Job Description

Position Overview:

The Senior Accountant is responsible for a variety of accounting and financial reporting activities within the Finance Office and has the potential to grow within the Accounting/Finance department over the next several years. Reporting to the Assistant Controller, the Senior Accountant also interacts closely with the Controller, CFO, University Budget Manager, and other accounting staff, and must work effectively with a wide range of internal and external University constituencies. This role will require a proactive approach and attention to detail while playing a key role in advancing both the department’s and Wentworth’s overall mission. This position provides an individual with knowledge and insight into how a university operates financially and will provide professional development opportunities within the higher education industry.

The Accounting Department staff continues to evolve and change because of Workday Enterprise system implementation. In addition, the team is building a highly skilled unit that will embrace technology and change, with the goal of closing the books monthly, quarterly, and annually on an aggressive schedule, and along the way, implement efficient processes that enable these objectives.

The following duties summarize the responsibilities that we anticipate this position to be assigned in the near term. We anticipate the incumbent to develop proficiencies in the assigned areas, after which we will assess additional responsibilities and opportunities for growth within the department.

Essential Functions:

General Ledger and Transaction Accounting:

• Download transaction activity for the main operating account; assign transaction posting responsibilities to other department staff and circulate accordingly

• Prepare and post journal entries related to the main operating account

• Reconcile cash activity to the general ledger and investigate and resolve discrepancies

• Serve as a primary liaison with the Student Accounts Office to research and resolve issues related to student payments and refunds

• Process student refund payments initiated by the Student Accounts Office

• Update wire reports and return logs for incoming wires and returned student transactions

• Ensure assigned Balance Sheet and Income Statement accounts are reconciled monthly

• Assist with monthly close and annual audit processes by preparing accruals, executing journal entries, reconciling assigned accounts, and responding to inquiries.

• Prepare external audit documentation and support auditors during fieldwork

• Prepare and submit monthly sales tax calculations and filings

Cash and Banking Operations:

• Receive and record deposits from various departments as well as external parties, and deposit funds with the bank

• Update daily cash forecasts and monitor balances across multiple bank accounts

• Initiate and reconcile wire transfers, ACH payments, and inter-account fund transfers

• Serve as a liaison with banking partners for account maintenance and service optimization

• Assist in onboarding new banking services and platforms

Debt Management:

• Maintain accurate amortization schedules for all outstanding debt (e.g., bonds and leases)

• Process and record interest and principal payments

• Support the issuance and administration of new debt

General Responsibilities:

• Document Policies and Procedures used in day-to-day operations to allow for more fluid/seamless ability for other department staff to step in and cover these duties on a temporary basis (i.e. for vacations, illness, turnover, etc)

• Develop and implement business process improvement initiatives and strategies.

• Recommend automation improvements for bank reporting or cash reconciliations.

• Support the Finance team's strategic and daily operations in collaboration with the Controller and Assistant Controller

• Participate in cross-training initiatives to provide backup support for Finance team colleagues.

• Demonstrate flexibility in taking on new assignments as business needs evolve

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or related field

• At least 3 – 5 years progressive experience with general ledger accounting

• Advanced accounting and systems skills, with strong attention to detail

• The candidate should consider themselves experienced, and “highly skilled” at performing complex, high volume account reconciliations. Advanced excel skills will be required to perform this work. (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP’s, Sum If and other relevant excel functions, and query and other data manipulation techniques as applicable). Experience preparing and uploading complex journal entries for review.

• Strong interpersonal skills.

• Ability to protect confidential information by exercising judgment and discretion.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills with demonstrated ability to communicate professionally and effectively with multiple constituents within the University.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks within tight timelines and simultaneously manage several projects within or in advance of stated deadlines.

• A motivated problem-solver who will take the initiative to identify opportunities for and implementation of business process improvement efforts; this would include the experience or ability to automate processes and create efficiencies with accounting processes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Workday experience is preferred but not absolutely required. Alternatively, candidates must have experience with other high-end accounting/ERP systems and work with multi-dimensional Chart of Account fields.

• Progressive experience in general accounting in a not-for-profit educational institution.

Position Details:

• This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, exempt position (37.5 hours/week).

• This role is based in Boston and requires in-person work at least three days per week (with an expectation for 4 days in office for the first 3 – 4 months of employment while in training).

Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth

Inclusive Excellence is one of the four pillars of the Strategic Plan. Actively and intentionally cultivating a diverse and culturally competent institution where each member has the opportunity and support to reach their full potential and make contributions to our campus community and beyond is Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth.

To find out more about the Wentworth’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence, please visit the website https://wit.edu/about/inclusive-excellence.

All applicants have the right to accessibility support and accommodations. To request accessibility support or accommodations, contact the Executive Director of Equity and Compliance, Catlin Wells, at wellsc1@wit.edu.

E-Verify for Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9)

Wentworth participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from your Form I-9 to records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.

About Colleges of Fenway - Wentworth Institute of Technology

Colleges of the Fenway is a collaborative effort of five neighboring Boston-based colleges in the Fenway area. This collaboration was created to add value to student academic and social life while seeking innovative methods of investing in new services and containing the costs of higher education. Collectively, the colleges represent more than 12,000 undergraduate students, comprising 16.2% of the total Boston population of undergraduates attending four-year colleges, more than 700 full-time faculty, and 2,300-course offerings.

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