Chief Accountant
Reporting to the Associate Controller, the Chief Accountant oversees the proper functioning of financial reporting, compliance, internal controls, assists with fixed assets, supervises staff as needed, and provides departmental support.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Commitment to CCRI’s Mission:
- Demonstrate a commitment to the philosophy and mission of a comprehensive community college.
- Work collaboratively with others and provide quality customer service in a diverse and inclusive environment.
- Provide training to the many departments that supply information to the controller’s office for processing.
Grants and Contracts:
- Prepare and/or supervise the preparation of various financial statements and reports for the College, the Board of Governors, internal and external auditors, and others both internal and external to the College.
- Account for Federal, state, and third-party grant projects, including set-up, maintenance, billing and close-out.
- Transfer or coordinate the transfer of College funds.
- Perform or coordinate all functions relating to non-student receivables.
- Ensure that appropriate data is collected throughout the funding cycle and report data and outcomes to external and internal stakeholders according to timeline requirements.
- Perform or coordinate all general ledger and related sub-ledger accounting activities of the College including but not limited to:
- Ensuring the proper functioning of the College's computerized finance system, including implementation, updates and improvements.
- Ensuring the accuracy of all data input into the College's and third party computerized financial and other management systems.
- Preparing or coordinating the preparation of schedules and reconciliations needed to ensure that financial systems are in balance.
- Coordinating the set-up, maintenance, invoicing, and closeout of federal, state, and private grants and contracts.
- Preparing, assisting with and/or coordinating the preparation of schedules, analyses, projections, reports, financial statements, and tax returns as required.
Compliance:
- Responsible for following policies, procedural requirements, and meeting deadlines for internal and external stakeholders.
- Review, assess, and audit compliance and controls.
- Assist in the preparation of accounting journal entries and supporting schedules for Subscription Based Information Technology Arrangements (SBITAs), service agreements, and leases, to comply with GASB pronouncements.
- Assist in the development, documentation, implementation, and improvement of financial policies and procedures.
- Manage record retention and maintenance, as needed.
Fixed Asset Administration:
- Assist in maintenance of fixed asset accounting. Perform physical inventory of fixed assets.
- Staff Supervision:
- Supervise and monitor the performance of personnel assigned.
Departmental Support:
- Account for federal, state, and third-party grant projects, including set-up, maintenance, billing, and close-out, as needed.
- Prepare accounting entries, reconciliations, and other schedules for the College’s operations, and auxiliary operations (dinning and bookstore), as needed.
- Assist with payroll, adjustments, journal entries, and reconciliations, as needed.
- Handle banking duties, such as check disbursements, electronic payments, and cash reconciliations, as needed.
- Attend in-service and other job-related trainings. o Work collaboratively with others in a diverse and inclusive environment.
- Participate in departmental and cross-functional teams and special projects.
- Other related duties as assigned.
LICENSES, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT:
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
This position is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in Accounting.
- Minimum of three years’ experience working for an organization with a complex, integrated, automated management information system with the ability to prepare and adjust trial balances and financial statements.
- Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel as well as advanced working knowledge of Banner or similar ERP system required.
- Strong interpersonal, communications, organizational, and analytical skills.
- Ability to work independently and with teams in a deadline and detail-oriented environment.
- Working Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Professional credentials such as Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, or Certified Government Financial Manager
- Master’s degree in business administration.
- Familiarity with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI).
- Experience developing reports with ARGOS, COGNOS or similar reporting tool.
- Experience with fixed asset accounting and software.
- Experience in a college or non-profit agency setting.
- Audit experience and familiarity with FASB/GASB accounting standards.
- Familiarity with the OMB Uniform Guidance
- Division
- Administration & Finance
- Department
- Office of Controller
- Locations
- Knight Campus (Warwick)
- Yearly salary
- $70,000
- Job Type
- Full-Time Staff
- Funding Source
- Unrestricted
- Exempt?
- Yes
- Yearly Schedule
- Calendar
- Union
- PSA
- Pay Grade
- 13
- Application Open Date
- November 28, 2025
- Application Close Date
- December 14, 2025
Clery Act
The Community College of Rhode Island is committed to assisting all community members in providing for their own safety and security. Prospective employees can review the college’s Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics (“Clery Report”) here: https://www.ccri.edu/campuspolice/clery/ or may request an electronic or paper copy by emailing hiring@ccri.edu.
The Clery Report contains information on campus security and personal safety, including crime prevention, campus police law-enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures and other important matters about security on campus. It also contains statistics for the three previous calendar years on reported crimes that occurred on campus and certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the college and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the college.
About Community College of Rhode Island
Since opening its doors for the first time on September 24, 1964, the Community College of Rhode Island has created a strong foundation as the state’s only associate degree-granting institution serving all Rhode Islanders with an affordable, high-quality education.
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