Assistant Controller

St. Lawrence University seeks applications for an Assistant Controller position.

Position Summary
Supervise the accounts payable, treasury management, and general accounting functions of the Business Office to ensure that the university’s resources are expended in accordance with appropriate guidelines and financial activity is recorded in an accurate and timely manner. This position collaborates closely with and is a direct report to the Controller.

Duties/Responsibilities

The Assistant Controller will directly supervise the employees in the following positions:

Two Staff Accountants responsible for applying accounting principles to complete daily, monthly, and yearly accounting tasks to support the Business Office in producing accurate and complete financial reports.

Accounts Payable Specialist responsible for review and data entry of invoices, flagging invoices for payment, and paying according to their due date and appropriate payment method.

Principal Clerk (Accounting) responsible for a variety of accounting transactions such as counting and recording cash deposits, monitoring online banking activity, miscellaneous data entry, sales tax reporting, and investment processing.
 

1. Oversee the accounting and reporting for auxiliary operations, foreign programs, university debt, and deferred giving.
2. Administer government and private grant financial activity and compliance.
3. Work with the Purchasing Department in managing the university purchasing/travel card program and SupplierPay platform for vendor payments.
4. Manage the tax reporting requirements for international students, employees, and vendors.
5. Administer the month-end financial close process to ensure that feeds and entries are recorded correctly and in a timely manner.
6. Assist in producing ad hoc reports and completing financial surveys.
7. Communicate with all campus departments in regards to university accounting policies and procedures, transactional issues, Colleague accounting system, and special payment issues. Answer questions and resolve related issues.
8. Serve as departmental expert for Colleague Finance and related reporting tools (e.g. CROA, Synoptix). Assist other accounting users in understanding and using these systems.
9. Administer budget view access and set up of approvals for requisitions and payment requests in Colleague accounting system.
10. Administer calendar year-end reporting obligations (e.g. 1099 and 1098 tax statements)
11. Manage the treasury function, including cashflow, balance monitoring, and managing the relationship with banking partners. Work with foreign program directors regarding cash needs.
12. Assist in fiscal year-end closing and preparation of annual financial statements and related audit. This requires analyzing payments and accounts, preparing year-end journal entries, adjusting/removing encumbrances, preparing work papers and schedules, testing transactions, assisting auditors.
13. Other tasks as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or related field. Four or more years of progressively responsible accounting and managerial experience and demonstrated knowledge of accounting principles. Must be able to maintain discretion when working with highly sensitive and confidential information. Must be capable of working collegially with a diverse group of faculty, staff, and students. Excellent attention to detail.

Exceptions to the minimum qualifications may be made for a uniquely qualified applicant and in consideration, of the preferred qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA certification. Master’s degree in accounting, finance or related field. Work experience in higher education, non-profit, or similar business setting. Work experience with accounts payable, grant administration, or investment accounting. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Ability to exercise good judgment and decision making within assigned authority. Strong prioritization skills to consistently meet deadlines. Experience working with Colleague, or similar enterprise accounting system. Demonstrated ability to use financial systems and information. Strong proficiency of Microsoft software, particularly Excel.

Interested applicants must apply online at http://employment.stlawu.edu uploading all required materials which are defined in the “special instructions to applicant” section.  Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Questions about the position may be directed to Sebastian Notaro, Controller, snotaro@stlawu.edu.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the finalist successfully passing a background (including criminal records) check.