Lead Asset Accountant

Lead Asset Accountant

University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz

Department: Finance Office - Financial Services

Position #: 00770194 - Requisition #: 39616

Job Summary:

This Lead Asset Accountant position exists to assist the Business Analysis & Reporting unit specifically with capital asset and financed purchases accounting. This position will serve as a work lead by providing expert level guidance and direction to other team members and will supervise a Finance and Accounting professional and a student worker.

The Business Analysis & Reporting unit within Financial Services is responsible for cost accounting, pooled interest earnings (PIE), long-term assets and liabilities, space functionalization, and State reporting.

This exciting opportunity gives you the chance to:

• Participate in professional development opportunities to grow your career.
• Build relationships with other departmental staff, focused on understanding needs along with opportunities for improving processes.
• Partner with other financial staff in developing key financial performance tools and share them with departmental stakeholders.
• Participate in a complex organization involving sponsored research, instruction, clinical functions.
• Become part of a department where inclusiveness and culture are valued.

We are looking for someone with

• positive energy, motivation, vision, and a desire for continuous learning,
• a strategic mind-set and forward-thinking,
• a belief that strong relationships are key to success,
• a can-do attitude,
• a focus on providing solutions based on the requirements and necessary outcomes of those whom we serve.

Key Responsibilities

Capital Assets and Government Property - 85%

• Manage and perform the collection and data maintenance of capital assets including land, improvements, buildings, equipment, capital software, capital gift-in-kind, library materials, and collections in the PeopleSoft Asset Management system (PSAM).
• Ensure capital assets are recorded in the general ledger and depreciated according to GAAP.
• Oversee the capital asset tagging process.
• Oversee and reconcile journal entries for items related to additions, disposals, corrections and depreciation based on the analysis of the PSAM system and related general ledger financial data.
• Coordinate and oversee biennial inventory of capital equipment.
• Ensure established university policies are followed for Capital Assets and Government Property.
• Oversee various processes of disposing, transferring in/out, and trading in/out for capital assets.
• Create, maintain, and lead trainings related to capital assets and government property for Pre/Post Award, Campus Departments, and Principal Investigators.

Financed Purchases Accounting - 5%

• Ensure that financed purchases are recorded in the general ledger and capitalized according to GAAP.
• Maintain Financed Purchases tracking spreadsheet and process journal entries as necessary.
• Reconcile Financed Purchases tracking spreadsheet to the general ledger.

Other - 10%

• Serve as work lead over the entry level accountant and/or student worker/s.
• Responsible for assisting with fiscal year-end closing tasks, writing and/or reviewing procedures as necessary and making recommendations for new procedures and/or improvements.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

Work Location: Hybrid - this role is eligible for a hybrid schedule of 2 days per week on campus and as needed for in-person meetings.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, business administration or a directly related field from an accredited institution with 24 semester hours in accounting or auditing.
  Substitution: Three years of professional level accounting or finance experience.

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience that includes analyzing data, determining its meaning and how it fits together in order to determine a course of action.
• Experience with the administration and culture of an academic research institution.
• Leadership experience within a management role or position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of accounting theories, principles, and practices of a university plant and reserve fund, government property, capital acquisitions, transfers, and disposal of assets as set forth by applicable authoritative organizations and agencies.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Government Accounting Standard Board.
• Outstanding customer service skills.
• Ability to keep an open mind for improving existing processes and procedures.
• Ability to plan, organize, and meet deadlines, work under pressure, and organize multiple projects or tasks. Able to follow through with ideas and commitments with limited supervision.
• Ability to work with a large database including writing and modifying queries, creating tables, and importing and exporting data.
• Ability to set and prioritize workload, identify short- and long-term goals and develop strategies to meet expectations.