Assistant Controller, Grants, Contracts, and Procurement Services

Compensation Range:

Position Summary

Reporting to the AVP, Accounting, the Assistant Controller plays a pivotal leadership role within the Accounting department, with a primary focus on post-award grants, contracts, and the procure-to-pay (P2P) lifecycle. This position ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, accounting standards, and internal policies, while supporting timely and accurate financial reporting. The Assistant Controller will also collaborate closely with the Controller and other University departments on institution-wide financial reporting and reconciliation efforts.

The Assistant Controller will be entrusted with increasing responsibility for University-wide financial operations, policy development, and audit readiness, and will serve as a key partner in shaping the University's financial strategy and operational excellence.

The role will provide strong leadership, attention to detail, and deep expertise in nonprofits, grants, procurement, and contract compliance and be able to lead cross-functional teams, drive process improvements, and contribute to the long-term financial sustainability of the University.

Essential Functions:

• Lead and oversee accounting operations related to post-award grants, contracts, and the procure-to-pay (P2P) lifecycle, ensuring compliance with GAAP, GAGAS, and federal regulations including OMB Uniform Guidance.
• Collaborate with the Controller and AVP, Accounting to develop and implement strategic financial initiatives that support the University’s mission and long-term goals.
• Oversee the preparation and review of complex financial reports, including grant and contract financials, operational summaries, and grant cost analyses.
• Develops, prepares, and validates management reports in support of financial statements including various operational reports. Partners with departments to set deadlines for monthly and year end reporting.
• Ensures accurate preparation of journal entries, reports, forms, schedules, and documents prepared by accounting team and other University staff including but not limited to transactions and documentation related to grants, contracts and P2P areas.
• Partner with cross-functional teams—including Sponsored Programs, Financial Decision Support, financial systems support and IT—to ensure integrated financial operations and data integrity across systems such as Workday.
• Serve as a key liaison during internal and external audits, ensuring timely and accurate responses to audit inquiries and implementation of recommendations.
• Participate in the coordination and execution of annual audits and regulatory reporting, with a focus on grant compliance and post-award financial activities; support institution-wide audit readiness and ensure timely, accurate submissions to federal, state, and other oversight agencies.
• Supports Controller with annual audit process, as needed
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities Supervisor duties to include: Directly supervises Accounting staff

Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or accounting, or related field required;
• A minimum of 8 years’ relevant experience with financial accounting within a college/University or nonprofit setting to include experience with restricted funds and Federal grants or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum  Five (5) years’ supervisory experience in a complete financial statement process.
• CPA Preferred
• Workday finance/grants a plus.
• All skills, abilities and education will be considered for minimum qualifications.

Competencies/Technical/Functional Skills:

• Acts as a role model. Ability to anticipate and plan for changes. Communicates a clear vision to the team and leads by example. Guides, directs and/or influences others to achieve results using creativity and sound judgement. Demonstrates a working knowledge of building and developing effective teams.
• Understands, diagnoses, and plans for business issues, processes, structure, and outcomes. Applies strategic thinking to improve performance and profitability. Understands the broader implications of decision and actions, with a strong grasp of the University’s overall mission and vision. Able to take ideas from concept to implementation.
• Accepts personal accountability and proactively addresses challenges and limitations. Upholds honesty, integrity, respect for others, the University and oneself.
• Develops new insights into situations and challenges conventional approaches. Encourages innovative thinking and creative problem solving. processes.
• Excellent knowledge of accounting principles, practices and methodologies. Possesses solid analytical, critical thinking and organizational skills. Demonstrates extensive expertise of fund accounting, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), for Federal grant guidance, as well as University policies and procedures regarding financial transactions. Familiarity with OMB Uniform Guidance and Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).
• Proficient in prioritizing work to meet frequently changing deadlines demonstrating an ability to plan, follow through, and multi-task while maintaining flexibility in the work environment
• Advanced use of computers and Microsoft Office Suite Applications such as Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook with exceptional excel software skills and software applications used in relational databases such as WorkDay. Working knowledge of WorkDay finance and grants.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individual of constituencies in a diverse community. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing while providing excellent customer service.
• Ability to hire, train, develop, evaluate, lead, and direct work and discipline staff, taking corrective action as necessary on a timely basis and in accordance with University policies and Federal, State, and local regulations.

Location: Remote, USA

Travel: up to 10% travel

#LI-Remote

Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies.  Absent exceptional circumstances, candidates will be offered a salary within this range for this position. The minimum salary will be offered based on the minimum exemption threshold based on state of residency. Base pay is one component of National University’s total rewards package, as we are dedicated to supporting the needs of the “whole you” with our holistic approach to employee benefits by offering comprehensive well-being benefits for you and your family.  For full details about our benefit plan offerings, please visit benefits.nu.edu. For Part-time benefits, please click here.

National University is committed to maintaining a high-quality workforce representative of the populations we serve. National University employs more than 4,500 faculty and staff and serves over 45,000 students. We are united in our mission to meet the global education demands of the 21st Century and are dedicated to creating a supportive academic and work environment that allows students, faculty and staff to develop their interests and talents while experiencing a sense of community. With programs available both online and at our many campus locations, National University is a leader in creating innovative solutions to education and meeting the needs of our student population, including adult learners and working professionals.

National University (NU) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a mix of highly talented, innovative and creative people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University.