Director of Accounting and Reporting, Student Financial Services

California State University, Bakersfield • Bakersfield, CA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Under the administrative direction of the Associate Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, the Director of Accounting & Reporting, Student Financial Services, provides oversight and leadership in Student Financial Services, which includes cashiering, collections, student accounts, and campus billing for main campus as well as four auxiliary business units. Responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of student billing and collection, assessing tuition and other campus fees, management of third-party invoicing and accounts receivable, campus-wide cash handling, oversight of financial aid disbursement, maintaining Student Financial System (SFS) PeopleSoft module, CashNet, and campus-wide e-Markets. This position oversees internal and external accounting, and reporting, for those areas under Student Financial Services including Accounts Receivable, Unearned Revenue and Earned Revenue, while assuring compliance with government, CSU system, university, and other rules, regulations, and policies. The position works closely with other campus departments to ensure the efficiency and integrity of the billing, cash management, and collection processes at California State University, Bakersfield. The position requires strong initiative and consistently dependable judgment in assuring compliance with Federal and State laws and University policies governing the accounting and confidential financial information of students. The Director of Accounting & Reporting - Student Financial Services provides leadership, training, and guidance to staff to achieve “best in class” in customer service to students, parents, and the campus.

Requirements

• Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration or related field and five (5) years of professional level accounting experience in a high-volume automated accounting department.
• Experience should include managing and leading various classifications of employees.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain by date of hire.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, and the ability to think strategically in the preparation, review, maintenance, and reporting of complex financial data.
• Strong demonstrated knowledge of general accounting functions to include applicable rules, regulations and internal controls.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, and familiarity with GASB and/or FASB standards for financial reporting.
• Ability to build queries/reports and analyze systems and processes within an automated financial system with an emphasis on improved efficiency.
• Management and leadership skills with the ability to be creative, make informed decisions, and inspire staff to perform successfully.
• Excellent interpersonal skills are necessary to communicate effectively with campus personnel, the State Controller’s Office, other CSU entities, and governmental agencies.
• Ability to supervise, direct, train, mentor, and evaluate a team of professional staff.
• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure, policies and procedures.
• Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development
• Must be able to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.
• May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

Nice To Haves

• Certified Public Accountant
• Master’s degree in related field
• Experience with PeopleSoft Student Financials
• Higher education experience
• Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment utilizing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary business administrator officer for Student Financial Services responsible for the oversight of the daily operations of Student Financial Services department.
• Responsible for the ongoing financial and administrative oversight and maintenance of effective standards, policies and procedures to assure the accountability and security of all University cash transactions, billing, accounts receivables, and student financial records.
• Ensure timely account analysis and maintain procedures that assure efficient processing for all student refunds in compliance with Department of Education Regulations.
• Manage the University’s student debt collection efforts, including procedures and policies for returned checks, payment plans, institutional emergency loans, and other outstanding student indebtedness.
• Assure compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
• Serve as the primary administrator accountable for: All campus-wide cash handling, billing, accounts receivables, collections, assessment of student fees and refunding activities, student accounts maintenance and refunding, etc.
• Third party invoicing, collections and maintenance of accounts receivable subledger.
• Annual audits, governmental agency, and other campus requests within Student Financial Services, including providing schedules and reports as appropriate.
• Ensure appropriate internal controls to safeguard assets through collaborating with campus-wide personnel and provide accurate and timely internal and external financial and managerial reporting.
• Oversee complex projects requiring considerable coordination with campus constituents as well as the CSU Chancellor’s Office staff and other governmental agencies as appropriate.
• Exercise considerable discretionary decision making as it pertains to reviewing and preparing necessary journal entry transactions and planning daily tasks and work activities.
• Responsible for the financial management of areas under Student Financial Services management including developing and implementing fiscal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with appropriate government regulations and related accounting pronouncements (GAAP, GASB, FASB, etc.), and accurate and timely cash management, financial and managerial reporting, and financial account closeout procedures.
• Responsible for maintaining all tuition and fee invoicing code tables, assessment rules, and billing modules in the Student Financial System for the assessment of student fees as mandated by legislation, CSU Board of Trustees, etc.
• Evaluate, develop, and implement policies and procedures to support the department, division and University.
• Perform special projects as directed by the AVP.
• Directly supervise staff through selecting, training, and disciplining as needed.
• Establish job standards and effectively evaluate staff through mentoring and training to ensure competence, efficiency and professionalism to provide “best-in-class” service to internal and external customers.
• Plan, organize, and direct others in their work while providing leadership and encouragement of staff growth, cross-curricular experiences, and increased responsibility.
• Lead staff to effective use of PeopleSoft and/or similar or related reporting tools, to achieve appropriate reporting efficiencies and accountability.

Benefits

• CSUB offers a best-in-class benefit package for eligible employees that includes an array of medical plans, choice of dental plans, vision coverage, retirement participation in CalPERS, CSU tuition waiver, up to 24 vacation days per year, sick leave with unlimited accrual, 15 paid holidays per year and more!

What This Job Offers

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