Job Description

Reporting to the Vice President, Financial Operations, Boston University’s (BU) Associate Vice President & University Controller (Controller) is responsible for maintaining the accounting records of the University, providing accurate and timely financial reporting, ensuring the protection of university assets by establishing and maintaining adequate internal controls, and implementing cutting edge new technology and staying abreast of industry trends.

The Controller is responsible for providing overall leadership and direction of the accounting staff and operations of the University. This includes maintenance of the system of accounting records; production of related financial reports; and adherence to internal controls to mitigate risk, enhance accuracy of the University's financial position, and ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry best practices as well as generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and Financial Accounting Standard Board (FASB) standards, and state/federal requirements. The Controller oversees over 65 staff members across several departments including Student Financial Services, Financial Accounting & Reporting, Tax Services, Payroll Services, Research Financial Operations, and Property Management.

Lastly, the Controller is responsible for internal and external financial reporting and regularly supports reporting to the Board of Trustees and relevant Board committees. This includes but is not limited to annual audited financial statements, managing external auditors, IPEDS reporting, and compilation of the University’s fringe and indirect cost proposals. 

Major duties of this position include: 

• Responsible for staff development, including assisting managers as they formulate the development plans for their teams. Direct reports include:
  • Associate Controller, Payroll Services
  • Assistant Vice President of Student Financial Services (SFS) who oversees Student Customer Service, Cashier Services, and Student Loans & Collections.
  • Assistant Vice President of Financial Accounting & Reporting and Tax Services
  • Associate Controller of Research Financial Operations, including Grant and Miscellaneous Receivables, and Property Management
• Design, establish, and maintain an organizational structure and staffing to effectively accomplish organizational goals and objectives; recruit, employ, train, supervise, and evaluate personnel staff.
• Review month-end close reporting to university leadership and prepare monthly board committee presentations based on University’s financial performance. Prepare routine and ad hoc financial analysis and reports for senior leadership.
• Oversee the preparation of university’s consolidated financial statements including footnotes and preceding Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) in accordance with GAAP. Serve as a liaison with the University's external auditors and is responsible for leading all external financial audits (Financial Statement, Uniform Guidance, NCAA, UFR, and others as needed). Serve as staff to Board of Trustee’s Audit Committee.
• Responsible for establishing an internal control environment related to financial information and the accounting for the University's assets.
• Act as committee member for various subsidiaries, related parties, task forces, and working groups collaborating with internal and external partners.

Required Skills

Required Skills:

• CPA qualified and master’s degree (MBA, MSA or its equivalent).
• 12+ years of experience in financial accounting management, preferably public accounting within an institution of higher education, of which the last five (5) years have been in a supervisory or managerial capacity and included supervising, hiring, and evaluating staff. Note: Seven (7) years of audit experience of higher education with managerial responsibilities may be an appropriate substitute.
• Demonstrated subject matter expertise in principles of internal controls, compliance, and GAAP.
• Adept at communication, negotiation, influencing, critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving and empathy.
• Excellent analytical skills & demonstrated effectiveness dealing with complex processes & systems; Knowledge of report writing applications.
• Demonstrated success managing staff & office operations; Strong leadership & team-building skills.
• Strong time management and planning skills required to coordinate and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously while adapting to changes in business requirements in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated, proactive, intellectually curious.

Preferred Skills:

• Extensive experience working in SAP and/or other reporting tools, enterprise-wide accounting software (i.e. Oracle, People Soft, Banner, ERP), Campus Solutions, Microsoft Office Suite.

Benefits / Other Information:

Boston University’s generous benefits package includes health, dental, life insurance, and paid time off! Full-time employees are also eligible for tuition remission for courses at Boston University. Note: the remission benefit extends to dependents as well. For more details on benefits, please refer to the Boston University benefits page at

The department of Financial Affairs at Boston University values intellectual, cultural, and social diversity among its staff and students. We remain steadfast in our dedication to building a team that is inclusive and equitable and a place where all constituents can thrive.

For all positions, we are looking for individuals who enjoy working with colleagues in a collaborative environment and who are flexible and creative. We strongly encourage applications from women and under-represented groups who share our interest in serving a university community with diverse needs, backgrounds, ethnicities, and abilities.

Interested applicants are asked to upload a resume, list of references (if available), and submit a cover letter addressed to "Hiring Manager – AVP and University Controller”.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

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