Responsible for the proper functioning of the Accounting Operations at the Community College of Rhode Island. This position includes oversight of the following functions: Accounts Payable, Purchase Card, Travel, Vendor Management and Payment Distribution. Responsibilities include developing, improving and implementing policy, procedures, best practices to improve internal controls and to support accounting operational needs.  Coordinate financial and administrative functions between the College, the Board of Education, Council of Post-Secondary Education, the State Department of Administration, external auditors, and others both internal and external to the College. 

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 in a diverse and inclusive environment. 

Accounts Payable Operations 

• Perform and coordinate the daily, monthly and annual accounts payable, purchase card, travel, vendor and payment distribution activity of the College, including fiscal year-end activities and multi-year encumbrances. 

• Expedite all college purchase orders for receiving, invoicing, and encumbrance balances in a consistent and timely manner. 

• Supervise the Accounts Payable, Purchase Card, Travel, Vendor and Payment Distribution staff, including the pre-auditing and posting of purchase order-related documents and non-purchase order-related documents for processing through the College’s, State of Rhode Island’s accounts payable and travel and expense systems. 

• Assist in the development, implementation and documentation of financial policies and procedures. 

• Use the college’s enterprise system and other reporting mechanisms to track purchase order, accounts payable, purchase card, travel vendor and payment distribution activity. 

• Prepare schedules and general ledger reconciliations needed for accurate processing of accounting operations function. 

• Ensure accurate receiving documentation is properly authorized, entered into the college’s enterprise finance system and reconciled with vendor invoicing. 

• Coordinate the proper accounting of fixed assets in conjunction with general accounting.  

• Perform testing of the proper functioning of the Accounts Payable System and integration with other college’s enterprise systems components as needed with system upgrades. 

• Prepare, assist and/or coordinate the preparation of schedules, analyses, projections and reports as required. 

• Create and maintain documentation regarding accounting operations procedures. 

• Maintain the paper/electronic filing of all accounting operations source documentation (invoices, purchase orders, delivery checklists, expense reports, etc.), including preparing the documentation for storage both on and off site. 

• Prepare/oversee the annual preparation of IRS form 1099 reporting.   

Community Outreach/Departmental Support 

• Communicate with the College community and others regarding the processing of external vendor payments. 

• Collaborate with the office of Continuous Improvement to create education materials and conduct education sessions for Accounts Payable staff and/or the College Community. 

Vendor Relations 

• Ensure accurate and efficient payment of vendors engaged in procurement activities with the CCRI Purchasing Office, consistent with State, college and Federal policy. 

• Review vendors’ statements, respond to vendor complaints, problem-solve vendor/invoice issues and facilitate positive vendor relations. 

Other 

Other related duties as assigned. 

LICENSES, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT:

Personal computers, computerized accounting systems and software, calculators, and telephone. 

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This position is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. 

• A minimum of Five (5) years’ professional accounting experience working for an organization with a complex financial system (Banner, PeopleSoft, Oracle, etc.) with a focus on Accounts Payable     . 

• A minimum of Two (2) years demonstrated experience in supervising full time staff. 

• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of computer software, including competency in the Microsoft office suite of products. 

• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills as well as be able to communicate effectively in both oral and written form. 

• Demonstrated ability to work independently 

• Demonstrated possession of strong organizational and analytical skills. 

• Demonstrated ability to interpret institutional policies, plans, objectives, rules and regulations and to communicate the interpretation to others. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A master’s degree in Public administration or business administration. 

• Demonstrated experience in a 2- or 4-year Higher Education institution. 

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of any employment visa including student visas.