ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINSTRATION
Associate Vice President of Finance and Adminstration
Office of Business Affairs
POSITION SUMMARY
Reporting to the Vice President for Finance & Administration, the Associate VP will provide leadership for the budget, accounting, audit, compliance, and financial functions of the university.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Develops and supports the Business Office Staff
- Supervise the Assistant Controller and Student Accounting Services team (together with Director of Financial Aid), including Payroll Services, Accounts Payable and Budgeting personnel.
- Serve as primary seeker on all searches for Business Office staff.
- Provide performance assessment and coaching and counseling services.
- Provide staff development opportunities.
- Serve as a role model encouraging and rewarding positive approaches to customer service focused policies and procedures.
2. Directs the accounting and investment functions
- Recommend revisions or new operating policies and procedures related to financial reporting and new financial reporting standards based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
- Control the Chart of Accounts and recommend revisions as appropriate.
- Administer an efficient and effective cash management program in consultation with the Vice President for Finance & Administration.
- Authorize expenditures as required by policy.
- Maintain integrity of financial data so as to ensure complete, accurate, timely, and relevant information for financial reporting.
- Maintain an informed level of awareness concerning college and university financial reporting, student aid programs, payroll, and other state and Federal compliance reporting.
- Assist in the administration and investment of financial assets of the university in according with established policies.
3. Develops and oversees the budget
- Prepare budget forecasts.
- Recommend changes which will result in improvements to the budget process.
- Publish annually budget process with appropriate schedule.
- Train departmental budget officers in process and key accounting principles.
- Provide timely, accurate, helpful reports to budget officers including multi-year analysis of budget/actual expenditures.
- Prepare monthly and special reports for committees, cabinet etc.
4. Plans, manages and implements external audits
- Recommends and implements steps to streamline audits and reviews
- Coordinates and prepares financial statements, audit schedules and reports to ensure annual financial, federal and benefits audits are accurate and completed timely
- Actively participate in presentation of the audit report to the Board of Trustees Audit Committee.
- Provide oversight and responsibility for all federal or state compliance audits.
5. Completes all Compliance and Tax Reporting Requirements
- Plans and prepare necessary information to complete annual IRS 990s reports and detailed schedules needed
- Support VP of Finance on all steps needed to issue institutional debt and required follow up information to complete institutional debt issuance and resulting compliance policies and reporting.
- Supports Bursar, Assistant Controller and Payroll Manager in preparation and production of all required tax reporting.
- Assist the Office of Human Resources with technical support and completion necessary office reports.
- Supports any financial reporting needed by campus departments.
6. Oversees the implementation and improvement of the enterprise software within the accounting and finance area.
- Serve as a Member of the Computer Users Group.
- Participate in system training.
- Serve in an advisory capacity to the Director, Information Systems regarding timing and implementation of new releases and changes to the system.
- Encourage efficient use of the system by budget officers.
- Ensure production of user-friendly budget reports, student account billings, payroll advice reports etc.
- Maintain close working relationship with the Office of Human Resources regarding the Human Resource/Payroll module.
Other related services in support of the Vice President for Finance & Administration including Board of Trustee agenda and resolution preparation, committee staffing, minute preparation and follow up actions,
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Demonstrated knowledge of tax and FASB requirements and issues.
- Demonstrated abilities in supervision which encourages a customer service focused staff to identify and emulate best industry practices.
- Effective oral, written, organization and presentation skills.
- Strategic thinking and analysis, exhibiting open, innovative, and energetic leadership style, to achieve consensus and commitment to developing methods which encouraging financial behaviors that are cost effective and efficient.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or directly related field. Master degree or CPA desired.
- Five years financial management/accounting experience in public accounting or higher education
- High degree of computer literacy and experience with query languages in an integrated database system.
- A personal commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith and learning
- Demonstrated growth in cultural competence, awareness of societal and structural inequities and proven experience in effectively establishing relationships and positive communications with students and other constituents across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, varying abilities, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, class or religious perspectives
- A commitment to the educational mission of Whitworth University as a comprehensive Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
SALARY: Commensurate with experience and qualifications.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: A background check, sexual misconduct check and confirmation of degrees earned will be required of the successful candidate. A resume, cover letter, faith statement, and names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three (3) professional references will also be required. All Whitworth University employees are required to comply with the university’s COVID-19 vaccination policy.
About Whitworth:
Founded in 1890, Whitworth has consistently ranked among the top regional colleges and universities in the West. Whitworth University has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students and offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. With strong liberal arts undergraduate and graduate programs, Whitworth unites a robust commitment to Christian mission and service, academic rigor and care for students.
Whitworth University's 200-acre campus of red-brick buildings and tall pines offers a beautiful, inviting and secure learning environment. More than $125 million in campus improvements have been made in recent years.
A community of committed Christian faculty and staff employees carries out the university's mission "to provide its diverse student body an education of the mind and heart," equipping its graduates "to honor God, follow Christ and serve humanity."
Our Benefits:
Whitworth University provides a robust offering of benefits and services to enhance the quality of life of its faculty and staff. Employees who are eligible for benefits may participate in health plans including medical, dental and vision; a generous retirement plan (8% employer match); life insurance and long-term disability insurance. Well-being services include spiritual enrichment, the employee assistance program, and free access to the University Recreation Center and the Megan E. Thompson Aquatic Center. Free tuition for employees and tuition remission programs for spouses and dependents round out the offerings. Additionally, Whitworth employees enjoy 17 paid holidays each year.
Whitworth complies with all federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws that are applicable to religious nonprofit institutions and does not engage in unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. With our Christ-centered commitment to building a diverse and inclusive community, the university encourages applications from populations underrepresented at Whitworth including members of racial/ethnic communities, women, and persons with disabilities.