects of University e-Commerce Services
• Merchant chard policy, procedures, and Payment Card Industry (PCI DSS) compliance
• Manages daily relationship with PCI DSS external partner and subject matter expert, including developing and implementing overall compliance strategy, overseeing departmental outreach, managing interaction and contractual arrangements with vendors, and supervising coordination between our partner and the Accounting Manager's team.
• Contributes to preparation/review of monthly, quarterly and yearend financial statements and serves as one of the primary audit contacts.
• Responsible for ST/LT planning: operational improvements, responses to financial reporting changes, professional development of staff and cross-training, and collaboration with other units to provide better services.
• Develops policies and procedures for accounting operations and transaction processing and reporting for compliance with special reporting requirements. Develops communications about accounting forms, and training materials for university business staff on financial forms and transactions. Applies industry and professional standards, interprets University policy and procedure, federal or state laws, and other regulations, and recommends accounting policy.
• Coordinates with Financial Operations IT and NUIT financial system support teams on system improvements, troubleshooting, and testing functionality. Designs new accounting policy and procedures required by system implementations, including internal controls.
• Supports Controller initiatives.
• Manages more than one university accounting-related area or program
• Manages daily, monthly, quarterly and annual financial processes for the area or program.
• Applies industry and professional standards, interprets university policy and procedure, federal and state laws and other regulations; recommends accounting policy for the university.
• Represents &/or guides business area on internal & external financial affairs & is viewed as an expert resource regarding area's financial affairs.
• Accounting policy & procedure
• Accounts receivable
• Analysis
• Audit
• Balancing
• Bank and balance sheet acct
• Bank deposits
• Cash receipt
• Chart &/or account coding
• Creating new accounts
• Financial Statements
• Journal &/or ledger
• Petty cash
• Plant, debt & loan acct
• Reconciliation
• Reporting

Please note: Supervisor provides objectives & deadlines. Work is reviewed for fulfillment of objective & deadlines & overall compliance with policy & procedures. EE completes some activities without direction, informing supervisor only of potentially controversial matters, &/or far-reaching implications.

Specific Responsibilities:

Analysis, Statements & Reporting:

• Measures individual net performance of all areas/units as well as consolidated area/unit income statement & balance sheet with the use of pre-defined analytical financial tools.
• Recommends changes to tools to improve analysis, forecasting, modeling & reporting & ultimately quality of financial information & analyses provided to management for planning, evaluating & controlling operations.
• Establishes proper accounting & audit trails for revenue & expenses related to programs & initiatives.
• Oversees monthly reconciliation & reports on current financial performance, impact on year-end forecast & opportunities & risks.
• Prepares area or program financial statements and regulatory reports.
• Acts as the key contact for external auditors; prepares financial statement and audit work papers.
• Prepares sections of the university's annual financial report.
• Performs complex financial account reconciliations, statement analysis, and transaction research
• Establishes and communicates the University calendar for daily, monthly, quarterly and annual accounting and financial processes for the areas or programs.

Transactions:

• Ensures compliance of financial processes & systems including the implementation & monitoring of financial controls & training of managers with financial responsibilities in accordance with all associated NU, local, state & federal rules & regulations.
• Manages completion of annual fiscal year-end close.
• Coordinates with Budget Office & other schools/depts for proper recording of cross school/dept transactions.
• Prepares consolidated financial statement to report final net position; & partners with Budget Office to provide variances from expected performance.
• Oversees processing of all daily financial transactional activity.
• Reviews status of related university unit accounts and processes; troubleshoots issues as needed.
• Manages overall University general ledger chart field maintenance

Administration:

• Identifies current & future resource planning & allocation issues & develops, leads, & supervises complex studies & analyses that will assist senior staff in reaching resource planning and allocation decisions.
• Processes & presents associated data & information through the application of sophisticated database, graphic & spreadsheet tools.
• Acts as project manager for design and implementation of regulatory and system changes.
• Ensures that service level goals are met.

Training:

• Provides training and support to related university units or program participants
• Develops and maintains website content and training materials

Supervision:

• Supervises employees
• Trains employees
• Hires employees
• Evaluates employees' performance
• Provides work direction to other employees

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as accounting, business administration, finance, or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.

• Five years senior accounting responsibility and two years supervisory and/or auditing experience.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Excellent computer skills including proficiency in the use of spreadsheet, database and word processing software.

• Strong understanding of financial reporting.

• Familiarity with FASB requirements.

• Familiarity with external audit process

• Strong analytical skills and ability to walk from transaction level to summary level for advisory or policy-setting conversations with management and campus partners

• Ability to manage priorities for self and team. Well organized and able to ensure deliverables are met on time and anticipates and communicates implementation or workload issues.

• Experience setting a tone and expectation of excellence, continual improvement, and strong customer service.

• Intellectually inquisitive: knowledgeable and about and open to leading changes and continuous process improvement

Preferred Qualifications:

• CFE-Certified Fraud Examiner

• CIA-Certified Internal Auditor

• CISA-Certified Information Systems Auditor

• CPA-Certified Public Accountant

• Strongly prefer experience or familiarity with general, capital, and debt accounting in non-profit private university environment

• Experience or familiarity with PCI DSS compliance preferred, but not a prerequisite

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Strong conceptual understanding of accounting theory and financial systems.

• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with others, with a customer service attitude.

• Genuine interest in expanding technical knowledge (system and GAAP).

• Leadership style that is both consultative and confident. Inspires trust and cooperation with internal and external partners.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.