Principal Accountant

Position SummaryThis position reports directly to the Associate Director of Financial Reporting and provides technical financial accounting support through the execution of generally accepted accounting principles ( GAAP ). The position is primarily responsible for assisting with the accurate and timely completion of interim and year-end financial statements as well as internal control support for reporting and analysis. The Principal Accountant serves as a liaison with external auditors and prepares key inputs for the Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Activities, Statement of Cash Flows as well as the Notes to the Financial Statements. These responsibilities are executed by performing the following duties.Essential Duties And Responsibilities Prepares the endowment/investments accounting and reporting (including footnotes) by working closely with the Investments team  Manages the journal entry process (currently via eTrieve actuals) for reclasses across campus  Prepares and provides donor report information to the Institutional Advancement office  Prepares and submits federal grants reports to various federal agencies  Conducts testing for the ERP conversion and periodic testing as upgrades occur  Partners with Student Accounts, Accounts Payable, and Payroll to perform reconciliations, run year-end processes, and manage exception reports  Keeps abreast of current FASB accounting standard pronouncements and applicability to reporting  Works closely with the Associate Director of Financial Reporting as well as other members of the Controller’s office to enhance operational efficiency  Keeps abreast of new Uniform Guidance Compliance and its applicability to federal reporting requirements  Prepares ad hoc financial reports and assists in the preparation of financial statements and variance analysis: interim, year-end, and long-form financials  Performs special projects as assigned and assists the Associate Director of Financial Reporting as needed.Physical DemandsWhile performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: sit, walk, talk, hear, use hands for operating office equipment and computers, and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to stand. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, climb, lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to adjust focus.Required QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field with a minimum of five years job related and progressive work experience are required. Excellent knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles ( GAAP ) is essential. Previous functional or technical experience in Higher Education or public accounting is preferred. Excellent time management, organizational skills, and the ability to handle multiple tasks are a must. Must be able to work independently or as an integral part of a team. Must demonstrate attention to detail, good customer service and interpersonal skills. Must possess good writing skills and good oral communication skills with the ability to respond to all College stakeholders. To perform this job successfully, an individual must have intermediate skills using Microsoft Suite (Word,Excel, and PowerPoint). May require some advance Excel skills. Assigned duties may include writingbusiness correspondence, memos, and e-mails plus create spreadsheets containing formulas and graphs. Knowledge of the Banner System is a plus. Use of Outlook and the ability to perform Internet searches areessential.Preferred QualificationsExternal Audit Experience; Microsoft Excel: Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPS ; AI: ChatGpt Microsoft Co-Pilot