US- Berkeley CA, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, University of California, Berkeley 0798
FEATURED COMPANY: University of California, Berkeley, University Relations Division
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Position: Director of Finance, University Relations Division
Date: February 26, 2007
JOB #0798
Location: Berkeley
Status: Full-time

DESCRIPTION: Director of Finance

The University of California, Berkeley, is the preeminent public university in the country. We’re also one of the leading employers in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are currently seeking a Director of Finance for the University Relations division.  

University Relations (UR) is one of five administrative divisions on the UC Berkeley campus and is headed by the Vice Chancellor of University Relations, who reports directly to the Chancellor. UR comprises the central Development Office and Public Affairs, and employs approximately 215 career employees and 350 student employees. Its mission is to enhance UC Berkeley by increasing public awareness, understanding, and philanthropy.

UR is responsible for staffing the UC Berkeley Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that is governed by a Board of Trustees and is organized and operated for the purpose of fostering private giving, managing gift and endowment funds, and providing other support for the benefit of the campus. Total assets of the Foundation are in excess of $900 million.

The Director of Finance will report to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for UR and is responsible for the accounting and finances of the Foundation and UR. The Director will establish and maintain financial policies and procedures, establish and monitor the financial control processes across the organization, and assure proper financial reporting and protection of the organization’s assets. He/she will oversee planning, budgeting, forecasting, and purchasing functions. 

The Director position is complex and the incumbent is expected to provide leadership and guidance for a broad range of financial management responsibilities, including appropriate policies and processes to assure internal control, effective planning and budgeting, financial planning and analytical techniques, and sound asset protection processes. The candidate must possess the ability to move quickly and respond appropriately to each area of expertise. The Director is expected to explore a variety of options and suggest original approaches to support campus-wide development efforts within University and regulatory guidelines. He/she will recommend creative resource strategies to support the larger objectives of University Relations. 

Responsibilities:

·        Accounting Operations

-         Establish policies, procedures, and controls to ensure that accounting activities are timely, accurate, and in compliance with GASB, SAS, UMIFA, UC’s system-wide policies, and the Berkeley campus’s policies

-         Interpret and effectively communicate guidelines, policies, and related procedures to UR management and staff

-         Ensure that UR complies and coordinates with the campus’s and UC’s system-wide financial policies, processes and procedures, and its financial information systems

-         Establish service standards to ensure exemplary support of the transactional accounting needs of UR and the Foundation, such as general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank accounting, payroll, and fixed assets, and regularly communicate performance against those service standards

-         Distribute the Foundation’s assets to the campus and support the CAO’s responsibilities to the Foundation

-         Serve as one of the primary contacts with the Foundation’s outside auditor and work closely with the auditor’s team to prepare accurate and timely schedules, reports, and statements to enable the outside audit team to complete its annual audit

-         Work with the internal auditors to compile required information and provide timely and accurate responses to the auditors’ questions on internal audits of UR’s finances and accounting

-         Oversee the Foundation’s real estate unit, which is responsible for managing and liquidating real estate gifts to the Foundation

·        Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting

-         Oversee the development and management of an effective planning and budgeting process to support UR’s goals, including the annual review of budget proposals, allocation of budgets, ongoing tracking and reporting of results, comparisons to targets, and the development of necessary analytics to support management decision-making

-         Develop a framework and multiple guidelines for effective budget controls and accountabilities for managers at each organizational level

-         Advise the Vice Chancellor, Associate Vice Chancellors, senior directors, and other managers on budgetary matters

-         Serve as an effective resource to managers for interpreting financial data and evaluating the financial impact of alternatives and decisions

·        Purchasing

-         Oversee the purchasing unit for UR, which is responsible for purchasing supplies and office equipment, processing purchase vouchers, preparing vendor contracts, and monitoring compliance with purchasing and employee reimbursement policies

·        Unit Management

-         Manage the staff and resources of UR’s Finance Department that is currently comprised of 11 FTEs

-         Plan, lead, and direct the responsibilities of staff to meet the unit’s goals

-         Hire and evaluate the unit’s staff and manage their performance

-         Design, implement, and supervise cross-training opportunities, internships, and special projects

-         Manage the unit's budget and expenses in accordance with applicable guidelines and procedures

-         Leverage technology in order to improve controls, provide better information to support decision-making, and administer quality services to donors and the University community 

Requirements:

·        Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related area

·        Professional knowledge about accounting and financial control 

·        Extensive knowledge of the principles of internal controls

·        In-depth understanding of applicable accounting principles, including GASB, SAS, and UMIFA

·        Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective relationships at all levels of the organization

·        Substantial commitment to exemplary service

·        Considerable familiarity with financial accounting computer systems

·        In-depth understanding of planning and budgeting

·        Basic familiarity with complex relational database systems, such as a donor and alumni relationship databases

·        Working understanding of data integration and sharing between financial management systems and other complex database systems

·        Sufficient knowledge of tax guidelines and willingness to take accountability in complying with those guidelines 

Preferred:

·        MBA and/or CPA  

This position has been designated as sensitive and may require a Criminal Background Check. We reserve the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of a Criminal Background Check. 

The annual salary for this position will be commensurate with experience, upwards of $100,000.

COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION:

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We offer a diverse working environment, competitive salaries, and comprehensive benefits. Apply online at: http://jobs.berkeley.edu indicating the job code 5890.