Deputy Controller/Director Accounting

Illinois Housing Development•Chicago, IL

6d•$156,709 - $195,886•Hybrid

About The Position

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is seeking a Deputy Controller, Director of Accounting to oversee the accounting operations of the Authority. This role is responsible for general ledger activities, accounting policy governance, and accounts payable/receivable. The Deputy Controller ensures a comprehensive set of controls are in place to mitigate risk, enhance the accuracy of financial results, and ensure compliance with generally accepted accounting principles. This position serves as the Controller in their absence. IHDA is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment and is a leading Housing Finance Agency dedicated to financing affordable housing across Illinois.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field
CPA certification required
Minimum of 8 years of work experience with progressive levels of responsibility and people management
Technology-forward, comfortable with driving and leading change
Skilled with process automation and the use of software/solutions to reduce manual work efforts
Ability to analyze complex problems, interpret operational needs and develop integrated, creative solutions
Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills
A highly collaborative team builder, with an ability to foster a cooperative work environment coupled with a desire to develop others
Demonstrated managerial competence required
Strong written, presentation, and oral skills.
Experience managing enterprise accounting and ERP solutions (Oracle, SAP, other)
Must be a resident of Illinois or willing to relocate.

Nice To Haves

Masters degree a plus
Recent Public Accounting experience preferred

Responsibilities

Designs organizational structure and formulates goals that effectively accomplish the mission of the department and support the Authority.
Develops and maintains processes and controls that ensure sound accounting practices, including maintaining financial books and records in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Ensures all entries are recorded in accordance with GAAP for governmental entities and applicable GASB pronouncements, applying technical positions issued for new pronouncements.
Leads month-end and year-end closing activities, including managing the closing calendar and reviewing / validating prepared financial results.
Identifies and delivers automation and process improvement across the record-to-report cycle, using Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP capability rather than manual workaround.
Maintains accounting operating procedures and desktop documentation for the general ledger, close, and line-of-business accounting cycles, consistent with the Authority’s accounting policies and internal control framework. Operates and evidences the controls embedded in those cycles sufficient to support independent testing.
Tracks and reports close cycle time, reconciliation aging, and ledger accuracy to the Controller, and drives improvement against those measures.
Manages the Authority’s co-sourcing (offshore) accounting support team.
Owns, executes, and certifies the reconciliation of all subsidiary ledgers and subsystems to the general ledger across both lines of business, on the established cycle and to the Authority’s Balance Sheet Control standard.
Accountable for the substantiation of all Authority balance sheet accounts, including aging and resolution of reconciling items within established thresholds, escalation of unsupported balances, and timely clearing of suspense and clearing accounts.
Remediates reconciliation exceptions, control deficiencies, and audit findings arising within accounting operations; owns corrective action to completion.
Establishes and maintains accounting policies, procedures and controls that support the accounting and financial management policies of the Authority.
Monitors and evaluates changes to accounting standards and pronouncements.
Plans, develops and implements strategies to effectuate new or modified policies, procedures and pronouncements.
Represents the Accounting Department at the Authority’s policy management committee.
Supervises accounts payable staff and processes, including reviewing the propriety of claims, origination of payments, recording to appropriate general ledger accounts, issuing 1099-MISC and filing contracts.
Establishes and maintains processes and controls to manage timely payment to third parties for goods and services.
Monitors and reports on the Authority’s obligations and commitments, working in partnership with the Procurement function to identify and clear any discrepancies.
Manages fee and other billing(s), working to ensure all receipts are recorded in a timely and accurate manner.
Ensures the timely and accurate reconciliation of accounts receivable sub-ledger positions to the general ledger.
Establishes and maintains accounts receivable aging processes and related reporting.
Oversees the Authority’s payroll accounting in conjunction with the Human Resources Department and outside vendor.
Manages the preparation and distribution of financial information regarding the Authority and its programs.
Works in close partnership with the Accounting Director overseeing financial reporting, ensuring that financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and in compliance with governmental and program-specific requirements.
Assists the Chief Financial Officer, Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Controller by assessing accounting and financial impacts of business decisions, including impacts to financial disclosures and compliance obligations.
Develops and institutes measures to increase accounting efficiency and effectiveness.
Manages the annual external audit process and relationship with auditors.