About the Job

Provides strategic leadership, oversight, and direction for the Accounting function of the Finance Operations Center. Coordinating staff development and workload, developing strategic plans and initiatives, and implementing policy and processes on behalf of the central process owners in support of university financial transactions. Reports to the Finance Operations Center Director and has a dotted reporting line to the University’s Director of Accounting Services, ensuring streamlined strategic and operational collaboration. This position manages accounting and payroll accounting system entry for the entire University of Minnesota system.

Job Duties:

Strategic Financial Oversight, Analysis, and Management for the Finance Operations Center (40%)

• Prepare and validate journal entries, payroll distribution entries, and retro payroll distribution entries for the University, following University of Minnesota policy, generally accepted accounting principles, and following fund accounting rules for all types of funds.
• Maintain working knowledge of department processes and up-to-date written procedures, standards and metrics.
• Partner with accounting and payroll accounting process owners to modify business processes to meet current needs of the University.
• Ensure requests from colleges/departments for services and financial transactions comply with University policy; work with departments to ensure policy is understood, and work on behalf of policy owners to enforce policy. Work in partnership with the Director of Accounting Services to ensure entries made and services performed by the team are compliant with University policy. Support business process updates to improve efficiency and compliance. Report challenges and potential policy violations promptly.
• Work with finance support staff and leaders to ensure accurate and complete entries are made, team processes are effective and efficient, and service-related issues are promptly addressed.
• Partner with the Human Resources Operations Center to coordinate work on shared service requests.
• Oversee and complete complex financial transactions and high-level balance sheet account reconciliations as requested.
• Manage periodic and year-end reporting related to services provided and team performance, and as requested by the Director of Accounting Services or the University's Controller.
• Analyze financial data and reports for accuracy; investigate and address any discrepancies.
• Work with requesters, approvers and Chief Financial Managers (CFMs) to ensure entries made have clear business justifications and support that meet documentation standards.
• Review financial transactions, reconciliations and financial reports as needed and work with staff and CFMs to resolve discrepancies, find opportunities for more accurate financial documentation, pinpoint concerns surrounding fiscal control, and work with RRCs to resolve identified issues.

Management of Accounting and Finance team members (30%)

• Establish long-term departmental plans and priorities, allocate human resources, and manage workflow.
• Oversee onboarding for new team members.
• Provide training and coaching to develop and maintain a team that is knowledgeable of accounting processes, business trends, technology applications, and the University of Minnesota.
• Provide feedback on performance and assist with professional development goal setting and achievement.
• Motivate and engage the team by helping them understand how and why their work is an important part of achieving the University’s mission.

Professional Development (10%)

• Complete professional development, education, and training activities, consistent with the responsibilities of the position. Complete continued learning and development appropriate to work duties and for the pursuit of individual, unit, and institutional success.
• Develop and add to training manuals and procedures for the Operations Center.
• Develop and implement opportunities for staff development based on individual and departmental need including ongoing skills training, DEI development, professional learning, service & scholarly activity, and engagement & well-being.

Strategic Planning (10%)

• In collaboration with the Director of Accounting Services, identify, outline, and implement initiatives in accounting, chart of accounts, implementation of GASB pronouncements, reporting tool implementation, recommendations for modification to or creation of standard and ad hoc financial reports, financial reporting operations, etc. to provide direction to members of the Finance Operations Center and supported RRCs.
• Develop concrete plans to meet goals; Set and monitor overall goals such as operational improvements for FinOps accounting and payroll accounting services to support University, Controller, FinOps, and Accounting Services strategic plans.

Other duties as assigned which may include (10%):

• Perform special projects, lead and participate in workgroups.
• Recommend process improvements and system modifications.
• Ensure compliance with annual audit recommendations.
• Assist the director with establishing and implementing departmental strategies, goals, annual objectives, and long-range plans.

Qualifications

Required: BA/BS degree plus at least 8 years of accounting experience.

Preferred: 4 years of supervisory experience. Ability to interact with standard technology platforms (word processing, data entry, email, internet browsing, etc.). Experience in using data to make comparisons, perform verification and reconciliations, and compile reports. Ability to interpret typical financial data, perform sophisticated calculations, and draw conclusions. Expertise in accounting and financial reporting. Ability to find solutions to technical or operational problems. Experience in developing a team of finance professionals to deliver on results.