Are you looking for more than just a job and do you want to make a difference? If so, then join the National Student Clearinghouse talent community and discover your impact today!
We are a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization and the leading provider of educational reporting, data exchange, verification, and research services. Serving the education, workforce and learner communities has been at the heart of our mission for over 30 years. Our work performed in a trusted, secure, and private environment provides numerous time- and cost-saving benefits to students, schools, administrators, and requestors. Education leaders rely on the Clearinghouse's unique national student data resources to better understand student pathways and outcomes in order to help students succeed, and our research better informs practitioners and policymakers about student educational pathways and enables informed decision making.
About the Role:
The Manager, Financial Operations is responsible for leading and managing Accounts Receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP) transactions and ensuring accuracy of sub-ledgers, maintaining controls and compliance with company policies, procedures, and regulations. Duties include overseeing cash application, collections, payables and disbursement processing, timely billing, and accurate deferred revenue application, accruals, AR and AP monthly close, and AR monthly reporting, and aging analysis. The manager is responsible for reviewing contract pricing, performance obligations, payment commitments and terms needed to appropriately invoice customers and record deferred revenue. In addition, the manager will ensure vendor compliance and oversee 1099 and W-9 requirements. The manager will lead a team of Billing/Receivables, Collections and AP staff to deliver sound transaction processing timely and efficiently while striving for process and policy improvements.
Currently, this is a remote-first position, and this position may be required to periodically work on-site at our office and the frequency would depend on the department/division's requirements. Therefore, candidates must reside within a reasonable distance to commute to our office when required.
How You Contribute:
Use education and deep understanding of accounting transactions and sub-ledger to drive timely and accurate recording of transactions in support of month-end and cash monitoring.
Review Accounting Standards updates for applicability to Clearinghouse business.
Establish procedures to evaluate credit risk, maximize collections, and time disbursements to optimize cashflow.
Evaluate AR and AP processing for compliance with internal control policies and procedures.
Monitor changes to tax rules and code that may impact vendor compliance and 1099 or W-9 requirements.
Review customer contracts and renewals to identify performance obligations, contract timing and price allocation to ensure proper billing, collections and deferred revenue application.
Work with stakeholders and business partners to address questions/concerns, support credit term establishment as needed, and help support purchase policies and workflows.
Demonstrate openness to new perspectives and ideas; embrace differing viewpoints.
Build trust with internal and external stakeholders by demonstrating consistency between words and actions; foster balanced relationships.
Find creative solutions to address inefficiencies, obstacles, or challenges.
Apply Agile process tools including continuous planning, flow of information and improvement to transaction processing and monthly close.
Assist Accounting Team with annual and interim audit relating to testing of AR and AP transactions, entries, and accruals.
Support Senior Accountant and FPandA team to deliver cashflow as planned and forecasted.
Work with key stakeholders and accounting teams to develop processes and procedures for Billing and Deferred Revenue accounting that are comprehensive, stream-lined and controlled.
Work with Purchasing Team to develop improvements to purchase-to-pay process ensuring efficiency, adherence to policy and streamlined workflow.
Oversee team to ensure day-to-day AR and AP transactions are appropriate accurate and timely.
Establish stringent process for prompt month-end/year-end close to meet financial reporting expectations; adhering to closing schedule, determining accrual needs and posting entries.
Develop and implement cash collection procedures to optimize cash receipts and improve AR aging.
Review disbursements to ensure timing of payment is proper and aligns with cash forecast assumptions.
Ensure invoicing to customers and recording of billing and deferred revenue is efficient, timely and accurate.
Implement processes and procedures for maintaining customer and vendor master data.
Support vendor compliance, W-9 receipt and 1099 issuance.
Ensure the highest-level accounting and business control environment by developing, documenting, and implementing business processes and policies to maintain and strengthen internal controls.
Enforce purchase policies, schedule of authority and approval workflow working with third party workflow provider and Purchase team.
Establish a series of performance metrics to monitor transactional volumes, processing times, accuracy, and compliance that will be shared with key stakeholders.
Workforce Management
Demonstrate the management competencies:Making Complex Decisions, Being Flexible and Adaptive, Build Collaborative Relationships, Focusing on Performance, and Optimizing Diverse Talent.
Build a team-based environment that aligns with company values, ways of working, and competencies.
Ensure employees comply with company policies, procedures and regulations, while meeting established goals.
Recruit and select the best talent to help optimize skills and experiences.
Motivate and manage staff to maximize productivity and efficiency.
Provide direction to team members, including feedback to support personal and career development and ongoing improvement.
Develop and manage career development and advancement and define and monitor training and development plans to support job and career satisfaction.
Coach, mentor, and ensure staff are adequately trained and provide guidance, as needed.
Monitor and provide feedback on performance including annual reviews, rewards, and compensation structure.
Reward employees using formal and informal methods.
Position may be required to perform other duties as required. These essential functions are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
What You Bring to the Table:
Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance or related field, or a combination of education and experience including military service will also be considered.
8 years of progressively responsible Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable.
3 years prior management and leadership experience.
Experience with managing ERP sub-ledgers and workflow tools.
Demonstrated knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
Proven ability to manage and prioritize projects for successful completion and timely issue resolution.
