University Overview
The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.
Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.
The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.
Posted Job Title
Controller/Director of Fiscal Operations
Job Profile Title
Director D, Business and Finance
Job Description Summary
The Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES) provides the expertise, business process, policies and standards required to plan, design, construct, operate, maintain and renew the physical assets of the University, excluding the health system. In addition, the Division, comprised of approximately five Departments, is responsible for the strategic planning, management and operation of non-academic University property, and collaborating with the neighborhood to create a safe, diverse and economically vibrant destination. With close to 12M square feet of space, FRES maintains 186 buildings on a campus of 276 acres, completes over 60,000 maintenance requests per year, and starts approximately 250 projects a year. FRES is comprised of the following Departments: Administration, Office of the University Architect, Design and Construction, Real Estate, Operations, and Maintenance.
The University of Pennsylvania is implementing a campus transformation entitled Penn Connects (http://www.pennconnects.upenn.edu). This comprehensive, award winning effort is expanding the campus over the next 20 years, including the construction of new academic research and recreational facilities. In addition, the University has secured $300M in Century Bond funding and continues to upgrade existing facilities over the coming years. https://www.facilities.upenn.edu/
Job Description
Reporting to the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, the Controller/Director of Fiscal Operations provides leadership for accounting and administration for 186 buildings and a $200M operations and maintenance budget; procurement administration of about 30 contracts valued at $12M; and weekly and monthly payroll functions for approximately 1100 employees, including union and non-union staff. This position is responsible for 2 direct reports and 9 staff and is critical to the success of all FRES back-office accounting and procurement functions. As such, the professional is required to have strong leadership skills to effectively manage people, processes, and customer service interactions with many University organizations, both internal and external to FRES, as well as changes to information technology systems required to complete work. In addition to managing the day-to-day functions of such a group, the Controller/Director of Fiscal Operations ensures appropriate accounting treatment of all transactions that occur in the organization, proper procedures that adhere to audit requirements for accounting and recording, best practices for all accounting system implementations and upgrades, and the development and implementation of solid sourcing strategies across the organization. Professional will evaluate proper internal controls; ensure timeliness and accuracy of internal and external reporting; and make key contributions in budgeting and forecasting.
This position is the Liaison to the Comptroller’s Office to supply annual building costs used for allocation purposes. In addition to the ongoing performance of the department, s/he is responsible for all human resource functions related to Fiscal Operations staff, including hiring, training, employee development, formal performance management process, and employee engagement while fostering a collaborative work environment.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide accounting and administration leadership for $200M operations and maintenance budget for 186 buildings and procurement management of about 30 contracts with $12M of annual spending.
• Weekly and monthly payroll functions for 1100 employees including union and non-union staff
• This position is responsible for 2 direct reports and 9 staff and is critical to the success of all FRES back-office accounting and procurement functions.
• Strong leadership skills to effectively manage people, processes and customer service interactions with many University organizations both internal and external to FRES
• Oversees changes to information technology systems required to complete work and ensures appropriate accounting treatment of all transactions that occur in the organization, proper procedures that adhere to audit requirements for accounting and recording, best practices for all accounting system implementations and upgrades and the development and implementation of solid sourcing strategies across the organization.
• Evaluate proper internal controls; ensure timeliness and accuracy of internal and external reporting. Make key contributions in budgeting, forecasting and systems development and implementation.
• Liaison to the Comptroller’s Office to supply annual building costs used for allocation purposes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or related discipline required
• 7 – 10 years of Accounting, Payroll, or Financial Management experience required
• Demonstrated proficiency with enterprise accounting / financial management, payroll and procurement software system packages, and intermediate Microsoft Office Suite, Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint required
• Supervisory experience required, inclusive of training, motivating and evaluating multiple levels of staff
• Strong oral and written communication skills as well as proven analytical and problem solving ability
• Demonstrated ability to apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Facilities and Real Estate Services
Pay Range
$133,000.00 - $180,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn’s exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.
• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you’ll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit:
https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pa

• Provide accounting and administration leadership for $200M operations and maintenance budget for 186 buildings and procurement management of about 30 contracts with $12M of annual spending.
• Weekly and monthly payroll functions for 1100 employees including union and non-union staff
• This position is responsible for 2 direct reports and 9 staff and is critical to the success of all FRES back-office accounting and procurement functions.
• Strong leadership skills to effectively manage people, processes and customer service interactions with many University organizations both internal and external to FRES
• Oversees changes to information technology systems required to complete work and ensures appropriate accounting treatment of all transactions that occur in the organization, proper procedures that adhere to audit requirements for accounting and recording, best practices for all accounting system implementations and upgrades and the development and implementation of solid sourcing strategies across the organization.
• Evaluate proper internal controls; ensure timeliness and accuracy of internal and external reporting. Make key contributions in budgeting, forecasting and systems development and implementation.
• Liaison to the Comptroller’s Office to supply annual building costs used for allocation purposes