Director of Accounting

Stronger Consulting • Phoenix, AZ

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Accounting leads the accounting function and its team of eight. Reporting to the CFO, this leader owns the month-end close, the general ledger, payroll and accounts payable oversight, grant ledgers, and the audit process. The accounting itself is not complex. The challenge is volume, structure, and scale. This leader will build the systems, processes, and team that let accurate work happen on time without burnout. This is a hands-on role. The right person leads the team and does the work alongside them. They are organized, steady through change, and good with people. They see where the department needs to go and build the path to get there.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting from an accredited institution.
• 5 to 10 years of progressive accounting experience, including ownership of a monthly and annual close.
• Experience directly supervising accounting staff and setting clear expectations.
• Working knowledge of payroll, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
• Command of debits, credits, and accounting workflow from transaction to financial statement.
• Ability to read, prepare, and explain financial statements to non-financial audiences.
• Understanding of restricted funds and federal grant drawdowns.
• Experience leading or supporting an external financial statement audit.
• Ability to pass a criminal background check and any fingerprint clearance required.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Accounting or a related field.
• Accounting experience in K-12 education, charter schools, or charter management organizations (highly preferred).
• Nonprofit accounting experience, including restricted fund accounting.
• CPA license or CPA eligibility.
• Experience with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) and Single Audits.
• Experience with multi-entity accounting and intercompany allocations.
• Experience leading a team through rapid growth, new site launches, or a department turnaround.
• Hands-on experience with a mid-market or enterprise ERP.
• Workday Financials experience is a plus, not a requirement.
• Ability to bridge accounting needs and system configuration, and to scope improvements with technical partners.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and large-dataset reconciliation.
• Experience building close checklists, calendars, and reconciliation workflows.
• Familiarity with payroll processing and AP automation in a high-volume environment.
• Ability to maintain grant ledgers and reconcile budget to actual spend.

Responsibilities

• Lead and rebuild the team. Supervise five direct reports and a department of eight. Set clear expectations, coach, and hold the team accountable. Put the right people in the right seats.
• Assess the current structure, fill gaps, and hire as the organization scales.
• Lead from inside the work. Roll up your sleeves during close, payroll, and audit. Model the standard you expect.
• Steady the department. Reduce overload through clear workflows, deadlines, and communication. Rebuild trust and morale.
• Grow people. Cross-train staff, document procedures, and create real paths for promotion from within.
• Lead through change. Guide the team through growth, new school launches, and evolving processes.
• Build the close. Design and own a structured month-end close process. Target: complete, reconciled books within 10 to 15 days of month end.
• Maintain the general ledger. Ensure accurate accruals, reconciliations, fixed assets, and intercompany and management-fee allocations between the management organization and each school.
• Manage volume across entities. Standardize the chart of accounts, close calendar, and reporting formats across all schools.
• Oversee payroll. Own payroll accuracy and timeliness. Payroll reports directly to this role.
• Oversee accounts payable. Lead the AP Supervisor and team of three. Build workflows that keep up with volume.
• Strengthen internal controls over cash, payroll, procurement, and disbursements.
• Maintain grant ledgers. Track restricted funds and ensure spending matches approved budgets.
• Support drawdowns. Oversee federal grant reimbursements and drawdowns and reconcile grant activity to the ledger.
• Partner with the grants lead. Work cross-functionally on grant budgets, allowability, and reporting.
• Get the most out of Workday. Partner with the internal Workday team. Identify where the system and processes need to go and build the plan to get there.
• Automate the routine. Replace manual, spreadsheet-dependent work so the team spends time on analysis and review.
• Support new school launches. Set up accounting for new schools, including entity setup, opening balances, and first-year audit readiness.
• Partner on board reporting. Provide accurate financial statements and analysis to the CFO and Director of FP&A, who lead board work.
• Translate the numbers. Explain financial results in plain language to school leaders and colleagues new to finance.
• Lead the audit. Serve as primary contact for external auditors. Manage PBC lists, workpapers, and fieldwork.
• Meet state and authorizer deadlines. Ensure timely, accurate financial filings in each state.
• Build relationships. Work closely with FP&A, HR, operations, and other directors. Learn the whole business.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer-sponsored retirement plan
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Additional benefits in accordance with the company benefits package

What This Job Offers

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