Senior Accountant - Fiscal Affairs

Merrimack College is a selective, private college in a beautiful, residential setting — just minutes from Boston, Massachusetts.

Position Overview & Responsibilities

The Senior Accountant is an important member of the Office of Fiscal Affairs. He or she will have responsibility for analyzing accounting activity in a variety of areas, which may include endowment activity, investment activity, Perkins Loan Program activity, student billing and financial aid activity, and lease activity. He or she will play a key role in the monthly closing of the College’s books by preparing journal entries and reconciliations in his or her areas of responsibility. He or she will also assist with the annual audit and with meeting numerous reporting requirements, which may include the annual tax returns (forms 990, 990-T and the state returns), NCAA reporting, and IPEDS and HERD surveys. Responsibilities include:

• Prepare monthly journal entries and reconciliations of multiple GL accounts. These may include accounting for activity in the endowment and other investment accounts, Perkins loan activity, lease activity, deferred revenue and other complex reconciliations.
• Review the work of the Assistant Accountant, providing advise mentoring as needed.
• Assist with the annual audit, including preparation of audit schedules.
• Assist with financial reporting, including the monthly financial statements, forms 990, 990T and state returns, NCAA reporting, HERD and IPEDS surveys and other required filings.
• As requested, perform ad hoc financial analyses to assist leaderships in decision making.
• Cross-train and serve as a backup to other members of the Office of Fiscal Affairs to ensure smooth operations when colleagues are away from the office.
• Working with the Financial Aid Office, execute the draw-downs of federal financial aid funds, and reconcile the related accounts.
• Work with the Bursar’s Office to review and approve student refunds; reconcile and account for student billing-related GL accounts.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, or a similar field of study, with significant coursework in accounting is required; a Master’s degree in Business or Higher Education Administration is preferred.
• A CPA license is preferred.
• A minimum of five years of experience in accounting is required; accounting experience in a nonprofit environment, ideally in higher education, is preferred.
• A deep understanding of GAAP is required. A solid understanding of nonprofit accounting rules is strongly preferred.
• Experience with endowments and/or restricted net assets is preferred.
• Experience accounting for grant activity is preferred.
• Experience as an auditor or working with auditors is preferred.
• The ability to learn and master new IT systems is required. Experience with Jenzabar and/or Cognos is preferred.
• Intermediate Excel skills (such as pivot tables and V lookup functions) are required; advanced skills are preferred.
• Experience with an ERP system implementation is preferred.

This position requires attention to details, the ability to: stay organized, prioritize, and be successful in a fast-paced environment with internal and external deadlines.

Statement on Our Mission

Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building a culturally and racially diverse community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.

Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to Merrimack’s Augustinian mission and values and advance our work in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups. All candidates should describe in their application previous experience related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as how they will engage in fostering a culture that supports our Augustinian mission, our Catholic faith and our values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Application Materials Should Include:

• Cover letter stating motivation and interest in the position, citing experience relevant to the qualifications and including experience with, and commitment to, our Catholic Augustinian mission, our values, and our desire to be a more diverse, equitable and inclusive institution of higher learning.
• Resume

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Required Vaccinations & Remote Work:

Unless otherwise stated above, this is an on-campus position. This is not a remote or hybrid position as employees are essential in order to provide a fully on-campus, residential college experience for our students and the community.

Merrimack College currently has a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. Students, faculty and staff are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

About Merrimack College

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 5,000 undergraduates and graduate students from 32 states and 37 countries, and comprises schools of liberal arts, science and engineering, health sciences, education and social policy, and business. The college’s 260- acre campus is approximately 25 miles north of Boston in North Andover and Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master’s Colleges & Universities/Medium Programs institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of Best Colleges, coming in 46th out of 170 schools ranked in the Regional Universities North category in 2020. Merrimack is also listed as one of the top 10 most innovative schools and placed 35th for best undergraduate teaching programs among schools in the U.S. News category.

Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.