Business Manager

at  Appalachian State University

DESCRIPTION OF UNIVERSITY

Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls more than 20,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
Position Summary Information

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The candidate must be a person of high character and integrity.
Graduation from a four-year college or university with a degree in Accounting, Finance or a degree closely related to the area of assignment, twelve hours of accrual accounting credits, and three years of professional accounting experience of which at least one is supervisory; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of five years of extensive accrual accounting experience, of which at least one is supervisory, in a Utility, preferably electric.
• Graduation from college or university with a Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance or a degree closely related to the area of assignment, twelve hours of accrual accounting credits, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
• Must have strong leadership and communication skills.
• Ability to evaluate and recommend policy and procedures as it relates to the business functions of NRLP.
• Must have strong accounting and financial skills.

• Provides leadership and administrative direction in the development of processes, procedures and systems that contribute to successful NRLP business operations.
• Responsible for providing overall direction and oversight for the accounting functions and financial systems including financial reporting, general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, cash management, cost accounting, inventory management, payroll, contract and grant accounting, internal control, etc.
• Ability to lead approximately seven customer service, accounting, and warehouse/inventory personnel is essential.
• Thorough knowledge of accrual and utility accounting, budgeting, and inventory practices is required as well as advising General Manager/senior management on all financial matters relating to the organization.
• Participates in the formulation of business policies and practices and also the overall direction of business operations and service delivery.
• Responsible for researching, analyzing and addressing problems of significant fiscal or business impact.
• Is the primary interface with the Appalachian State Finance and Operations department.
• Assists in maintaining Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) accounting and compliance with the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) and other regulatory agency rules and policy.

Specific responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Overseeing activities of purchasing;
• planning and coordinating both internal and external audits and resolving any audit questions;
• Establishing and maintaining all customer, financial and accounting systems for the utility.
• Key contact on reporting data to the NCUC and outside consultants.
• Additional responsibilities include overseeing planning, coordinating, and supervising the preparation of the utility budget;
• Collection and analysis budget estimates and requests;
• Monitoring spending;
• Management of customer accounts, billing, and payment;
• Monitoring invoicing and debt collection, and the conduct of on-going and special management studies.
• Ability to maintain successful working relationships with colleagues, customers, administrators and administrators affected by the business operations.