Controller

St Martin s University • Lacey, WA

13d • Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Vice President-Finance/CFO, the Controller is responsible for planning and directing all University fiscal accounting functions, including the supervision of staff in their day-to-day financial operations, cash management, fixed assets, construction projects and long-term debt management. Saint Martin’s University is more than just a place of learning—it’s a welcoming community where students, faculty, and staff come together with purpose and heart. Founded in 1895 by the Benedictine monks of Saint Martin’s Abbey, we are grounded in the timeless Benedictine values of community, hospitality, and balance. These values, combined with a Saint Martin’s liberal arts education, shape our approach to education and daily life, encouraging students to think deeply, act with compassion, and serve with purpose. As part of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, we honor the integration of faith and reason, the dignity of every person, and a shared responsibility for the common good. Our mission is to form graduates who are not only intellectually curious and ethically grounded, but also deeply committed to building a more just and equitable world. At Saint Martin’s, we care about the whole person. Our supportive campus culture is built to help students thrive—academically, personally, and professionally. We pay special attention to the needs of those who have been historically underserved, and we work intentionally to create an inclusive, respectful, and compassionate environment for all. We warmly invite mission-driven individuals to join our community—not just to work here, but to be part of something meaningful. Together, we educate students who go on to make a positive difference in their lives, their communities, and the world.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a concentration in accounting or business administration.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible administrative experience in the business/financial services.
• Experience must include reconciliation of general ledger accounts, proficiency in spreadsheet preparation, and computerized general ledger program applications (Microsoft Dynamics/Great Plains preferred).
• Supervisory experience.
• Successfully pass a background check.
• Demonstrated knowledge of accounting principles, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and internal controls for the safeguard of assets.
• Demonstrated excellent supervisory, administrative, communication, interpersonal and leadership skills
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with students, university employees and the public.
• Ability to work independently to organize work and to suggest solutions to problems.
• Must be able to work well under time deadlines.
• Is supportive of a Catholic, Benedictine philosophy of education and able to articulate and support the University’s mission statement.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in higher education/non-profit accounting desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provides oversight and support to finance staff so they can effectively perform their job duties.
• Supervise the finance team, including the setting of clear goals and expectations, tracking progress, providing feedback, addressing performance issues, directing or coordinating accounting and general ledger recording tasks, ensuring all tasks are covered in case of absence or during vacation time, approving monthly timecards and time off, and conducting annual performance evaluations.
• Coach and mentor staff to expand their capabilities through work assignments, ongoing feedback, information sharing, and learning opportunities.
• Provide staff with opportunities to grow and provide them with appropriate developmental opportunities.
• Develop written expectations for staff under your supervision and check in with them to see if expectations need clarified.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the team dynamics and motivation, and can effectively mobilize staff to achieve the Universities goals and objectives.
• Uses positive interpersonal style to steer team members toward goals, organizes resources to accomplish tasks with maximum efficiency, rallies the team and builds morale when the going gets tough, establish a spirit of cooperation and cohesion among team members, recognizes and encourages behaviors that contribute to teamwork.
• Ability to maintain and establish positive working relationships with students, university employees and the public.
• Demonstrate good technical and interpersonal communication skills.
• Provides adequate and timely information to team members.
• Initiates frequent communication to the CFO and other peers, actively listens to others, expresses oneself verbally effectively in individual and group settings, expresses written ideas and thoughts clearly.
• Uses good grammatical form, handles difficult or complicated discussions with tact and empathy.
• Oversee all financial control activities.
• Supervise accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll processing and provide back-up in those areas as necessary; reconcile bank accounts; monitor cash flow for University operations; set up new bank accounts (operating, interest-bearing, investment etc.); conduct domestic and international wires transfers; reconcile balance sheet accounts, making adjusting entries as needed; maintain all construction project files and reporting, including year-end entries; record bond interest and debt payments; manage Fixed Asset entries and reconciliation; process Annuity and Endowment earnings.
• Set up all new accounts in the accounting system.
• Identify cost savings and ensure financial compliance.
• Support Grant/Compliance accountant in reporting to federal, state, local and private grantors.
• Review entries for private, state and federal grants the University receives and billing the various agencies.
• Assist Grant Director with grant reporting.
• Assist Vice President-Finance/CFO in budgeting process as needed.
• Direct contact for all student account and financial aid transactions that interface with accounting system.
• Support Grant/Compliance accountant in posting charge/credit batches; draw of all federal funds; reconcile all loan funds between financial accounting system and financial aid/student accounts; conduct Perkins Loan reconciliation and FISAP reporting for Perkins Loans.
• Complete annual endowment distribution.
• Direct contact for all advancement transactions that interface with accounting system.
• Oversee advancement deposits and postings done by accounts receivable specialists.
• Communicate with advancement office on stock donations, high/low/average of the stock valuation, and gains/losses for the stock.
• Perform or assist in performance of year-end reconciliations between accounting system and student accounts.
• Maintain all year-end reports ensuring correct year-end balances are rolled over into new fiscal year; develop processes to reconcile accounts and perform monthly closing processes to ensure Year-End closing goes smoothly.
• Serve as lead “audit liaison” or audit contact person for the annual financial statement audit– ensuring all schedules and reports are available to the auditors; communicate and coordinate with staff and CFO on what audit schedules are required and what supporting documents are required for the audit.
• Ensure that the end of audit results are posted on the Finance Web Page.
• Complete the 990 and 990-T tax return.
• Ensure that monthly excise and B&O tax returns are completed; Assist with annual unclaimed property report and sending unclaimed property to appropriate State of Washington.
• Responsible for drafting and publishing the annual financial statements.
• Complete reporting to Department of Education, IPEDS, NCAA, NSF (HERD Survey), Veteran Affairs, WA State Secretary of State, WA State Department of Licensing, WA State Insurance Commissioner and US Bank.
• Provide executive management with accurate and comprehensive financial information to guide effective policy making and financial strategizing.
• Complete quarterly financials and bond covenant calculations for external reporting for compliance with the bonds.
• Responsible for the maintenance and retention of departmental records according to the schedule; maintain and update department policies and procedures as necessary and make sure they are posted on Finance web page.
• Completes all university mandatory training and ensures trainings are completed by direct reports.
• Demonstrate high uncompromising ethical standards and act with honesty and accountability.
• Maintains confidentiality when needed.
• Evaluates and mitigates risk.
• Insurance management, risk management, treasury/banking management, investments, etc.
• Provides support to the CFO on an ongoing basis.
• Works with CFO on project management and initiates communication if capacity for any new or special projects exists.
• Works closely with the CFO on any special projects as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager