Senior Accountant

Position Summary

Dillard University is seeking a strategic and detail-oriented Senior Accountant to handle financial operations with integrity, accuracy, and adherence to regulations. As an integral part of the Office of Business and Finance Division, the Senior Accountant ensures the prompt and accurate recording of financial transactions in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) guidelines, Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) guidelines, and institutional guidelines. This role involves recording all accounting activities, including bonds, financial aid, student receivables, bank and other reconciliations, revenues, expenses, fixed assets, accruals, deferrals, investments, and endowments, among other transactions. Additionally, the Senior Accountant will serve as a Jenzabar system champion, helping to improve workflows and maintain data integrity across the university's financial systems.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

General Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Recording transactions for all general ledger accounts (assets, liabilities, fund balances, revenue, and expenses).
• Assist in preparing timely and accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with GAAP and institutional policies.
• Lead monthly closings, year-end closing, and audit preparation, including coordination with external auditors and internal stakeholders.
• Assist in maintaining, updating, and revising the chart of accounts and help ensure consistency across departments and programs.

Reconciliations

• Review and prepare monthly bank reconciliations across all institutional accounts (operating, payroll, investments, endowments, temporary restricted, etc.).
• Reconcile and review student receivable accounts, including tuition, fees, housing, and auxiliary services.
• Reconcile and review financial aid accounts, including Title IV funds, scholarships, grants, and institutional aid.
• Assist with the timely and accurate posting of students' disbursements, refunds, and returns to Title IV.
• Assist with investigating and resolving discrepancies in collaboration with Financial Aid and Student Accounts teams.
• Monitor aging reports and support collections and write-off processes.

Grants & Sponsored Programs

• Track financial activity of federal, state, and private grants to ensure compliance with sponsor requirements.
• Assist with preparing/reviewing financial reports for grantors and coordinate with research administration teams.
• Assist in post-award accounting, including effort reporting and cost transfers.

Systems & Process Optimization

• Assist in maintaining Jenzabar, ensuring data integrity, workflows, system optimization, and cross-functional training.
• Collaborate with IT and administrative units to enhance reporting, automation, and workflow efficiency.
• Assist with initiatives across finance operations, including documentation and training. 
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and accuracy. 
• Support system upgrades and financial reporting automation.

Compliance & Audit Support

• Ensure compliance with institutional policies, GAAP, FASB and GASB standards, and federal regulations (e.g., Uniform Guidance, IRS, Dept. of Educ.) 
• Prepare audit schedules and serve as a liaison during external audits and regulatory reviews.
  • Maintain documentation for internal controls and risk mitigation. 
  • Provide financial assistance to academic and administrative departments, ensuring fiscal discipline and transparency.

Other Duties

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Education, Certifications, and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in accounting, financial management, or financial and compliance auditing, preferably in higher education or nonprofit sectors.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.
• Demonstrated expertise in FASB, GAAP, internal controls, and federal/state compliance.
• Experience with Jenzabar or similar higher education ERP systems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suites, especially Excel.

Preferred

• CPA designation or equivalent professional certification or master's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, technology, or a related area.
• Experience with financial aid reconciliation, student receivables, and Title IV compliance.
• Experience with accounting for endowments, investments, and grants.

Core Competencies

• Intermediate to advanced level accounting.
• Integrity and attention to detail.
• ERP systems fluency (Jenzabar preferred).
• Regulatory compliance and audit readiness.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills coupled with negotiation skills necessary to formulate policies and programs and arrive jointly at solutions with clients and stakeholders.

Other Specifications

• Knowledge of accounting principles and methods, preferably with an emphasis in college or university financial reporting.
• Reasonable knowledge of the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid guidelines.
• Excellent technical accounting skills and knowledge (including IRS regulations, etc.). 
• Knowledge of management methods and ability to provide administrative guidance and provide direct training and supervision as needed.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills coupled with negotiation skills necessary to formulate policies and programs and arrive jointly at solutions with clients and stakeholders.
• Personal attributes, to include high ethics, integrity, patience, flexibility, adaptability, persistence, and tact, as necessary to deal with a highly decentralized environment.