Associate Director, Finance and Accounting

Department
 

College The College

About the Department
 

The Office of the College Dean, located in Harper Memorial Library, oversees the academic and operational administration of the College, including curriculum and academic programs, finance and budgeting, study abroad and second language acquisition initiatives, Development and Alumni Relations, Housing and Residential Life, Summer Session, the Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts, and grant administration.

The College is comprised of the College Dean’s office, four Collegiate Divisions, the Office of Research and Teaching Innovations, 14 units under the collegiate division organization; the Dean of Students office with its 4 subsidiaries – the College Programming Office, the College Core Tutor Program, the Office of College Community Standards and the Center for College Student Success; the Study Abroad Office, College Information Technology, the Arley Cathey Learning Center, the Society of Fellows, Summer Quarter, College Writing Program, and the Chicago Center for Teaching and Learning.

Job Summary
 

Reporting to and in close partnership with the Executive Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, the Associate Director, Finance and Accounting oversees and supports College- and unit-level financial operations, including budget planning and forecasting, accounts payable and receivable, and reconciliation and closing activities. The Associate Director is expected to serve a critical role in ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting, collaborating with stakeholders to optimize financial performance and compliance, and enhancing the financial functions critical to the success of our diverse unit. The Associate Director supervises one full-time employee.

Responsibilities

• Manages accounting functions in the College, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, and reconciliation and closing activities. Works closely with central University units to properly record transactions and mitigate risk. Ensures College practices are followed in accordance with University policy and generally accepted accounting practices.
• Accounts Payable and Procurement - oversees the accounts payable cycle for vendor payments, stipends, and non-payroll payments to individuals, including employee reimbursements. Consults on vendor and independent contractor set-up and advises units on procurement best practices. Manages and audits the employee credit card program and out-of-pocket expense reimbursements.
• Accounts receivable - oversees the accounts receivable cycle for funds owed to the College, including internal billing, fund transfers, third party payments, and refunds. Advise units on receivables best practices.
• Gifts and Endowments - manages the accounting for revenues and expenses related to annual gifts and endowments, working with the appropriate University partners to create/modify chart of account values, record entries, and transfer funds to accurately capture the activity.
• RATS - retires 500+ individual research and teaching supplement accounts (RATS) and migrates faculty-specific information into Oracle Financials. Reviews faculty-initiated transactions to confirm eligibility for College support. Updates supplement payments quarterly to recognize new teaching and service. Reconciles each project annually.
• Reconciliation and Closing - coordinates the month-end and fiscal year-end closing processes for the College. Cooperates with units and University partners to accurately capture transaction activity in Oracle Financials. Investigates and resolves any reconciling items.
• Leads the development and analysis of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial planning cycles for the College. Works closely with College and unit leadership, University partners, and the Budget Office to plan and forecast. Helps develop short- and long-term financial goals, business strategies/plans, and financial models for major programs and initiatives.
• Planning - analyzes budget estimates and proposals for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with established procedures, regulations, and College objectives. Understands key assumptions and issues for College- and unit-level submissions. Meets with unit leaders to develop budget proposals, provide guidance for proposal development, and assist with complex calculations, as needed. Consolidates unit proposals for College leadership.
• Forecasting - monitors budget variances by reviewing reports and accounting records to determine if allocated funds have been spent, and connects with College and unit leadership to identify underlying business drivers and potential issues. Supports periodic College meetings to examine budget forecasts and variances. Updates forecast information in Oracle Financials and presents consolidated view to College leadership.
• Adjustments - ide