Lead Accountant

Lead Accountant

Reporting to the Assistant Controller, the Lead Accountant is responsible for the accounting of the University’s investments and investment activity, gifts, and a variety of general accounting and financial functions, ensuring accurate and timely recording and reporting of financial data in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and donor and other restrictions. The Lead Accountant is also responsible for supervising the Cash Accountant and providing daily visibility into University operating fund flows for leadership.

The Lead Accountant works with appropriate functional areas to review and develop policies and procedures, to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, as well as University business processes and internal controls. The Lead Accountant will assist with preparation of various tax forms and ensure payments and filings are completed in a timely and accurate manner. The individual in this position will also assist in developing financial reports to use in reviewing financial performance, as well as assist departments by providing financial system data as needed.

The Lead Accountant will maintain strong functional knowledge of the University’s financial information system, assist in testing new system functionality and upgrades, and provide support and training to the University community.

• Endowment: Oversee and maintain the accounting related to the University’s investments and investment activity in accordance with GAAP. On a monthly basis, reconcile the G/L to the third‑party custodian statements, making required journal entries as necessary, and book entries related to investment activity, accurately classifying income, gains, expenses, etc. Provide required and requested information to third‑party service providers for inclusion in monthly reports for upper management and the Board.
  
  Throughout the year, ensure that endowment net assets are properly accounted for in the accounting system, based on donor and other restrictions. Work in conjunction with the Investments Office for proper maintenance of all investment accounts.

• Specific tasks include but are not limited to:
  • Maintain fund records.
  • Reconcile General Ledger with records of outside funds custodians.
  • Provide required and requested information to third party service providers.
  • Provide accounting support to the Investments Office as needed.
  • Oversight of receipts and disbursements in and out of the funds, including managing reimbursement of Investment Office management expenses.
  • Prepare management reports on endowment fund activity for senior financial management and for departments within the University.
  • Coordinate the preparation and monthly distribution of reports on activity in individual endowment funds to the Advancement Office.
  • Work with third party service providers to ensure liquidity information on custodians and funds are updated and maintained accurately.
  • Assist Investment Office with surveys relating to investments, endowments, etc.
  • Continued review of accounting entries and account structure, to determine best practices for reporting and consolidation.
  • Preparation of the Endowment Spending Budgets and activation of fully funded endowments in our ERP in partnership with Stewardship.

• Gifts / Pledges: Oversee and maintain the accounting related to the University’s gifts and pledges in accordance with GAAP.

• Specific tasks include but are not limited to:
  • Prepare and reconcile the daily feed to the general ledger from the Advancement Office.
  • Prepare journal entries and perform financial analysis related to gifts to the University, including pledges.
  • Calculate pledge allowance and discount percentages.
  • Prepare aging of pledges reports.
  • Monthly pledge receivable entries.
  • Provide Assistant Controller and Controller monthly pledge detail on donor funded capital projects.
  • Accounting for stock donation payments and reconciliation to stock bank account statements.
  • Annual Capital Campaign Reconciliation.

• Various month‑end tasks and entries are to be performed timely and accurately related to areas of responsibility and other assigned balance sheet accounts. This…