Controller

Position Description:

The Controller serves as the University’s senior accounting and financial reporting leader and is a key member of the Finance and Administration leadership team. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Finance, Administration and Chief Financial Officer, the Controller is responsible for the integrity of the University’s financial records, internal controls, monthly and annual financial close processes, audit preparation, tax reporting, cash management support, and accounting operations.

This position is intended to function as the CFO’s primary financial operations partner and second-in-command within the finance function. The successful candidate will be technically strong, highly organized, intellectually curious, and capable of exercising sound independent judgment. The Controller must be both a hands-on accounting leader and a strategic thinker who can translate financial information into useful insight for academic, administrative, and executive leaders across the University.

The Controller will lead and develop the accounting team, strengthen financial processes, support budget development and monitoring, and help ensure that Valparaiso University has timely, accurate, and actionable financial information to support mission-centered decision-making.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Financial Accounting, Reporting, and Close
  • Lead the University’s accounting operations and ensure the accurate and timely recording of all financial activity in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable higher education accounting standards.
  • Oversee the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, including the review and approval of journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, allocations, and financial statement preparation.
  • Ensure the general ledger is properly maintained and that financial reports are accurate, complete, and produced on a timely basis.
  • Prepare, review, and distribute monthly financial statements and management reports for use by the CFO, President’s Cabinet, Deans, budget managers, and other University leaders.
  • Identify, investigate, and resolve unusual financial trends, account variances, accounting issues, and process gaps.
  • Maintain strong financial controls over balance sheet accounts, including cash, investments, receivables, payables, debt, fixed assets, restricted funds, and net assets.
  • Oversee fixed asset accounting, depreciation, capital project accounting, and related reconciliations.
• Leadership and Team Management
  • Provide direct leadership to the accounting function and supervise assigned finance staff, which may include accounting, accounts payable, grants accounting, payroll accounting, student account accounting support, or other finance functions depending on final organizational design.
  • Set clear expectations, establish deadlines, monitor performance, and create a culture of accountability, service, continuous improvement, and professional development.
  • Develop staff capacity so the accounting team can operate effectively, meet deadlines, and support the broader University community.
  • Serve as a problem-solver and escalation point for complex accounting, reporting, reconciliation, compliance, and process issues.
  • Promote a finance culture that is accurate, responsive, collaborative, transparent, and service-oriented.
• Cash Management and Treasury Support
  • Support the CFO in managing the University’s cash position, liquidity, and short-term cash flow planning.
  • Monitor operating cash balances, restricted cash, investment transfers, debt service requirements, and other cash activity to ensure adequate liquidity and proper use of funds.
  • Prepare or oversee cash flow reporting and analysis to support executive decision-making.
  • Partner with the CFO on banking relationships, debt covenant reporting, investment accounting, endowment spending calculations, and other treasury-related matters.
  • Ensure that cash management practices are aligned with internal controls, donor restrictions, debt requirements, and institutional priorities.
• Budget Preparation and Financial Planning Support
  • Partner with the CFO, budget leaders, Deans, and administrative departments in the annual budget development process.
  • Provide accurate historical financial information, budget-to-actual analysis, trend analysis, and other data needed to support budget planning and institutional decision-making.
  • Assist in the preparation, review, and refinement of the University’s operating budget, capital budget, cash forecast, and multi-year financial projections.
  • Help translate accounting results into meaningful financial insights for academic and administrative leaders.
  • Work with budget managers to improve understanding of financial results, spending patterns, budget variances, and available resources.
• Audit, Tax, and Compliance
  • Lead the preparation for the annual external financial statement audit, including the development of audit schedules, supporting documentation, reconciliations, financial statements, footnotes, and management responses.
  • Serve as a primary liaison with external auditors and coordinate internal staff responsibilities throughout the audit process.
  • Lead the preparation and review of the University’s tax and regulatory filings, including Form 990 and related schedules, unrelated business income analysis, payroll tax filings, 1099 reporting, and other federal, state, and local filings as applicable.
  • Coordinate with external tax advisors, auditors, legal counsel, human resources, advancement, and other departments to ensure accurate and timely reporting.
  • Maintain current knowledge of accounting, tax, regulatory, and compliance matters affecting colleges and universities.
  • Support compliance with debt agreements, donor restrictions, grant requirements, internal policies, and external reporting obligations.
• Restricted Funds, Grants, Gifts, and Endowment Accounting
  • Oversee accounting for restricted gifts, grants, endowment funds, quasi-endowment funds, donor-restricted net assets, and related releases from restriction.
  • Partner with Advancement to ensure gifts are recorded and reported in accordance with donor intent and accounting standards.
  • Partner with grant administrators, principal investigators, and academic leaders to support accurate grant accounting, compliance, reporting, and closeout.
  • Ensure appropriate controls over restricted funds and provide clear reporting to help leaders understand available restricted resources.
  • Experience with restricted gifts, grant accounting, and higher education fund accounting is preferred; however, candidates with strong technical accounting ability and demonstrated capacity to learn complex accounting environments will be considered.
• Internal Controls, Policies, and Process Improvement
  • Maintain and strengthen the University’s system of internal controls over financial reporting, cash, disbursements, receivables, payroll, restricted funds, grants, and other significant financial activity.
  • Evaluate existing accounting and finance processes and recommend improvements that enhance accuracy, timeliness, efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
  • Develop, update, and implement finance policies and procedures in collaboration with the CFO and University leadership.
  • Support the effective use of financial systems, reporting tools, chart of accounts, workflow processes, and data structures.
  • Lead or participate in finance-related system implementations, upgrades, process redesigns, and cross-functional improvement initiatives.
• Campus Partnership and Strategic Support
  • Serve as a trusted finance partner to Deans, department heads, administrative leaders, and other stakeholders across the University.
  • Communicate financial information clearly to non-financial audiences and help leaders understand the financial implications of decisions.
  • Bring a University-wide perspective to financial issues while respecting the mission, academic priorities, and operational realities of individual units.
  • Support the CFO in preparing materials for the President, Cabinet, Board committees, rating agencies, lenders, auditors, and other external stakeholders.
  • Exercise discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment when handling confidential, sensitive, or complex financial matters.
    

