Senior Accountant, Financial Reporting (Hybrid Schedule)

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Reporting directly to the Associate Director of Financial Reporting & Policy, the Senior Accountant is responsible for a variety of financial operations and reporting tasks, including monthly and quarterly financial closes, quarterly and annual financial reporting and analytics, and year-end audit. The Senior Accountant supports the team in a variety of projects and initiatives that help streamline the Financial Reporting processes.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to :

Operations :

• Prepares journal entries for key financial areas in the monthly and quarterly financial closes;
• Monitors general ledger activity on an ongoing basis, and coordinates with University divisions to maintain adequate ledger balances;
• Reconciles and analyzes general ledger accounts on a monthly and quarterly basis;
• Evaluates information and identifies issues / discrepancies, presents findings and recommendations to the team, impacted business units, and other stakeholders;
• Coordinates key financial processes that require input from other internal business units and external parties;
• Supports the University community by providing information and guidance through effective customer service.

Reporting and Analytics :

• Plays a role in quarterly and annual financial statement preparation, which may include preparing analytics and adjustments, variance analysis, footnotes, and ensuring the integrity of the financial data for responsible areas;
• Supports the annual financial audit, which may include preparing audit schedules, audit confirmation logs, and other critical tasks;
• Prepares other internal and external reports and analytics.

Other :

• Supports the team's use of Business Intelligence tools to enhance the ability to efficiently analyze large volumes of data;
• Participates in the implementation of new software tools that aid in automation.
• Partners with immediate supervisor and colleagues to analyze issues and determine resolution or routes to the appropriate business unit as necessary;
• Performs other related duties and special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or related field and / or its equivalent.
• A minimum of three years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree and / or CPA.
• Experience with financial statement preparation.
• Experience in utilizing various reporting tools; experience with SAP Web Intelligence.
• Experience with PeopleSoft.
• Experience in a university or not-for-profit setting.

Other Requirements

• Must be detail-oriented, have excellent analytical skills, and ability to handle large volumes of data.
• Strong problem-solving skills to evaluate information, present findings, and make recommendations.
• Strong Excel skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office required, including experience with PivotTables, VLOOKUP, and advanced formulas.
• Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively in a demanding environment.
• Must have strong multitasking and time management skills to manage deadlines for short-term, long-term, and ad-hoc assignments.
• Must demonstrate a commitment to exceptional quality and have the highest ethical standards.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills to effectively communicate with a variety of audiences, as well as effective listening skills.
• The successful candidate must be able to work well with all levels of management, both internally and externally, be flexible in nature, and have sound judgment with an open and collaborative style that encourages teamwork and cooperation beyond the immediate team.
• Must possess a passion for excellent customer service.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.