Assistant Controller - Financial Operations

Job Summary

Reporting to the AVP & Controller, the Assistant Controller - Financial Operations serves as a strategic leader responsible for the College’s end-to-end disbursement ecosystem, including Payroll, Accounts Payable, and Procurement. This role oversees a high‑performing team of five, driving operational excellence by architecting robust internal controls, optimizing ERP workflows, and championing cost‑saving initiatives. The Assistant Controller is the primary institutional expert on payroll compliance, tax governance, and strategic sourcing and partners with Human Resources, the Provost, Risk Management, and IT to ensure financial operations are accurate, compliant, efficient, and aligned with the College’s mission.

We encourage inquiries from candidates who will contribute to the cultural and ethnic diversity of our college.

• Strategic Oversight:
  Provide high‑level leadership for the payroll function, ensuring all payrolls (exempt, non‑exempt, and student) are processed accurately and in accordance with federal, state, and institutional policy.
• Team Empowerment & Mentorship:
  Direct and develop two payroll staff members, fostering an environment of excellence and enabling them to own daily processing and routine reconciliations.
• Payroll Systems:
  Act as the primary technical lead for payroll system architecture, partnering with IT, HR, and the Provost’s office to improve efficiency, manage the department’s required validation steps for periodic upgrades, and implement new initiatives.
• Compliance:
  Serve as the expert on complex payroll matters, including executive compensation, tax treaties for international staff, and sensitive leave/withholding issues, maintaining confidentiality in non‑routine pay arrangements.
• Audit Management:
  Serve as the primary institutional liaison for annual workers’ compensation and retirement plan audits, ensuring data transmission, security protocols, and internal controls are robust, documented, and compliant with evolving IRS and DOL standards.
• Escalation & Resolution:
  Act as a strategic problem‑solver for the department, resolving non‑routine discrepancies, troubleshooting systemic malfunctions, and providing high‑level guidance to staff on complex scenarios.
• Continuous Improvement:
  Cultivate a culture of proactive compliance, regularly reviewing internal processes to reflect best practices and leveraging data to improve department efficiency and service to the campus community.

• Operational Leadership:
  Oversee day‑to‑day operations of the AP and Procurement functions, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
• Team Leadership:
  Motivate and mentor three staff members, fostering professional growth and high performance.
• Internal Controls &
  
  Risk Management:
  
  Partner with the Associate Controller and Controller to architect and maintain robust internal controls and procurement policies, protecting the college against cybersecurity risks.
• Strategic Procurement:
  Champion evolution of the College’s procurement strategy by identifying opportunities for cost savings, vendor consolidation, and strategic sourcing strategies.
• Data‑Driven Decision Making:
  Lead analysis of expense trends and spend patterns to provide leadership with data‑backed information for cost‑optimization strategies.
• System Optimization:
  Serve as the primary technical lead for the College’s ERP (Workday) procurement and AP modules, managing testing and validation steps for upgrades and implementing initiatives.
• Vendor Lifecycle Management:
  Manage the College’s vendor database, ensuring competitive vetting, consistent W‑9/1099 compliance, and long‑term value from existing supplier relationships.
• Purchasing Card Stewardship:
  Oversee the Purchasing Card program, ensuring policy adherence, auditing high‑risk transactions, and educating department heads on cost‑effective procurement.

• Governance & Regulatory Oversight:
  Maintain an expert‑level understanding of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, proactively identifying and implementing changes to wage and hour laws, Social Security, SUI, and…