Senior Accountant

Join our community and experience Emerson College!

The Senior Accountant is a key member of the finance team, reporting to the Associate Controller and will maintain overall responsibility for several accounting and compliance requirements. This position will assist with ensuring that the college’s accounting and reporting functions and obligations are fulfilled in an efficient, timely, and accurate manner. This is an important role that requires accuracy, attention to detail, considerable knowledge of GAAP, and an ability to collaborate well with other individuals and departments.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES Oversee the GAAP-basis accounting and revenue recognition for the federal and private grant portfolio, ensuring compliance with Uniform Guidance, while collaborating with the research office to facilitate accurate invoicing and monthly ledger reconciliations.

Maintain the college’s lease portfolio in compliance with ASC 842, ensuring all right-of-use (ROU) assets and lease liabilities are accurately calculated, recorded, and reconciled.

Maintain accurate property, plant and equipment records, utilizing Workday’s fixed asset module, ensuring adherence to the college’s fixed assets policy and GAAP. This includes meticulous review of capital purchases and construction in progress activity and collaboration with facilities to monitor project completion for timely capitalization and commencement of depreciation.

Manage the Bond accounting, including accounting for debt issuances/refinances, maintenance of principal and interest payment schedules, monthly amortization of bond premiums and discounts.

Maintain weekly payroll reconciliations, collaborate with payroll and HR to proactively research and resolve discrepancies. Process related adjustments, as necessary.

Prepare and process journal entries, ensuring they are recorded with high precision, comply with GAAP and are reconciled in a timely manner for monthly, quarterly and year-end close.

Prepare detailed balance sheet account reconciliations on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual basis.

Serve as a functional point of contact within the accounting department, leveraging Zendesk ticketing system to provide guidance and ensure timely and accurate resolution of inquiries from various stakeholders.

Prepare work papers for the annual audit and assist with audited financial statement footnotes.

Assist with work papers for schedules within the annual form 990.Liaise as necessary with other individuals and departments to resolve issues.

Participate in special projects as required.

Provide guidance and training to others as required.

Perform other miscellaneous duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS – Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job.

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or related discipline required. Master’s in Business Administration or Accounting is a plus.

Minimum of 5-7 years related experience in Accounting.

Experience in a not-for-profit, higher education and/or public accounting is strongly preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES – May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with the job.

Intermediate proficiency in MS Excel and G Suite and the ability to learn new software easily.

Experience with Workday is strongly preferred.

Strong working technical knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and financial internal controls, specifically within the areas of revenue recognition, fixed assets, fund accounting, bonds and leases.

Knowledge of OMB Uniform Guidance.

Exceptional accuracy and attention to detail required.

Strong customer service skills and the ability to collaborate well with colleagues and constituents across the institution.

Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and resolve complex reconciliation issues.

Strong quantitative and analytical competency.

Self-starter with excellent interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES – Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are…