Controller

Belmont Abbey College’s mission is to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences so that in all things God may be glorified by maintaining institutional objectives that inspire students to embrace their full potential. Founded in 1876, the College is located in Belmont, North Carolina, a desirable suburb of Charlotte. The College is the apostolate of Belmont Abbey, a full and active monastery whose members welcome students and visitors to liturgy and fellowship. Belmont Abbey is a Newman Guide college recommended for their strong Catholic identity and is ranked #2 in undergraduate teaching in the South by U.S. News and World Report. As a liberal arts institution, Belmont Abbey College seeks to assist its students to become both liberally educated and well prepared for the tasks and responsibilities of professional life. This education combines liberal arts with professional majors and minors to better prepare students for careers. The Controller directs the day-to-day accounting operations of Belmont Abbey College and safeguards the integrity of its financial records. Reporting to the Vice President for Finance, the Controller maintains the general ledger in Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT, oversees the monthly and annual close, leads the preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for not-for-profit institutions, and serves as the College’s principal staff liaison to the external auditors. The Controller is responsible for the reconciliation and interface between Ellucian Colleague and Financial Edge, and works closely with the Offices of Student Accounts, Financial Aid, Admissions, and Advancement to ensure that student, gift and endowment activity is recorded accurately and on schedule. The position is hands-on and generalist in character, as is typical at an institution of the College’s size. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Accounting and Financial Reporting The Controller will: maintain the general ledger and chart of accounts in Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT; supervise all journal entries, subsidiary ledger reconciliations and monthly and year-end closing procedures; prepare monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements, including the statement of financial position, statement of activities, statement of cash flows, and related footnote disclosures; administer fund accounting for net assets with and without donor restrictions, including endowment unitization, market value allocation and calculation of the annual endowment spending distribution; reconcile Ellucian Colleague student accounts receivable, tuition and fee revenue, institutional aid, and housing activity to the Financial Edge general ledger each period and resolve variances promptly; prepare or coordinate the annual Form 990, the IPEDS Finance Survey, state filings, and other required regulatory reports. Audit and Compliance The Controller will: serve as the primary staff contact for the annual financial statement audit and, where applicable, the Uniform Guidance single audit; prepare the audit schedules, the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards, and supporting workpapers; ensure compliance with Title IV federal student aid requirements, including monthly reconciliation of federal funds among Colleague, the G5 system, and the general ledger, and timely completion of the FISAP; monitor compliance with debt covenants, bond reporting obligations, and any financial reporting required by SACSCOC or other accrediting and regulatory bodies; maintain the College’s records retention practices for accounting documents and support responses to auditor and regulator inquiries. Operations and Internal Control The Controller will: oversee accounts payable, payroll accounting, student accounts receivable, cash receipts, purchasing card administration, and bank and investment account reconciliation; develop, document, and monitor internal controls and written accounting policies; recommend improvements to segregation of duties, approval thresholds, and transaction workflow; manage the College’s daily cash position and short-term liquidity in coordination with the Vice President for Finance; coordinate with the Office of Institutional Advancement on the recording, reconciliation, and reporting of gifts, pledges, and restricted funds between the advancement system and the general ledger. Budget, Analysis, and Systems The Controller will: support the Vice President for Finance in developing the annual operating and capital budgets and in producing monthly budget-to-actual reporting for deans, department chairs, and administrative directors; provide analysis and modeling of net tuition revenue, the institutional financial aid discount rate, and enrollment-driven scenarios in support of institutional planning; serve as the finance office’s functional owner of Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT and of the finance-related functions of Ellucian Colleague; partner with Information Technology on upgrades, integrations, security roles, and process automation; design and maintain recurring management reports and dashboards for the President’s Cabinet and the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees. Leadership and Service The Controller will: supervise, train, and evaluate business office staff; establish workload priorities, closing calendars, and cross-training plans; serve as a resource to faculty and staff across the College on financial policy, account structure, and proper use of institutional funds; represent the finance office on institutional committees and in interactions with the Abbey, vendors, and external partners; perform other duties as assigned in support of the College’s mission. Required Qualifications A Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field. An active CPA license. Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including direct supervision of staff. Working knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles for not-for-profit organizations, including net asset classification and presentation under ASU 2016-14. Demonstrated working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) pronouncements. Advanced spreadsheet skills and demonstrated proficiency with an integrated accounting or enterprise resource planning system. Demonstrated experience leading or substantially supporting an external financial statement audit. Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to explain financial matters clearly to non-financial colleagues. Willingness to support the Catholic, Benedictine mission of Belmont Abbey College. Preferred Qualifications Master’s degree in accounting, business, economics, finance, or related field. Direct experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT and with Ellucian Colleague, including reconciliation between the two systems. Familiarity with endowment accounting, gift administration, and coordination with an advancement office. Prior experience in non-profit or small, private higher education is a plus. Belmont Abbey College is being assisted by Hyatt – Fennell, Executive Search. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should be submitted via email to BACCont@hyatt-fennell.com. Applications include a letter of interest, a current résumé/cv, and contact information for five professional references, submitted in separate documents. The position will remain open until filled. All applications and nominations will be considered highly confidential. Belmont Abbey College will not tolerate harassment and/or discrimination of any kind against any person or group of individuals because of age, race, national origin, sex, religion, or disability. Harassment is defined as any behavior (verbal, written, or physical) that abuses, demeans, or victimizes any person based on the above distinctions.