Senior Accountant; Hybrid

Job Information

Job

Location:

Evanston, Illinois

The Office of the Controller is responsible for the accounting and financial reporting of Northwestern University, providing a wide range of financial services on behalf of and for the University community. Northwestern operates with an annual budget exceeding $3.5 billion, total investments in excess of $15.5 billion, more than $750 million in federal research revenue, land, buildings and equipment of $3.7 billion net, and total long‑term debt outstanding of $2.9 billion.

The University has more than 23,000 students enrolled in 12 colleges and schools on three campuses. Its fiscal year ends August 31.

Reporting to the Manager, Accounting in the Controller’s Office, the Senior Accountant contributes to the integrity of the general ledger and to the University’s financial reporting.

• Prepares journal entries and reviews transactions submitted by others.
• Reconciles balance sheet accounts using Black Line software.
• Performs and supervises chart of accounts and chart‑field integrity, supporting Specialists and Accountants.
• Provides support for the compilation of interim and annual financial statements, including preparing quarterly fund work papers, variance analysis, and annual report footnotes.
• Prepares supporting schedules for the external audit and other financial analyses.
• Monitors ledger integrity through queries and individual transaction review.
• Contributes to Black Line system administration (reconciliation and tasks modules), liaising with other members of the Accounting department, the broader finance user community, and Northwestern IT.
• Serves as a resource for University internal clients and advises users of University policies and procedures, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and external regulations.
• Partners with University departments and schools to develop best practices or efficiencies.
• Manages daily, monthly, quarterly and annual financial processes for the area or program.
• Applies industry and professional standards, interprets university policy and procedure, federal and state laws, granting agency guidelines, and other regulations (as applicable) and recommends accounting policy for the university.
• Represents and/or guides business area on internal and external financial affairs by recommending alternatives and suggestions.

• Measures individual net performance of all areas/units as well as consolidated area/unit income statement and balance sheet with pre‑defined analytical financial tools.
• Recommends changes to tools to improve analysis, forecasting, modeling and reporting and ultimately the quality of financial information and analyses provided to management for planning, evaluating and controlling operations.
• Establishes proper accounting and audit trails for revenue and expenses related to programs and initiatives.
• Oversees monthly reconciliation and reports on current financial performance, impact on year‑end forecast and opportunities and risks.
• Prepares area or program financial statements and regulatory reports.
• Prepares financial statement and audit work papers; contributes to annual financial report disclosures as assigned.
• Performs complex financial account reconciliations, statement analysis and transaction research.

• Oversees accurate, efficient and compliant workflow of all transactional processes across areas/units.
• Provides optimal customer service and financial guidance to areas/units.
• Oversees processing of all daily financial transactional activity.
• Reviews status of related university unit accounts and processes; troubleshoots issues as needed.

• Processes and presents associated data and information through the application of sophisticated database, graphic and spreadsheet tools.
• Acts as project manager for design and implementation of regulatory and system changes.
• Manages operation of a computer system or system processes that support the area or program.

• Provides training and support to related university units or program participants.
• Develops and maintains website content and training materials.