Controller

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY :

The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) educates design, research, and scholarship leaders to make a resilient, just, and beautiful world.

The GSD offers degree programs across a range of design disciplines architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, design engineering, and real estate as well as advanced research programs that cut across these disciplines and a robust public program of lectures, exhibitions, and publications.

The immense variety of people, programs, and ideas at the School sustains a vibrant and rich environment for learning, inquiry, and collaboration, unlike any other design school.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Graduate School of Design (GSD) is seeking an experienced and ambitious financial professional, ready to provide financial leadership to the GSD community.

The Controller is responsible for the strategic direction of accounting, payroll and control activities within the Finance Office at the GSD.

They will assist in the four general areas of internal controls, operational management, compliance, and by participating in strategic planning discussions as a member of the senior leadership team in the Finance Office.

The successful candidate has a strong understanding of generally accepted accounting principles, has a passion for innovation and continuous improvement, and is a strong manager of people.

With a keen eye for efficiency, the Controller will be an effective communicator, creating and advocating for streamlined financial processes while maintaining effective controls.

TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Works with finance colleagues across the School and University to ensure high levels of customer service by providing professional, timely, and accurate financial services.
• Manages and develops a staff of three responsible for accounts payable, payroll, chart of accounts, capital project tracking, general accounting, quarterly closing and reporting.
• Develops, implements and monitors accounting control processes and procedures that ensure compliance with University and GSD.
• Ensures accurate and timely financial reporting and adherence to GAAP, including quarterly and annual close reporting. Adheres to University interim reporting requirements and approves year end and quarterly flux analysis.
• Advises GSD leadership on all aspects of financial matters including regulatory and compliance issues.
• Manages administration of GSD payroll and accounts payable, accounts receivable, expense report and other reimbursement processing.

Establishes protocols to ensure Departments and Units process financial transactions in a timely and accurate manner.

• Leverages reporting and process to routinely audit financial condition and provides information to internal and external auditors.
• Revises and updates internal reports to be more useful and efficient as necessary. Serves as a resource within the GSD in the extraction of data and in the development of useful management reports.
• Administers the GSD chart of accounts.
• Represents the GSD at the University level in development of new financial systems and reporting capabilities and designs and manages their local implementation.
• Protects assets by establishing, monitoring, and enforcing internal controls.
• Maintains equipment inventories and fixed asset subsidiary ledgers.
• Guides and trains faculty and staff across the GSD with regard to financial policies and procedures
• Works closely with the GSD Financial Planning and Analysis team to share information about revenue sources and spending including funding from tuition, endowments, gifts, sponsored research, publications, and Executive Education.
• Supports financial systems evolution and implementation, collaborating with colleagues at other Schools and in Central Administration.
10 days ago