Kulper & Company, LLC
 

KULPER & COMPANY, LLC
PO Box 1445 
Morristown, NJ 07962-1445
973.285-3850
kdk@kulpercompany.com

Major Northeastern University
Controller SPEC BRIEF
Assignment #04-003-004

~ Position Filled ~

Opportunity Summary
As a key member of the Office of Finance team, the new Controller will have a mission critical job offering multiple opportunities to contribute in a meaningful way to the forward looking and sound financial/ managerial operation of a major university located in the northeast. The hiring team is looking for a real “doer” --a person who will want to roll up his or her sleeves and tackle the job with intelligence, creativity and determination. This is a broad ranging assignment offering ample opportunity for personal growth and development at one of the longest established and finest universities in the country. 

The Controller position involves overall responsibility for accounting and financial reporting functions of the Institute including endowment, capital project and reserve accounts and the like. There will be a particular emphasis on working closely with the Office of Institutional Initiatives/Sponsored Research; the department with overall responsibility for managing the financial and administrative aspects of special federal, state and corporate grants which fund special research initiatives of the Institute’s faculty and research associates. The new Controller will report to the Vice President for Finance and Treasurer.

Primary Job Responsibilities

  • Financial Statement preparation;
  • Support of, and close interaction with, the Office of Institutional Initiatives/ Sponsored Research
  • Reporting and Analysis Institute operations, subsidiaries and required tax returns; 
  • Develops and monitors procedures to ensure compliance of the campus community with applicable laws and regulations;
  • Involvement with the upgrade of the existing computerized financial system FRS (Financial Reporting System). An RFP is currently being created by a small committee comprised of senior IT and Financial executives. 
  • Accounts Payable, Cash Management and Payroll;
  • Coordination of External Audits; 
  • Endowment Accounting;

“Must Haves” Easily/ readily Verifiable

  • substantial experience with respect to the financial/ administration and management process for a division of a large enterprise or the entire function for a smaller sized business or Higher Ed/NFP enterprise.
  • a “customer-focused” operating style
  • solid understanding of financial analysis tools and techniques. 

Experience (Preferred)

  • substantial experience in a small higher education institution serving in a key financial and administrative management position

Attributes/ Skill Sets “must haves”

  • Undergrad degree in business, accounting or management;
  • Strong Network and PC skills including full MS suite and other relevant data base management programs;
  • Solid supervisory and interpersonal skills dealing with all levels of associates at the Institute;
  • Strong facility for creating new reports as needed.

Attributes/ Skill Sets “preferred”

  • Graduate degree accounting or management
  • CPA 

Key Personal Qualities/ Work Style:

  • Determined and credible but tactful and polished --someone with real drive, ability to learn fast and explain the reasons for his or her recommendations; capable of creating and doing important functions for the first time; 
  • Able to quickly understand the key aspects of the job and the relative degree of urgency with respect to key job deliverables independent of detailed direction by the VP for Finance; this is a person who knows what to do/when and does what it takes to get the job done in professional and approachable manner;
  • A proven facilitator; 
  • A person with a natural likeability and friendliness who is calm, persistent and honest in all of his or her dealings with peers, superiors and subordinates 

More information about this position will be provided to qualified candidates by KULPER & COMPANY, LLC.
This is an Equal Opportunity Employment Offering subject to change at
any time at the sole discretion of the client. Final Version: May 12, 2004