Director, Finance and Controller, Finance

Position description

The Director of Finance is responsible for the central accounting function at The Carter Center. This includes management of all audit and tax reporting, oversight of the payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivables, and monthly close processes, management of the global accounting system (Unit 4), and management of financial policies and procedures. Due to the travel locations, Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) will be required.

 

FORMAL JOB DESCRIPTION:

• The Director of Finance is responsible for the central accounting function at The Carter Center.
• This includes management of all audit and tax reporting, oversight of the payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivables, and monthly close processes, management of the global accounting system, and management of financial policies and procedures.
• Due to the travel locations, Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) will be required.
• This position reports to the Vice President, Finance. Key Responsibilities:
• Manages all external financial reporting related to audit and tax matters, as well as to third party watchdog organizations.
• Serves as primary liaison with external auditors for the financial statement audit, the Uniform Guidance Single Audit, and all grant or project-specific audits.
• Manages all audit lifecycles, including audit pre-planning, the production of all audit schedules, the production of all supporting documentation, and the resolution of any audit findings.
• Oversees the entire tax reporting schedule for all federal and state tax filings, including the production of all tax support schedules, the completion of all tax forms, and serves as the liaison with the Center’s tax service provider through to eventual filings.
• Responds to all requests for financial information that arise from third parties, including watchdog organizations.
• Serves as primary point of contact for all banking relationships for headquarters accounts.
• Ensures that appropriate balances are maintained to meet the routine cash needs of the Center while maximizing interest earned and minimizing fees charged.
• Maintains on-line management of all accounts, including moving all payment processes to electronic form where possible.
• As needed, assists with field banking relationships and processes.
• Completes on an annual basis all required U.S. Treasury Department filings.
• Reviews investment options and performance related to planned giving agreements, including charitable gift annuities and charitable trusts.
• Documents semi-annual vendor reviews and ensures that accounts are reconciled on a timely basis.
• Oversees all core accounting duties performed at headquarters, including payroll, accounts payable, and accounts receivable (gift processing) functions.
• The payroll function includes timecard processing, payroll postings, and routine payroll reporting for audit or tax purposes.
• Accounts payable includes all payments, with a focus on electronic payment processes at the Center and at the Center’s banks, as well as 1099 tax reporting.
• Accounts receivable is primarily the recording of all donations to the Center which requires appropriate coding and coordination with the Center’s development department.
• Designs, maintains, and oversees the Center’s global financial accounting system.
• This system records transactions and enables processes within the standard functions of accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, award management, contracts, payroll, expense reporting and external reporting, among others.
• The system must be designed and maintained to optimally process and capture financial activity in an efficient and effective manner.
• Serves as primary liaison with the accounting software provider for all services ranging from software updates, outages, performance, and contract renewal.
• Oversees system usage and performance at headquarters.
• Assists, as needed, on system usage and performance at field offices overseas.
• Coordinates with the financial compliance unit and assists in the design, review and analysis of all internal control testing related to financial activity at both headquarters and field office locations.
• Translates testing results into system and process improvements, including the strengthening and/or enforcement of policies and procedures.
• Oversees the annual plan and budget process for all operational departments (exclusive of programs).
• Communicates schedules, provides guidance, and ensures that all documents are updated for use.
• Works with department managers to meet established timeframes for completion.
• Attends meetings as needed, including all meetings with department personnel and meetings with members of the Center’s board of trustees.
• Ensures that all annual budgets for all cost centers (inclusive of programs) are loaded successfully into the Center’s global financial system.
• Participates in mid-year annual budget reviews and coordinates all mid-year budget analysis for department units.
• Participates in all institutional and department strategic planning processes and assist in providing financial data as required to support those processes.
• Assists in developing short and long-term financial goals for processes and systems.
• Assists the Contracts Manager, as needed, with the review and processing of all agreements with vendors, independent contractors, donors and partners prior to approval and signature.
• Oversees the coordination of the contract review process within the overall financial accounting system.
• Maintains all financial-related policies and procedures for headquarters.
• Provides assistance to ensure that all field-based financial policies and procedures are in alignment with related HQ policies and procedures.
• Provides input to all HQ financial policies and procedures as well as non-financial policies and procedures as needed.
• Designs and executes training for staff at headquarters around systems and processes.
• Establishes and maintains record retention policies and procedures for all financial documents based on existing regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Inclusive of both electronic and hard copy materials, with coordination with institutional archiving processes.
• Provides supervision and management of the Core financial unit.
• Ultimately responsible for all work product created and managed by this unit and the level of customer service provided to other areas at the Center.
• Also works closely with other units at the Center, including program staff, development, and the Office of Overseas Operations.
• Works closely with the VP-Finance.
• Attend meetings representing the work team as needed.
• Maintains professional growth and development of self and department staff by identifying educational/training programs, professional organizations, activities, and resources to maintain knowledge of national trends and to promote leading edge expertise.
• Training on US government regulations is a priority.
• This position requires travel to international field offices on an as-needed basis.
• Performs related responsibilities as needed.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field and ten years of related experience, including two years of public accounting, OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Leading and managing teams is required.
• Experience with Unit4 and QuickBooks accounting software preferred. CPA strongly recommended.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• This position requires periodic international travel and re-entry into the United States.
• Bachelor’s Degree in accounting or related field required.
• Professional certifications encouraged.
• Minimum of ten years’ experience in finance and administration required, including two years of public accounting experience.
• Supervisory experience necessary, in addition to experience with operational policy formulation and assessment, comprehensive accounting and budgeting skills, overseas and project management experience and good understanding of issues affecting developing countries in which programs operate.
• Knowledge of Spanish and/or French desirable.

Application instructions

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