The Controller is a key member of the Finance leadership team and provides strategic oversight and management of UAH and UAH Foundation accounting, accounts payable, and financial reporting functions. The Controller will play a critical role in ensuring the financial integrity of the university, fostering a culture of compliance, and driving continuous improvement in financial processes and procedures.
Key Duties and Responsibilities Include
Leadership
- Develops, recommends, and implements appropriate accounting and financial policies and procedures, processes, and systems.
- Provides strategic and administrative leadership for the functional financial units, including general accounting, accounts payable, UAH Foundation accounting, and financial reporting.
- Provides leadership for university-wide accounting operations, including revenues, expenses, property, cash flows, and assets and liabilities.
- Provides leadership and guidance for accounting staff to ensure the highest standards of fiscal integrity and fiscal responsibility and accountability, excellent stewardship of University and UAH Foundation resources, and a collaborative team environment.
Accounting
- Serves as the University's principal accounting officer.
- Ensures the accurate and timely processing of all accounting and accounting-related transactions.
- Maintain and oversee the university’s chart of accounts, ensuring it is accurately structured and updated to reflect the institution's financial activities.
- Implement and enforce appropriate access controls to financial systems, safeguarding sensitive financial data and ensuring that only authorized personnel can make modifications.
- Maintains accountability for the overall accuracy, reliability, analysis, and evaluation of all financial data of UAH and the UAH Foundation.
- Establishes and maintains systematic internal controls that provide for monitoring and safeguarding University and UAH Foundation assets.
- Manages the preparation and submission of applicable tax filings.
Financial Reporting
- Respond to requests from the University of Alabama System for various routine and ad hoc reports.
- Provides accurate and timely reports as needed to support the President, Chief Financial Officer, and the executive leadership team in decision-making and analysis.
- Provides oversight and management of reporting to external agencies.
- Prepares the annual audited financial reports for both UAH and UAH Foundation.
Compliance and Audit
- Ensures compliance with applicable financial regulations as well as the University of Alabama System financial policies and procedures.
- Serves as the primary liaison of contact with NASA and other federal agencies.
- Serves as the primary liaison with independent auditors, coordinates the annual financial audits, and coordinates preparation of reports and schedules required for each audit.
- Coordinates audits by the State Examiners of Public Accounts and other state agencies.
- Interprets complex financial policies, laws, and regulations and advises executive leadership and the campus community as needed to ensure compliance.
- Prevents, detects, and promptly corrects fraudulent or improper financial activities. Reports such activities, should they occur, to appropriate authorities.
