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Location: Raleigh, NC
Essential Job Duties:
As the Assistant Director and Financial Operations Supervisor, you will provide formal leadership and accounting oversight for a centralized financial operations team supporting Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Travel, Procurement Card, and related financial systems. Reporting to the Director of Business Services, you will direct workflow, oversee high-risk financial activity, strengthen internal controls, and ensure financial transactions are processed accurately and in accordance with applicable federal, state, and university requirements.
You will serve as a key resource and decision-maker for complex financial and compliance matters, applying accounting principles, regulatory requirements, and institutional policies across multiple funding sources. A significant component of this role is oversight of federally regulated programs, including USDA NIFA, Hatch, Hatch Multistate, and Smith-Lever funds, with responsibility for ensuring expenditures are appropriately evaluated for allowability, allocability, and classification. You will also provide oversight of CALS' unique Ledger 4 structure, which combines federal, state, and receipt-supported funds within a single ledger and requires careful application of the appropriate regulatory and accounting framework.
In collaboration with the Director, you will support the implementation of organizational initiatives and Business Services priorities while providing leadership to staff and promoting consistent, effective financial operations. Your oversight will help protect the integrity of financial reporting, mitigate financial and regulatory risk, and support compliance across a complex funding environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Supervision & Team Leadership
- Provide direct supervision, performance management, coaching, and professional development for financial operations staff.
- Assign, prioritize, and monitor workload across functional areas to support timely processing, balanced team capacity, and compliance.
- Oversee staff onboarding and training, ensuring understanding of accounting principles, financial systems, and funding-specific requirements.
- Promote consistency in financial processing, internal controls, and service delivery while addressing recurring operational issues and implementing corrective actions.
- Review, approve, and oversee high-risk and complex financial transactions to ensure accurate accounting treatment, appropriate documentation, and regulatory compliance.
- Oversee financial activity across federal, state, and receipt-supported funds, including Ledger 4 project structures and applicable funding requirements.
- Monitor reconciliations, financial data integrity, and internal controls while ensuring timely identification and resolution of discrepancies.
- Resolve complex financial and compliance issues requiring interpretation of accounting principles, regulatory guidance, and system functionality.
- Interpret and apply University, State, Federal, and Sponsored Program regulations, including USDA NIFA, Hatch, Hatch Multistate, and Smith-Lever requirements.
- Ensure financial activity complies with applicable federal cost principles, internal controls, documentation standards, and audit requirements.
- Monitor audit findings, compliance risks, and corrective actions and recommend improvements to strengthen controls and reduce financial and operational risk.
- Serve as an escalation point for complex policy interpretation and compliance-related decisions.
- Partner with the Director to implement organizational initiatives and support the operational execution of Business Services priorities.
- Monitor operational performance, workload distribution, service levels, and productivity using dashboards, performance metrics, and data analytics.
- Lead process improvements and standardized operating procedures that enhance efficiency, consistency, compliance, and customer service.
- Coordinate workload balancing and operational resources in response to changing business needs and recommend improvements based on operational data and performance.
- Support employee development, cross-training, succession planning, and performance management within the assigned system.
- Communicate financial policies, compliance requirements, process changes, and decisions clearly to departments, faculty, staff, and campus partners.
- Serve as a liaison between CORE, central offices, and departments on financial operations, compliance matters, and system improvements.
- Translate complex accounting and regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance for non-financial stakeholders.
Other Work/Responsibilities:
In addition to the core responsibilities of this role, there may be occasional opportunities to take on additional duties. This offers an opportunity to build on your skills, explore new areas, and gain a deeper understanding of the department's operations.
Minimum Experience/Education:
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, business, finance, or other discipline related to the area of assignment with 12 credit hours of accounting coursework and three years of professional accounting experience, of which at least one is supervisory; or equivalent combination of training and experience.
Required Qualifications:
- Supervise and support staff while establishing clear priorities, expectations, and accountability.
- Knowledge of PeopleSoft Financials or similar financial reporting systems, accounts payable processes, and related financial policies and procedures.
- Communicate effectively and provide responsive, professional customer service when working with faculty, staff, college leadership, and central university offices.
- Manage a high volume of work, competing priorities, frequent interruptions, and changing requirements while maintaining organization and timely follow-through.
- Ability to work independently with a high degree of accuracy, efficiency, sound judgment, and attention to detail.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Background in finance within a higher education, government, or research institution.
- Familiarity with federally regulated funding sources, including USDA NIFA, Hatch, Hatch Multistate, or Smith-Lever programs.
- Supervisory experience overseeing financial operations across multiple functional areas.
- Knowledge of audit processes and internal control practices.
- Advanced proficiency with Excel and financial reporting capabilities.
- Familiarity with centralized financial services environments.
Required License or Certification:
N/A
AA/EEO Statement:
NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.
If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.
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