Executive Director for Enterprise Financial Accounting and University Controller

Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer (SAVC/CFO) for Finance and Administration, the Executive Director (ED) for Enterprise Financial Accounting and University Controller provides the Vice Chancellor and SAVC/CFO with strategic guidance and fiscal policy. The position is charged with designing and implementing a university-wide, data driven general accounting and financial reporting operation. The ED works closely and collaboratively with executive leadership, vice chancellors, deans, department heads, and budget and financial managers across the institution to provide excellence in customer service and add value throughout the institution. The position leads the preparation and review of monthly, quarterly, and annual university financial statements and provides periodic internal updates on trends in financial performance.  The position also provides guidance on accounting and internal control considerations for University-wide activities.

Principal Functions

Leadership and Strategic Planning: Advise the Vice Chancellor and SAVC/CFO in strategic financial planning to ensure the Division’s annual goals are set, monitored, and updated as needed.  Additionally, work with the SAVC/CFO to create a high-performance culture of service excellence, integrity, professionalism and value creation throughout the financial organization and campus community.

Systems and Process Improvement: The Executive Director is responsible for oversight of the chart of accounts, verifying consistent usage across the institution and is accountable for data integrity within the financial systems and the accuracy of financial statements. This position supervises the Senior Director of Accounting Services and Associate Controller, Foundation and Investment Accounting Manager, and subordinate employees in these functions. The position works closely with the Senior Assistant Vice Chancellor and Treasurer, Assistant Provost for Finance, Executive Director of Budget, Planning, and Analysis, and other Finance and Information Technology (IT) stakeholders to lead proactive involvement in the development and modifications of PeopleSoft Financials modules to ensure that technology solutions align with the strategic direction and annual goals of the Division and other campus users. 

Supervision and Professional Development: Hire, train, evaluate, lead, and develop the activities of the employees who perform financial accounting, financial reporting, and foundation accounting. Create a “can-do” culture while maintaining a strong commitment to professionalism, integrity, kindness and teamwork. Assess the skill sets of staff, identify skills needed in various staff positions, and plan how skill gaps will be addressed. Incorporate service delivery action steps into unit quarterly and annual plans. 

Stakeholder Engagement: Promote tools, policies, standards, and procedures with the campus community, as well as campus stakeholders and external constituents. Foster ongoing partnership and collaboration across the campus community.

Compliance: Oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of compliance with increasingly complex enterprise accounting policies and procedures to provide the highest level of efficiency. Ensure that the University follows policies, laws, and procedures while also maintaining the University's ability to efficiently and effectively conduct business. This position supervises the Director of Financial Reporting and Management Services and subordinate positions in this area.

Educational Requirements

An advanced degree in business, finance, management, public administration, or a related field, and CPA certification is required. A Bachelor’s degree with experience performing in a directly comparable role in an organizational setting of similar scope and complexity as UNC-Chapel Hill may be considered in lieu of the advanced degree.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates must have a minimum of 10 years of senior-level experience managing the accounting and financial operations of a higher education institution of similar scope and complexity as UNC-Chapel Hill, or as the controller or administrative officer of a large institution with similar scope of responsibility.

The successful candidate must have a thorough knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, accounting and reporting practices, and techniques. In addition, the candidate will have a working knowledge and understanding of sophisticated accounting systems; federal and state tax codes; relational databases and data flows through a university’s financial systems; risk management, including segregation of duties and related internal control concepts and principles; security risks and methods; and related federal and state laws.

The candidate will demonstrate strong planning, analysis, and management skills, and demonstrate leadership ability in supervising and developing staff with an emphasis on customer service. Experience in understanding business processes and reengineering those to work efficiently and effectively is essential.

Strong communication and coalition-building skills are vital, as is a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and collaborative decision making in the workplace. Preference will be afforded to candidates who have performed the functions of this position in a research university.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.