Senior Accountant

TITLE: Senior Accountant 

DEPARTMENT: Finance and Administration 

REPORTS TO: Controller    

CLASSIFICATION: Staff-12 months 

EFFECTIVE DATE: TBD 

STANDARD WORK HOURS: 37.5 hours per week 

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full-Time  

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION: Exempt 

JOB SUMMARY:  

The purpose of the Senior Accountant is to manage and oversee the financial operations and accounting functions of the institution. This position plays a key role in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of financial records, preparing financial reports, and complying with relevant accounting standards. The role is essential in maintaining fiscal responsibility, transparency, and adherence to regulatory requirements within the university's financial framework.   

Under general supervision, performs standard accounting functions such as ledger maintenance, cost analysis, reconciliation, posting, and inventory control. Analyzes financial and operating data and prepares management reports and financial statements. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:  

• Analyzes and reviews budgets and expenditures for local, state, federal, and private funding, contracts, and grants ensuring compliance with fiscal accountability and reporting and funding requirements.
• Monitors and reviews accounting and related system reports for accuracy and completeness; prepares and reviews budget, revenue, expense, and payroll entries, invoices, and other accounting transactions.
• Analyzes revenue and expenditure trends, recommends appropriate budget levels, and ensures expenditure control.
• Advises and interprets policies to faculty, staff, and outside persons such as vendors and funding source representatives, explains billings and reports, and resolves related problems.
• Develops accounting applications; oversees the input and handling of financial data and reports for the institution's finance and human resources systems.
• May participate in auditing projects, as appropriate to individual operating needs.
• May coordinate the preparation of regularly scheduled and special billings and financial statements for local, state, federal, and private funding sources.
• May prepare accounting entries for pro-ration of indirect costs, letters of credit, salary reallocations, loan transactions, financial aid disbursements, refunds, and repayments.
• May develop, negotiate, and defend a unit's operating budget and consult with management of the unit on the fiscal aspects of program planning, salary recommendations, and other administrative actions.
• May supervise and/or lead lower graded staff and/or student employees.
• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:  

• Ability to analyze budgetary expenditures for compliance with funding agencies' budget, policies and procedures. 
• Spreadsheet software skills to quantify and illustrate routine financial reports, comparisons, impacts, and/or projections. 
• Account balancing and reconciling skills. 
• Knowledge of compu