VP, Accounting

Position Summary

The position of VP, Accounting is responsible for the full-cycle management of the general ledger, including maintaining accurate financial records, ensuring compliance with GAAP, and supporting the broader accounting and finance functions. This role oversees month-end and year-end close processes, internal controls, reporting to senior management, and managing the daily operations of the financial accounting team. The position requires experience in a complex financial institution with multiple subsidiary ledger systems, regulatory reporting to government agencies, financial reporting of the credit union, and a thorough understanding of technical and operational accounting matters as well as financial systems.

Minimum Qualifications (Education, Experience, Skills)

• Bachelor’s Degree with a professional certification (or pursuit thereof) such as CPA/CMA designation. Graduate Degree in Accounting, Finance or a related field strongly preferred.
• 6 years of experience with complex accounting processes and procedures. 4 years’ experience in a financial services environment strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years supervisory experience.
• Expert level understanding of accounting concepts, including RAP and GAAP.
• Expert level PC skills with emphasis in spreadsheet languages, such as Excel.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Effective organizational skills and the ability to meet deadlines as required. 
• Professional and effective interaction, verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with maintaining and reconciling general ledger systems.
• Demonstrated success in planning, organizing, leading and oversight of people and activities. 
• Organization skills sufficient to successfully manage multiple projects, establish priorities and meet deadlines.
• Track record of applying critical thinking and emotional intelligence skills in a wide variety of situations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain and update the GL and chart of accounts; post journal entries; reconcile accounts; prepare and analyze financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, cash flow)
• Lead month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes, ensuring timely delivery of accurate financial reports by monitoring completion of assigned tasks and variance analysis within prescribed timeframes.
• Responsible for managing the daily operation of the financial accounting team. Understands duties and functions of department staff and provides training as needed. Assigns tasks appropriate to each position ensuring adequate coverage throughout the normal course of business.
• Responsible for design, implementation, and maintaining internal controls; ensuring compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements
• Oversees the supervision, training and evaluation of assigned staff.
• Provide managerial oversight of the activities for areas of responsibility, including assigned staff and functional deliverables of the team. 
• Demonstrate leadership in words and actions on a daily basis; act as role model for success and engagement. Create a positive work environment conducive to trust and transparency.
• Responsible for the performance management of staff, to include daily feedback, coaching and mentoring; administration of appraisals that are timely and meaningful. Identify and address deficiencies constructively. Continually support, encourage and motivate team members toward ongoing growth and development.
• Hold employees accountable for their performance, attitude and behavior while recognizing employees who perform at a high level. Meet with each employee to review performance, set goals for future performance and develop plans to improve employee’s performance.
• Consult with Human Resources (HR) on issues outside of the normal scope of performance or behavior. Report all issues of safety or legal consequence immediately and surface undesirable patterns as they are discovered. Partner with HR on all employment decisions, and refer requests for changes in terms or scheduling to the HR department. 
• Monitor approved schedules, review and approve timesheets of staff, and ensure all expenses are reported as per company policy. Schedule and provide staff the opportunity for meal and rest breaks, while ensuring operational coverage is maintained.
• Responsible for managing the daily review of accounts payable for accuracy, consistency and timeliness.
• Responsible for administration of fixed asset system and reviewing month end reports for accuracy.
• Responsible for managing the general ledger reconciliation process and ensuring all reconciliations are performed timely and reviewed for aging items. 
• Reconciling items are kept to a minimum and appropriate action is taken to ensure these items are cleared quickly.
• Oversees review and completion of regulatory reporting (NCUA 5300 Call Report), which includes creation of schedule, supporting team members, training, review of pages and quality control. Adherence to established timeline and documentation standards are critical.
• Ensure integrity of all financial information. Reviews, investigates, and corrects errors and inconsistencies in financial entries, documents, and reports.
• Prepares certain financial statements and regulatory reports as required by management and regulatory agencies in accordance with GAAP and RAP (such as budgets, forecasts and variance analysis).
• Assists independent auditors, examiners and internal audit staff during audits and reviews, as requested by senior management. Maintains relationships with external auditors, internal auditors, and examiners.
• Assists with tax support by maintaining relationship with external tax preparation firm.
• Interfaces with third parties on required submissions and related accounting impacts.
• Assists the SVP, Accounting with vendor management requirements, including risk assessments.
• Manages deliverables of the accounting department for assigned IT projects, including process flow impacts and testing.
• Performs special projects as assigned, including GAAP and RAP research, analysis, and implementation into all Accounting Department processes.
• Performs general ledger system file maintenance.
• Identifies process improvement opportunities, represents the accounting department in process improvement initiatives, and administers accounting software as needed.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Comply with all established safety and security guidelines set forth by the organization.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.