Operational Accounting & Systems Manager

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

Campus Services provides essential services to the Harvard community. The 14 Campus Services departments have approximately 1,800 active employees (70% of staff are represented by eight unions) and a combined annual budget of more than $700 million. These departments provide stewardship, strategic support, and client/customer services in the areas of buildings and facilities, graduate housing, capital projects, sustainability, parking, engineering and utilities, dining, hospitality and events management, and international support.

The Campus Services Finance & Administration Department (CSFA) provides accounting, financial analysis, budgeting and planning, taxes and financial administrative support services to the Campus Services business units and the customers they serve. The organization is comprised of two main functions:
Controller's Office (Accounting Operations) and Financial Planning and Analysis.

The Operational Accounting & Systems Manager reports to the Associate Director of Accounting and is a key member of the CSFA management team. This role directs, coaches, and provides hands-on guidance to the accounting team responsible for operational real estate accounting.

The Operational Accounting & Systems Manager ensures strong internal controls and full compliance with GAAP, University and Campus Services accounting policies and applicable laws and regulations.

The role is also responsible for driving process improvement and efficiency through effective use of technology and automation. Success in this position requires strong leadership, independent judgment, critical analysis, clear communication, advanced technical accounting systems skills, and innovative problem solving. The Operational Accounting & Systems Manager successfully collaborates with a wide range of university partners, including (but not limited to) Harvard University Housing & Real Estate, CS Finance & Administration colleagues, and Information Technology, to address accounting, process, and system issues and align stakeholders.

This is a player-coach role: the manager will both lead the team and personally execute key deliverables.

• Actively leads and is responsible for a team of operational accounting professionals, including hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, workload allocation, engagement, and ongoing coaching and feedback to ensure high-quality work, strong customer service, and an inclusive, collaborative, and innovative work environment.
• Champions employee development by identifying skills gaps, creating targeted learning opportunities, and providing ongoing coaching and mentorship to build technical, analytical, and leadership capabilities across the team.

• Serves as an accounting subject matter expert on key financial systems (e.g., Yardi), partnering with the Associate Director of Accounting, CS HUIT, and business units to shape system strategy, optimize functionality, and resolve system-related accounting issues, while coaching team members to build redundancy and deepen cross-functional expertise.
• Under the direction of the Associate Director of Accounting, manages technology and automation strategies to enhance accounting processes, strengthen internal controls, and…