(Hybrid) Corporate Accountant Lead - Property Management

West Virginia University • West Virginia, WV

16d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Corporate Accountant Lead is a professional-level position serving West Virginia University and its regional campuses and divisions. The role performs advanced accounting and financial-system assignments in specialized areas of accounting and financial management, with broad institutional impact in fixed-asset accounting and property-management reporting. The position leads the Property Management unit and provides training and functional guidance to accounting staff and personnel across Finance, Shared Services, colleges, and departments.

The position leads the development, monitoring, modification, and control of systems needed to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, sponsor requirements, and University policies for fixed-asset accounting and property management. It oversees the design and use of financial-system functionality, reconciles fixed-asset activity, prepares year-end entries and sponsored-agency reports, coordinates physical inventories, supports audits, and advises senior management on property-management concerns. The role also undertakes special projects and job-related continuing education, which may involve in-state and out-of-state travel. Limited evening and weekend hours may occasionally be required as part of institutional processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in the financial operations of a complex organization, or an equivalent combination of related education and experience.
• High-level analytical, critical-thinking, organizational, time-management, and problem-solving abilities.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
• Comprehensive knowledge of accounting guidelines established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.
• Comprehensive knowledge of fund accounting procedures and regulations.
• Understanding of automated double-entry accounting systems and ability to use systems to produce standard and analytical information.
• Ability to perform complex financial calculations, including financial ratios, statistical analyses, and trend analyses.
• Oral and written communication skills to explain complex guidelines, justify recommendations, and interact with University staff, regulatory agencies, and auditors.
• Ability to organize information, perform financial calculations, draw logical conclusions, and prepare financial reports, analyses, and summaries for upper-level administration.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and implement federal, state, University, and professional guidelines in unique University situations.
• Ability to efficiently use a personal computer, including word-processing, spreadsheet, and database applications, and apply those tools to create sophisticated applications.
• Ability to use a high-level computer language to write reports and queries that extract data from the accounting system.
• Ability to meet institutional attendance and punctuality standards.
• Ability to foster cooperation and harmony among groups and exercise professional judgment in new or unusual situations.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• Prior experience with advanced financial-systems software.
• Advanced graduate degree in Accounting and/or Finance.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.
• Certified Public Accountant or Certified Research Administrator certification; preference is given to candidates with either credential.

Responsibilities

• Lead the coordination, development, and application of property-management systems, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, sponsor, and University requirements.
• Design and code programs to extract and analyze data from the Accounts Payable, Grants, Fixed Asset, and General Ledger modules; investigate transactions and ensure proper posting and reconciliation.
• Develop and maintain a thorough functional and systems understanding of financial and human-resources modules and their integration.
• Lead the design and implementation of the core Fixed Asset accounting module, including set-up tables, look-up values, and auto-accounting rules.
• Test and implement new functionality and modifications to the Property Management process in the Fixed Asset Module.
• Lead testing for financial-system upgrades involving Fixed Asset Module tables and functionality, and map appropriate actions for new accounting scenarios.
• Troubleshoot module issues with the Financial Systems functional analyst team and assess the long-term cost and efficiency impacts of potential system changes.
• Conduct the annual assessment of property-management policies, procedures, and systems; analyze federal reporting deficiencies and recommend improvements.
• Manage and reconcile the University’s Fixed Asset System; examine transactions and research imbalances between the General Ledger and Fixed Asset Module.
• Prepare, analyze, and record year-end close Property Management entries in accordance with institutional policy.
• Analyze and report property-management activity to sponsored-award agencies, including the Office of Naval Research; develop reporting methodologies and investigate discrepancies.
• Serve as liaison with external agencies, auditors, and consultants on property accounting and management matters; gather and explain information, defend institutional practices and policies, and respond to audit findings.
• Coordinate campus-wide self-reported physical inventories with University Business Offices and ensure accurate, timely completion and compliance with state and federal guidelines.
• Develop and implement methodologies for other property-accounting reports and special projects.
• Train University personnel on property management under applicable regulations, University policies and procedures, and award terms and conditions.
• Report and advise senior management about property-management concerns or discrepancies.
• Carry out special projects in support of institutional missions and unit objectives.
• Participate in job-related continuing education seminars and workshops, which may involve in-state and out-of-state travel.
• Act as backup to other unit positions and occasionally perform their duties; participate in institutional processes that may require limited evening and weekend work.

Benefits

• 37.5-hour work week.
• 13 paid holidays.
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year.
• 18 sick days per year.
• Health insurance and other benefits.
• 401(a) retirement savings with a 6% employee contribution match.
• Eligibility to continue health insurance in retirement and other retiree benefits.
• Wellness programs.

What This Job Offers

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