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible accounting, finance, audit, or controllership experience.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting.
• Experience leading monthly and annual close processes.
•  Experience preparing or supporting annual audits and working directly with external auditors.
•  Strong understanding of internal controls, reconciliations, financial statement preparation, and accounting operations.
•  Demonstrated leadership experience, including supervision, staff development, project management, and process improvement.
•  Ability to analyze complex financial information, identify issues, recommend solutions, and exercise independent judgment.
•  Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
•  Ability to work effectively with senior leaders, academic leaders, staff, auditors, bankers, consultants, and other internal and external partners.
•  High degree of integrity, discretion, accountability, and commitment to accuracy.

Preferred Qualifications

•  CPA strongly preferred.
• Master’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field preferred.
• Experience in higher education, nonprofit, healthcare, or another complex mission-driven organization preferred.
• Experience with Form 990 preparation, nonprofit tax reporting, unrelated business income, and restricted net asset accounting.
• Experience with restricted gifts, endowment accounting, grants accounting, and donor reporting.
• Experience with cash management, debt reporting, investment accounting, and liquidity forecasting.
• Experience supporting annual budget development and multi-year financial planning.
• Experience improving financial systems, reporting processes, chart of accounts structures, or accounting workflows.

Key Competencies

• Technical accounting strength and attention to detail.
•  Strategic and critical thinking.
• Ability to work independently and follow through without extensive direction.
• Leadership presence and credibility.
• Sound judgment and problem-solving ability.
• Strong commitment to deadlines and accountability.
•  Collaborative style with a service orientation.
• Ability to communicate complex financial matters in clear, practical language.
• Commitment to continuous improvement.
• Ability to balance precision, practicality, and institutional mission.

Working Relationships

The Controller works closely with the CFO, President’s Cabinet, Deans, academic and administrative leaders, Advancement, Human Resources, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Athletics, Facilities, Information Technology, grant administrators, external auditors, tax advisors, banks, investment advisors, and other University partners.

Measures of Success

The Controller will be successful when:

• Monthly financial statements are accurate, timely, and useful for decision-making.
•  The annual audit is well prepared, well managed, and completed on schedule.
•  The University’s Form 990 and related tax filings are accurate, timely, and well supported.
•  Cash reporting and liquidity analysis are reliable and actionable.
•  The accounting team is organized, accountable, and operating with clear expectations.
•  Internal controls are strengthened and financial risks are identified early.
•  Deans and budget leaders receive responsive, practical, and credible financial support.
•  The CFO can rely on the Controller as a trusted second-in-command who anticipates issues, solves problems, and helps move the finance function forward.

Commitment to Mission and Community

Valparaiso University seeks a Controller who understands that financial stewardship is essential to advancing the University’s mission. The successful candidate will bring technical excellence, sound judgment, humility, integrity, and a collaborative spirit to the work of strengthening the University’s financial foundation in service to students, faculty, staff, and the broader Valpo community.

All offers of employment with Valparaiso University are contingent upon the clear results of a thorough background check. Background checks may include criminal history, motor vehicle reports, prior employment verification, and personal/professional references. If applicable to the position, they will also include credit history. Background checks will be conducted on all final candidates for employment.

To be considered for this position, you must upload:

Cover letter

Resume

List of 3 professional references

Answer all application questions

Please address the cover letter to:

Loren Chandler, Vice President for Finance and Administration and CFO

Valparaiso University