Director of Accounting Operations

Vertex Education•Chandler, AZ

12d

About The Position

Vertex Support Services (VSS) is seeking a strategic and innovative leader to shape its national accounting operations. Reporting to the Head of Finance Operations, the Director of Accounting Operations will design and lead a scalable, technology-enabled accounting operating model that strengthens financial integrity, standardizes service delivery, and uses automation, artificial intelligence, and global delivery to improve accuracy, timeliness, scalability, and client satisfaction. The role leads national accounting teams, including high-level accountants across service delivery teams and regions, and sets consistent standards for close, reporting, audit readiness, and client service across a national portfolio of more than 400 charter school clients in over 10 states. The Director will lead operating-model design and rollout; develop accounting leaders and professionals; oversee close, reporting, controls, and audits; and improve operations through standardization, automation, AI, and global delivery. The role also leads accounting integration for acquisitions and client transitions, aligning people, systems, data, controls, calendars, reporting, and processes while maintaining service continuity. This position offers an opportunity to influence strategy and execution as VSS integrates acquired companies and scales service delivery.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Progressive accounting leadership experience overseeing multi-entity or client-service operations, including month-end close, financial reporting, controls, and audits.
Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial reporting, internal controls, and audit processes.
Ability to lead geographically dispersed teams and manage change and integration across teams, systems, and processes.
Ability to establish SOPs, dashboards, KPIs, and review mechanisms that improve quality and timeliness.
Ability to identify practical opportunities for intelligent automation and workflow optimization.
Ability to build trusted partnerships and collaborate across Finance, Technology, Client Operations, auditors, and client leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience integrating teams or operations following acquisitions.
CPA or equivalent professional certification.
Experience in charter school, education, nonprofit, or other multi-client accounting environments.

Responsibilities

Design and implement a scalable, technology-enabled accounting operating model across VSS, including governance, ownership, service levels, and process accountability.
Establish consistent standards for monthly close, reconciliations, journal entries, financial reporting, and balance sheet integrity.
Execute change management to drive adoption and measurable results across legacy and acquired teams; collaborate with Accounts Payable, Payroll, and Client Management.
Lead, coach, and develop national accounting leaders and professionals, including Accounting Managers and Senior Accountant & Audit Managers.
Set priorities, decision rights, performance expectations, and development plans; build leadership capacity and succession plans; identify, develop, and retain talent.
Develop a collaborative culture connecting acquired-company teams to common VSS standards while preserving valuable local knowledge.
Oversee the quality and timeliness of monthly and year-end close activities across clients and entities.
Strengthen review processes for reconciliations, journal entries, balance sheets, financial statements, and recurring or annual adjustments.
Provide strategic and technical accounting guidance to clients and internal leaders, including complex or escalated matters.
Establish a consistent audit management approach, including workbooks, request tracking, auditor coordination, issue resolution, and review of findings.
Maintain compliance with GAAP, organizational policies, contractual commitments, and applicable financial reporting requirements; act as the final escalation point for complex, non-routine accounting treatments and operational bottlenecks.
Redesign workflows and implement standardized SOPs, dashboards, KPIs, and quality reviews to improve efficiency, control, transparency, client experience, and real-time performance management.
Develop and execute a blended delivery strategy integrating onshore leadership, offshore execution, and AI-enabled automation where appropriate; assign work to maximize quality, speed, capacity, and cost effectiveness.
Evaluate and pilot accounting technologies and partnerships that improve close, reporting, reconciliations, and audit readiness.
Design and deploy a post-close accounting integration playbook for acquired companies and newly onboarded clients.
Assess and align people, systems, data, controls, close calendars, reporting, and processes with VSS standards during integrations.
Partner with Finance, Technology, Client Operations, and acquired-company leaders to sequence integration decisions and manage dependencies.
Ensure clear communication, service continuity, and minimal disruption during transitions; track milestones, risks, and outcomes to improve future transitions.