Controller, Accounting, Financial Reporting

Position Description

The Assistant Vice President for Finance and Controller serves as the University’s senior accounting and financial reporting leader and is a key member of the Finance and Administration leadership team. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Finance, Administration and Chief Financial Officer, the Controller is responsible for the integrity of the University’s financial records, internal controls, monthly and annual financial close processes, audit preparation, tax reporting, cash management support, and accounting operations.

This position is intended to function as the CFO’s primary financial operations partner and second-in-command within the finance function. The successful candidate will be technically strong, highly organized, intellectually curious, and capable of exercising sound independent judgment. The Controller must be both a hands‑on accounting leader and a strategic thinker who can translate financial information into useful insight for academic, administrative, and executive leaders across the University.

The Controller will lead and develop the accounting team, strengthen financial processes, support budget development and monitoring, and help ensure that Valparaiso University has timely, accurate, and actionable financial information to support mission‑centered decision‑making.

• Financial Accounting, Reporting, and Close
  • Lead the University’s accounting operations and ensure the accurate and timely recording of all financial activity in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable higher education accounting standards.
  • Oversee the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, including the review and approval of journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, allocations, and financial statement preparation.
  • Ensure the general ledger is properly maintained and that financial reports are accurate, complete, and produced on a timely basis.
  • Prepare, review, and distribute monthly financial statements and management reports for use by the CFO, President’s Cabinet, Deans, budget managers, and other University leaders.
  • Identify, investigate, and resolve unusual financial trends, account variances, accounting issues, and process gaps.
  • Maintain strong financial controls over balance sheet accounts, including cash, investments, receivables, payables, debt, fixed assets, restricted funds, and net assets.
  • Oversee fixed asset accounting, depreciation, capital project accounting, and related reconciliations.
• Leadership and Team Management
  • Provide direct leadership to the accounting function and supervise assigned finance staff, which may include accounting, accounts payable, grants accounting, payroll accounting, student account accounting support, or other finance functions depending on final organizational design.
  • Set clear expectations, establish deadlines, monitor performance, and create a culture of accountability, service, continuous improvement, and professional development.
  • Develop staff capacity so the accounting team can operate effectively, meet deadlines, and support the broader University community.
  • Serve as a problem‑solver and escalation point for complex accounting, reporting, reconciliation, compliance, and process issues.
  • Promote a finance culture that is accurate, responsive, collaborative, transparent, and service‑oriented.
• Cash Management and Treasury Support
  • Support the CFO in managing the University’s cash position, liquidity, and short‑term cash flow planning.
  • Monitor operating cash balances, restricted cash, investment transfers, debt service requirements, and other cash activity to ensure adequate liquidity and proper use of funds.
  • Prepare or oversee cash flow reporting and analysis to support executive decision‑making.
  • Partner with the CFO on banking relationships, debt covenant reporting, investment accounting, endowment spending calculations, and other treasury‑related matters.
  • Ensure that cash management practices are aligned with internal controls, donor restrictions, debt requirements, and institutional priorities.
• Budget Preparation and Financial Planning Support
  • Partner with the CFO,…