Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Director of General Accounting

Class: Management | Exempt status: Exempt | Grade: O

Under the direction of the management, the Director of General Accounting & Finance oversees and manages the day-to-day operations of the Accounting Services division, which includes Accounts Payable, Contract and Grant Accounting, and Financial Reporting. Plans, organizes, and manages assigned functional areas in support of College objectives. Develops and provides strategic direction for accounting services. Responds to inquiries from College departments and/or external agencies and supervises management, administrative services professionals, paraprofessionals, technical/support staff, and/or casual or student workers.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develops and maintains accounting and reporting systems for the control of revenues and expenditures for all district funds.
2. Maintains and supervises the College’s general ledger, accounts payable, contract and grant accounting, financial aid accounting, construction accounting, and other applicable College accounting systems.
3. Serves as an internal auditor by reviewing accounting transactions for propriety and compliance.
4. Plans, organizes, maintains, and manages the processes and operations of multiple functional areas within Finance. Manages the activities of assigned areas to include: planning, implementing, administering and evaluating projects and services impacting College operations from a Finance perspective.
5. Develops, recommends, and administers policies, procedures, and processes in support of Finance operations in Accounting Services; implements and monitors compliance with approved policies, procedures, and processes, ensuring alignment with College mission, values, goals and objectives and local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
6. Supervises management, academic professionals, classified staff, technical/support, interns and/or casual or student staff. Reinforces staff’s development of PCC’s leadership competencies. Hires, evaluates, trains, disciplines and recommends dismissal of staff as necessary.
7. Prepares financial management reports for various College programs, reviewing financial data to ensure compliance with applicable local, state, and federal requirements and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Researches, analyzes, and interprets applicable laws and regulations relative to assigned areas of responsibility; makes recommendations based on findings.
8. Participates in/on a variety of meetings, committees, and/or other related groups to communicate information regarding programs, information resources, services, and/or other pertinent information as appropriate.
9. Serves as a liaison with other internal departments within the College and/or to external agencies in order to provide information on available resources and/or services.
10. Works collaboratively with the finance team to identify and initiate internal control processes and to reconcile and ensure accurate recording of the College’s financial assets.
11. Participates in long-range finance planning for the District, working cooperatively with College departments and others to develop strategic and tactical plans to facilitate and coordinate the delivery of financial services. Evaluates processes, sets standards, and makes appropriate recommendations for purchase and implementation. Provides project management for applicable financial projects.
12. Participates in annual audits for the District and/or in the Accounting Services division.
13. Develops and administers budgets in accounting services; implements and allocates resources following budget approval; approves expenditures.
14. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Environment

Work is generally performed in an office environment with frequent interruptions and irregularities in the work schedule. Working hours may vary and occasional evening or weekend work is required. Frequent travel to other locations is required. No special coordination beyond that used for normal mobility and handling of everyday objects and materials is needed to perform the job satisfactorily.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field. Eight (8) years of progressively responsible, professional experience related to accounting services at the management level, to include two (2) years of supervisory experience.

OR twelve (12) years of progressively responsible, professional experience related to accounting services at the management level, to include two (2) years of supervisory experience..

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Managerial principles;
• Financial principles and practices in general accounting and finance;
• Budgeting principles and practices;
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances;
• Non-profit/college fund accounting systems and principles;
• Advanced internal control practices;
• Advanced financial analysis principles and methods;
• Strategic planning principles and practices;
• Project management principles and practices;
• Contract management principles;
• Analytical methods;
• Research methods and techniques;
• Automated financial systems;
• Auditing principles and practices;
• Community college operations and administration principles and practices;
• Policy and procedure development and implementation practices.

Skills in:

• Supervising subordinate staff;
• Coordinating activities with other internal departments and/or external agencies;
• Developing and monitoring budgets;
• Managing large, complex governmental financial systems;
• Preparing and reviewing reports;
• Interpreting and applying applicable Federal, State, and/or Local laws, rules, and regulations;
• Managing contracts of service providers;
• Evaluating complex financial systems and recommending appropriate financial methods, procedures, forms, and/or records based on findings;
• Preparing complex financial statements, reports, and analyses;
• Developing and enforcing finance and accounting procedures and principles;
• Analyzing and interpreting complex financial and accounting information;
• Designing and implementing finance, budgeting, accounting and recordkeeping systems;
• Managing projects;
• Preparing a variety of complex reports for internal use and/or submittal to external agencies, including
  statistical analysis;
• Monitoring compliance with applicable policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.

Ability to:

• Work with diverse academic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of community college students and staff;
• Utilize computer technology for communication, data gathering and reporting activities;
• Communicate effectively through oral and written mediums.

Established: 03/2023
Replaces: Finance Division Manager (General Accounting)

Portland Community College is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other protected class.