Job No. 545516 Director of Accounting & Reporting, Student Financial Servic

at  California State University

Job no: 545516
Work type: Management (MPP)
Location: Bakersfield
Categories: At-Will, Finance/Accounting, Full Time, On-site (work in-person at business location)
CANDIDATES ELIGIBLE TO APPLY: Open to all qualified applicants
CLASSIFICATION TITLE: Administrator II

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration or related field and five (5) years of professional level accounting experience in a high-volume automated accounting department. Experience managing various classifications of employees.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES (SKA’S) –

• Regular and reliable attendance is required.
• Strong demonstrated knowledge of general accounting functions to include applicable rules, regulations and internal controls.
• Working knowledge of GAAP, and familiarity with GASB and/or FASB standards for financial reporting.
• Ability to build queries/reports and analyze systems and processes within an automated financial system with an emphasis on improved efficiency.
• Excellent interpersonal skills are necessary to communicate effectively with campus personnel, the State Controller’s Office, other CSU entities, and governmental agencies.
• Ability to supervise, direct, train, mentor, and evaluate a team of professional staff.
• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner, both verbally and in writing.
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure, policies and procedures.
• Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• Must be able to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Certified Public Accountant
• Master’s degree in related field
• Experience with PeopleSoft Student Financials
• Higher education experience
• Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment utilizing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.
  PHYSICAL DEMANDS: SEDENTARY WORK – involves mainly sitting; minimal walking and standing; lifting light weight objects limited to 15 pounds.

Department Oversight & Leadership

• Serves as the primary business administrator officer for Student Financial Services responsible for the oversight of the daily operations of Student Financial Services department.
• Responsible for the ongoing oversight and maintenance of effective standards, policies and procedures to assure the accountability and security of all University cash transactions, billing, accounts receivables, and student financial records.
• Ensure timely account analysis and maintain procedures that assure efficient processing for all student refunds in compliance with Department of Education Regulations.
• Manage the University’s student debt collection efforts, including procedures and policies for returned checks, payment plans, institutional emergency loans, and other outstanding student indebtedness. Assures compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
• Serves as the primary administrator accountable for:
• All campus-wide cash handling, billing, accounts receivables, collections, assessment of student fees and refunding activities, student accounts maintenance and refunding, etc.
• Third party invoicing, collections and maintenance of accounts receivable subledger.
• Annual audits, governmental agency, and other campus requests within Student Financial Services, including providing schedules and reports as appropriate.
• Ensure appropriate internal controls to safeguard assets through collaborating with campus-wide personnel and provide accurate and timely internal and external financial and managerial reporting.
• Oversee complex projects requiring considerable coordination with campus constituents as well as the CSU Chancellor’s Office staff and other governmental agencies as appropriate.
• Exercise considerable discretionary decision making as it pertains to reviewing and preparing necessary journal entry transactions and planning daily tasks and work activities.
• Responsible for maintaining all tuition and fee invoicing code tables, assessment rules, and billing modules in the Student Financial System for the assessment of student fees as mandated by legislation, CSU Board of Trustees, etc.
• Evaluate, develop, and implement policies and procedures to support the department, division and University.

Staff Supervision/Management

• Directly supervise staff through selecting, training, and disciplining as needed.
• Establish job standards and effectively evaluate staff through mentoring and training to ensure competence, efficiency and professionalism to provide “best-in-class” service to internal and external customers.
• Plan, organize, and direct others in their work while providing leadership and encouragement of staff growth, cross- curricular experiences, and increased responsibility.
• Lead staff to effective use of PeopleSoft and/or similar or related reporting tools, to achieve appropriate reporting efficiencies and accountability.

Disaster Service Worker

• All MPP employees are considered Disaster Service Workers, (CA Gov. Code Section 3100), and are required to attend trainings and possibly hold a position in the CSUB Emergency Operations Center (EOC), as assigned.