Human Resources

Summary

The Director of General Accounting and Banking Services is an integral part of the Financial Services and Operations team who oversees the day-to-day accounting of the governmental fund group with the largest revenues and expenses of the University. Functions supervised include current funds accounting, accounts payable, travel reimbursements, banking services, and credit card processing. As a key member of FSO, you will assume a meaningful role in sustaining financial integrity and establishing best practices for financial reporting and accounting transactions.

The Financial Services and Operations (FSO) department reports to the CFO/ Senior Vice President for Administration and consists of 17 professional positions and 10 administrative support positions. Led by the Associate Vice President for Finance, the FSO team performs financial functions of Michigan Technological University and the Michigan Tech Fund (“Fund”)including financial reporting, investment and treasury management, bond issuance and compliance, accounts payable, accounts receivable, student billing, property, plant, and equipment, purchasing, tax compliance, and budgeting, planning, and forecasting. FSO is seeking a motivated and collaborative individual with strong critical thinking skills to replace an employee with 30-plus years of experience who is retiring in April 2025.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan. With more than $100 million in total research expenditures and 18 research centers and institutes, Michigan Tech fosters a world-class and diverse faculty, staff, and student population and is home to more than 7,200 students from 69 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, MTU offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. Our rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure. We are Michigan’s flagship technological university, grounded in and fueled by our shared vision: to improve the quality of life and to promote mutual respect and equity for all people.

Responsibilities 

• Directs the work of a senior accountant who is responsible for the reconciliation of all bank accounts, credit card processing, and travel and business meal reimbursements.
• Primary contact for banking and credit card processing relationships.
• Prepares month-end and fiscal year-end closing journal entries.
• Prepares fiscal year-end workpapers for the annual external audit.
• Directs the work of the Accounts Payable Coordinator, who is responsible for the management of vendor invoices and payments.
• Leads in the development of the annual fringe benefit rate calculation for external sponsors and is the primary contact for the audit of the annual fringe benefit rate.
• Responsible for changes to the Chart of Account in Banner, including creating new funds, indexes, programs, account codes, and department hierarchy.
• Oversees, coordinates, and manages special projects, which may include generating routine and ad-hoc reports for various purposes and audiences.
• Answers questions and provides direction to the campus community on financial matters.
• Approves financial transactions in electronic workflow queues.
• Works with the Financial Aid Department on the receipt of Federal financial aid and loan draws.
• Works closely with other leaders in the Financial Services and Operations Department to ensure that policies and procedures are followed and revised as necessary.
• Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and applying them to everyday work.
• Actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives.
• Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or related field from an accredited college or university
• Minimum of 4 years of progressive, relevant work experience in accounting and/or finance operations that can be demonstrated to be applicable to the duties and responsibilities.
• Excellent computer skills including:
• Experience using advanced features of spreadsheets
• Experience using computerized accounting systems
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain the security and confidentiality of sensitive data.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and take initiative to solve problems.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team and maintain constructive and cooperative relationships.
  

• Experience working with Banner Ellucian and/or ERP systems.
• Professional experience in Higher Education.
• Experience extracting and analyzing financial data and utilizing pivot tables and advanced tools for developing reports from computerized accounting systems.
• Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons from diverse backgrounds, creating a sense of belonging, and fostering a fair, objective, welcoming place to work for persons with a wide variety of personal characteristics and viewpoints.

 Conditions of Employment

Background Check:

Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.

Other Conditions of Employment:

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of your appointment, and maintain eligibility without sponsorship throughout your appointment.

FLSA Status

Exempt

Title of Position Supervisor

Controller