Accountant IV - 991520

We are excited that you are considering joining Nova Southeastern University!

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) was founded in 1964, and is a not-for-profit, independent university with a reputation for academic excellence and innovation. Nova Southeastern University offers competitive salaries, a comprehensive benefits package including tuition waiver, retirement plan, excellent medical and dental plans and much more. NSU cares about the health and welfare of its students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors and is a tobacco-free university.

We appreciate your support in making NSU the preeminent place to live, work, study and grow. Thank you for your interest in a career with Nova Southeastern University.

Primary Purpose:

Contributes to the assigned unit's financial success by establishing and maintaining sound financial procedures, analyzing financial information and preparing financial reports. Supports the unit(s) in managing its fiscal affairs and business operations. While reporting to the university’s central finance office, works directly with the unit’s leadership to ensure fiscal responsibility in aligning its financial strategies with the larger university’s.

Job Category: Exempt

Hiring Range:  Commensurate with experience

Pay Basis:  Annually

Subject to Grant Funding? Yes  

Essential Job Functions: 

1. Reports to management regarding the finances of assigned unit(s).
2. Assists in formulating strategic business plans for the University, College, and/or unit.
3. Advises management about issues such as resource utilization and the assumptions underlying budget forecasts.
4. Serves as liaison between assigned unit(s) and the University to share knowledge, information and best practices to promote effective financial management.
5. Prepares, examines, or analyzes accounting records, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
6. Analyzes business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and/or obligations to project future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.
7. Develops, maintains, and analyzes budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare budgeted revenues and expenses to actuals.
8. Develops positive working relationships to foster a collaborative environment for financial management and oversight.
9. Assists in the monthly, quarterly, and fiscal year-end closing processes as needed, including the preparation of work papers, reconciliations, and account analyses.
10. Performs accounting functions related to grants and contracts, including assisting in the development of budgets, approving expenditures, preparing invoices, and ensuring all accounting activity complies with the sponsor's policies and procedures.
11. Reviews purchase orders, check requests, expense reports, journal entries, and budget transfers for accuracy and approves or denies.
12. Performs ad-hoc financial analysis in response to requests or to provide support to various programs.
13. Compiles budget data and documents based on estimated revenues and expenses, previous budgets and actual results in accordance with university procedures and regulations.
14. Reviews approved budgets to actual activity to analyze trends and identify variances from budget.
15. Analyzes monthly budget and accounting reports to monitor expenditures.
16. Prepares financial pro formas based on accounting records and other data to determine viability of potential new programs.
17. Compiles year-end reports, work papers and analysis necessary for the University’s auditors to complete the yearly audit.
18. Attends professional development training and stay abreast of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars and their applicability to grant management related audit, federal regulations, state laws and University policies, and any workshops or seminars on grants or sponsored programs.
19. Recommends, creates, updates, and communicates policies and procedures as needed.
20. Provides training as needed to disseminate information, improve processes, or improve reporting functionality.
21. Completes special projects as assigned.
22. Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Job Requirements: 

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: Knowledge:
1. Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
2. General knowledge of current database management platforms and other reporting tools.
3. Advanced knowledge of MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word and Excel).
4. English Language - General knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
5. Administration and Management - Working knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, budgeting, human resources modeling, leadership technique, and/or coordination of people and resources.
6. Customer Service - Working knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer focused support.

Skills:
1. Active Listening - Advanced skills in giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
2. Mathematics - Advanced skills in using mathematics to solve problems.
3. Reading Comprehension - Proficient understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents and correspondence.
4. Writing - Proficient skills in communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
5. Critical Thinking – Advanced skills in using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
6. Speaking - Proficient skills in talking to others to convey information effectively.
7. Judgment and Decision Making - Advanced skills in considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the appropriate one.
8. Management of Financial Resources – Advanced skills in determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
9. Organization and Prioritization Management – Advanced skills in organizing, prioritizing, and managing multiple projects simultaneously. Proven ability to manage and coordinate resources and ensure timely completion of tasks.
10. Building Relationships – Proficient skills in building and maintain relationships. Work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders throughout the University.

Abilities:
1. Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
2. Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
3. Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
4. Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (including finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
5. Problem Sensitivity – The ability to use deductive and inductive reasoning to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. Does not involve solving problems, only recognizing there is a problem.

Physical Requirements:
1. Near Vision - Must be able to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
2. Speech Recognition - Must be able to identify and understand the speech of another person.
3. Travel - Must be able to travel on a daily and/or overnight basis.
4. May be required to work nights or weekends.
5. May be exposed to short, intermittent, and/or prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing in performance of job duties.
6. May be required to accomplish job duties using various types of equipment/supplies, to include but not limited to pens, pencils, mobile devices, and computer keyboards.

Required Certifications/Licensures: 

Required Education: Bachelor's Degree

Major (if required: Finance or Accounting

Required Experience: Six (6) to eight (8) years of experience in accounting or finance.

Preferred Qualifications: 

1. Master’s Degree in Finance, Accounting or Business Administration.
2. CPA or CFA.
3. Experience in higher education strongly preferred.

Is this a safety sensitive position? No  

Background Screening Required?  Yes  

Pre-Employment Conditions: 

Sensitivity Disclaimer: Nova Southeastern University is in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate with regard to applicants or employees with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodation when necessary.

NSU considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status or any other legally protected status.