Careers

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world. 

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Assistant Director for Budget and Finance, the Accounting Manager ensures accurate financial reporting, manages accounting operations, and promotes financial integrity within Student Affairs and Campus Life (SACL). This position provides insightful financial analysis that supports strategic decision-making and offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the financial health of student organizations.

Essential Functions

• Manages the day-to-day accounting functions, and financial reporting, including the preparation of monthly and quarterly statements, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
• Participates in annual budget and forecasting process by analyzing confidential personnel information and revenue and expense trends. Understands and applies University fringe and indirect cost rates with the goal of creating an informed financial projection for the next fiscal year.
• Implements accounting policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and best practices. Oversees systems for financial transactions, like on-line sales and dues collection for student groups.
• Performs monthly reconciliation of financial accounts by analyzing reports from various accounting systems and underlying documents.
• Conducts financial analysis to identify trends, variances, and opportunities for improving financial performance.
• Recruits, hires, trains, and provides high quality supervision to assigned staff.
• Assists principal investigators (PI) in post-award management of grants. This includes reading and becoming familiar with grant financial terms, determining project expenditures and revising spending plans.
• Manages access permissions to accounting systems (including Summit, Buyways, etc.) for all SACL divisional employees. Performs an annual review of access granted SACL employees.  Oversees Chartfield maintenance for SACL. Ensures accuracy of managers responsible for Chartfields and management of current organizational unit files (OU). Requests and inactivates Chartfield strings in consultation with Assistant Director and Director of Finance and Budget.
• Advises Established Student Organizations (ESO’s) on best practices and University policies and systems for maintaining budgets, monitoring account statements and transactions, maintaining group ledgers and other records. Collaborates with SATF Advisor to develop policies and procedures that facilitate ESO operations, planning and performance.  Offers assistance or training as needed.
• Collaborates with Finance Matrix team members to update the SharePoint site. This web presence is a resource for internal SACL employees to understand financial processes that must be kept up to date when processes change.

Other Functions

• Performs related duties as assigned or required. Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX, Clery and other compliance requirements.  
• Demonstrates capacity, skill, and willingness to engage students and contribute to student success.  
• Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and with university policy.  
• Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace. Uses access to sensitive and/or not yet public university related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor's degree.
• Five (5) years of accounting experience, with at least two (2) years in a supervisory role.
• Strong knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), financial reporting, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in accounting software and Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel for financial modeling and analysis.
• Excellent analytical skills with keen attention to detail and accuracy in financial reporting.
• Strong leadership qualities with effective communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with multiple stakeholders. This includes a willingness to engage students and prioritize student success while working collaboratively with other stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced academic environment.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Experience in higher education or a similar industry.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm.

Salary Information

Level 27

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Upload your resume, along with your completed application. Our team will check references at the final stage of the interview process. Please be prepared to provide contact information for at least three (3) professional references. This position will remain open until filled or the advertised closing date, whichever occurs first. Early submissions are recommended.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.