Financial Operations Manager, Office for Advancement

Application Deadline:               Friday, November 01, 2019

Salary & Benefits:                     Starting Salary is $47,498.66 as per the Santa Fe College Salary Schedule.  Compensation package is comprised of many college paid benefits including health and life insurance, retirement, leave time, and tuition waivers for Santa Fe College and the University of Florida.

Classification:                            Full-time, Technical/Professional, Pay Grade PT5, Exempt.

Location:                                    Northwest Campus, 3000 NW 83^rd Street, Building F Gainesville, Florida, 32606.

Overview:   Santa Fe College (SF) has been recognized as one of the top-rated community college in the United States.  Santa Fe College is a student-centered institution with a commitment to open access, academic excellence, and cultural and ethnic diversity.  Santa Fe College is a comprehensive public college that offers a range of Bachelor’s degrees, Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degree options, as well as Certificate and Non-Degree programs.  A high quality of life, temperate climate, proximity to the University of Florida, diverse cultural events, and plentiful recreational opportunities make SF and Gainesville an ideal community to work and live.  SF enrolls over 16,000 students each semester, retains and completes over 60% of students every academic year, while over 10% transfer into the University system.

The Office for Advancement serves to advance the mission of Santa Fe College and is committed to serving the higher education and lifelong learning needs of Alachua and Bradford County residents.  The Office for Advancement serves to seek, secure and manage external funding from both private and public resources for the benefit and advancement of Santa Fe College students.  To accomplish these tasks the Office for Advancement includes, the SF Foundation, a non-profit corporation organized to support Santa Fe College under a separate corporate charter and Board of Directors, as well as the Office of Sponsored Projects (Grants).  The Foundation is tasked with cultivating and providing stewardship for private donations with an emphasis on honoring and maintaining the intent of the donor, while the Office of Sponsored Projects (Grants) is charged with seeking, securing, and managing resources offered through the public sector, including local, state and federal agencies. 

The Office for Advancement is seeking a Financial Operations Manager to provide leadership and professional accounting services to the Foundation and Office of Sponsored Projects with a focus on quality customer service to internal and external entities of the college, the Foundation’s Board of Directors, as well as private donors and program officers.  The Financial Operations Manager provides assistance in the performance of various finance and fund raising functions that play a critical role in the financial operations of the Foundation and Office of Sponsored Projects, including supervision of accounting transactions, managerial accounting analysis and decision support, as well as the preparation of financial statements, reports, and other data.  This position will recommend general accounting procedures and processes to ensure compliance with the Internal Revenue Service rules governing 501(c)(3) non-profits, College rules, guidelines and procedures, Florida State laws, regulations governing administration and reporting, and various federal, state and local funding agencies, including the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).

The Financial Operations manager must possess proficient knowledge of the practices of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and stay adept regarding changes and updates to accounting standards to ensure reliable information is provided to the Santa Fe College community, the Foundation Board of Directors, state agencies, federal and local entities.  This position must exercise professional judgment at all times, such as during the formulation of policies and procedures, and when performing analysis and account management to ensure accuracy and compliance.  Supervisory experience with the ability to understand the internal operations of the Foundation, various grants, and the associated internal policies and procedures that impact the Foundation and SF College are essential to the successful performance of this position.

Responsibilities and duties include:

• Supervise the daily accounting and financial activities of the Foundation and the Office of Sponsored Projects.
• Process and analyze financial transactions.
• Coordinate, prepare for and facilitate the annual external financial audit of the Foundation, including drafting financial statements, preparation of notes to financial statements, as well as the accompanying management discussion and financial statement analysis.
• Oversee the day-to-day management of the Foundation’s marketable securities portfolio in collaboration with the Associate Vice President for Advancement and outside investment managers.
• Oversee the day-to-day management of the Foundation’s real estate investments and provide guidance to outside property managers concerning the monthly reporting requirements necessary to maintain adequate fiscal controls.
• Suggest and assist with the implementation and adherence of accounting practices, policies, and procedures that support efficiencies.
• Prepare periodic management reports related to performance of the investments and success in fundraising.
• In conjunction with the Director of Sponsored Projects, oversee all accounting and reporting duties related to the submission of grants and grant awards, including the formulation of budgets and methodologies to successfully compete for public resources.
• Manage and account for public resources in a manner that meets the programmatic and reporting needs.
• Supervise the Office for Advancement’s Senior Accounting Specialist.
• Provide and promote service excellence through courteous, informed, accessible and professional engagement.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The Financial Operations Manager will assist in donor cultivation, donor outreach, and donor management by:

• Raising funds for the benefit of students.
• Raising awareness of the College and the College’s impact on the communities served by SF.
• Providing opportunities for donors and prospective donors to interact with students.
• Communicating to prospective donors the ways they can make a difference in the lives of SF students by contributing.
• Educating donors and prospective donors about the programs at the College.
• Rewarding donors through close experiences with the programs they help support.
• Facilitating private funding by assisting the Foundation’s Board of Directors with the means to solicit private donations.

Reports to:

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:  A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting with four (4) years of accounting experience or experience in a related financial field.

Additional Requirements: This position also requires demonstrated supervisory experience with a focus on quality customer service and proven team leadership skills A criminal background check will be conducted.

Preferred: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure with a working knowledge of Governmental Accounting Standards Board accounting principles, as well as grants accounting, reporting, rules and regulations are preferred, as is knowledge and experience with the evaluation, acquisition, and implementation of specialized accounting and reporting applications. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Analytical Aptitude & Problem Solving - able to analyze information, problems, situations, practices and/or procedures, collect and interpret data, reason logically, establish facts, identify and define existing and potential issues, recognize the interrelationships among elements, draw valid conclusions, develop recommendations, as well as alternative courses of action, select appropriate course, follow up, and evaluate.
• Leadership – has demonstrated success as an entrepreneurial, high energy, driven, hands-on leader.  Possess expertise in selecting, training, developing, coaching, mentoring, and retaining a highly motivated workforce.
• Organization & Time Management – able to plan, schedule, and organize tasks related to the job to achieve goals within or ahead of established time frames.
• Problem Solving – proven skills in identifying issues, determining their cause, developing creative solutions, and following through with implementing resolutions.
• Relationship Management – able to personally provide high level of interactive service to others, building relationships and addressing identified needs.
• Team Orientation & Interpersonal – highly motivated team player with ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with all levels within and external to the organization.
• Systems & Software - proficient level of knowledge of Microsoft Office and/or relevant position software programs.
• Ability to work successfully in a multi-cultural environment.

Application Process:  All applicants must submit a completed online SF Employment Application, a letter of intent, an up-to-date resume, as well as college transcripts to be considered for this position. Unofficial transcripts are only accepted for review purposes, official transcripts are required prior to any offer of employment being made.