Director of Accounting Operations

Vertex Education•Chandler, AZ

13d

About The Position

Vertex Support Services (VSS) is seeking a strategic and innovative leader to shape national accounting operations. Reporting to the Head of Finance Operations, the Director 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 establishes consistent standards for close, reporting, audit readiness, and client service across a portfolio of more than 400 charter school clients in 10 or more states. The Director will build and develop a high-performing national organization; lead transformation across multiple entities; oversee close, reporting, controls, and audit activities; and drive standardization, automation, AI adoption, and global delivery. The role also leads accounting integration for acquisitions and client transitions, partnering across Finance, Technology, Client Operations, and acquired-company leadership to align people, systems, data, controls, and processes while maintaining service continuity.

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 national teams and build leadership capacity, accountability, and continuous learning.
Ability to design scalable accounting operating models and lead change across teams and operations.
Experience or demonstrated fluency identifying practical opportunities for AI, automation, and workflow optimization.
Ability to establish SOPs, dashboards, KPIs, and review mechanisms that improve quality and timeliness.
Ability to collaborate across Finance, Technology, Client Operations, auditors, and client leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading geographically dispersed teams.
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

Develop and implement a scalable, technology-enabled accounting operating model across VSS.
Define governance, ownership, service levels, and process accountability across client-facing accounting functions.
Establish consistent standards for monthly close, reconciliations, journal entries, financial reporting, and balance sheet integrity.
Execute change management plans that drive adoption and measurable results across legacy and acquired teams.
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with Accounts Payable, Payroll, and Client Management teams.
Lead, coach, and develop accounting leaders and professionals across the national organization, including Accounting Managers and Senior Accountant & Audit Managers.
Set priorities, decision rights, performance expectations, and development plans that reinforce accountability and continuous learning.
Build leadership capacity and succession plans, and identify, develop, and retain top talent.
Create a collaborative culture that aligns 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 support for complex or escalated matters.
Establish a consistent audit management approach covering workbooks, request tracking, auditor coordination, issue resolution, and review of findings.
Maintain compliance with GAAP, organizational policies, contractual commitments, and applicable financial reporting requirements.
Serve as the final escalation point for complex, non-routine accounting treatments and operational bottlenecks.
Redesign accounting workflows to improve efficiency, control, transparency, and client experience.
Implement standardized SOPs, dashboards, KPIs, and quality reviews for real-time performance management.
Develop and execute a blended delivery strategy integrating onshore leadership, offshore execution, and AI-enabled automation where appropriate.
Segment and 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.
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 integrations.