Accounting Operations Program Manager
University of Colorado Anschutz
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Job summary
The University of Colorado Anschutz is seeking an Accounting Operations Program Manager to lead campus accounting support functions and oversee chartfield governance. You will review complex transactions, supervise staff, ensure GAAP and GASB compliance, and drive process improvements across the Finance Office.
In collaboration with the Assistant Director, you will translate departmental strategy into objectives, develop workflows, and deliver training to strengthen financial controls and
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in accounting or a directly related field.
- Five (5) years of professional accounting experience including financial reconciliations, financial analysis and reporting, journal-entry review, complex problem resolution, and month-end and fiscal year-end close activities.
- One (1) year of professional experience supervising employees, including assigning and reviewing work, coaching staff, and supporting performance and professional development.
Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee the campus accounting support function, serving as the primary resource for accounting guidance, issue resolution, stakeholder consultation, and service delivery.
- Review and approve complex accounting transactions, journal entries, chartfield requests, and organizational structure changes to ensure compliance with GAAP, GASB requirements, university policies, and internal controls.
- Manage financial reporting, reconciliations, and analysis activities by investigating discrepancies, resolving complex accounting issues, monitoring financial activity, and ensuring the accuracy of financial records.
- Coordinate and perform month-end, quarter-end, and fiscal year-end close activities, including account analysis, accrual review, financial reporting, sales tax reporting, and resolution of outstanding items.
- Provide technical accounting expertise and consultative support to campus departments by interpreting accounting requirements, advising on financial matters, and delivering training on accounting policies and procedures.
- Supervise and develop accounting staff through coaching, work prioritization, performance management, quality review, and professional development support.
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve accounting processes, strengthen financial controls, enhance reporting capabilities, and leverage technology and automation to increase operational efficiency and service excellence.
- Accountable for the successful oversight of campus accounting support functions, including establishing policies, processes and objectives; makes data-informed recommendations to leadership.
- Directly oversees chartfield governance, including the review and approval of setup and maintenance requests processed by accounting staff, to support accurate financial reporting, appropriate organizational structures, and compliance with university requirements.
- Manages and supervises the accounting operations team, including hiring, firing, advancement, promotion, performance, development, etc.
- Identifies and implements opportunities to streamline accounting processes, strengthen controls, improve service delivery, and responsibly use new technologies, reporting tools, and automation.
- Identifies gaps in current resources or policies; develops and updates policies and resources to effectively govern more complex scenarios related to accounts receivable, general ledger updates, funding deficits, reorganization/department-node changes, financial-statement balances, payroll expense updates, etc.
- Develop and facilitate training materials for the accounting operations team and campus Departments.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The Finance Office is seeking a collaborative, analytical, and customer-focused accounting professional to join our team. This position provides advanced technical accounting leadership and professionally oversees key accounting operations within the Finance Office.
This Program Manager level position will act as a subject matter expert for the Department and lead campus accounting support functions, including chartfield oversight; reviewing and approving complex accounting transactions; overseeing selected financial reporting, reconciliations, and close activities; and ensuring compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, Governmental Accounting Standards Board requirements, university policies, and internal controls. This role serves as a trusted advisor to campus departments, strengthens service delivery through training and process improvement, and supervises one Finance and Accounting Professional.
This position will manage the day-to-day accounting functions and operations of the Finance Office. This includes managing chartfield governance, developing and implementing operational workflows, policies and processes, and independently supervising the accounting operations team. In collaboration with the Assistant Director, this role will make informed recommendations to leadership and effectively translate Departmental strategy into relevant long and short-term objectives for accounting operations.
Lead and oversee the campus accounting support function, serving as the primary resource for accounting guidance, issue resolution, stakeholder consultation, and service delivery.
Review and approve complex accounting transactions, journal entries, chartfield requests, and organizational structure changes to ensure compliance with GAAP, GASB requirements, university policies, and internal controls.
Manage financial reporting, reconciliations, and analysis activities by investigating discrepancies, resolving complex accounting issues, monitoring financial activity, and ensuring the accuracy of financial records.
Coordinate and perform month-end, quarter-end, and fiscal year-end close activities, including account analysis, accrual review, financial reporting, sales tax reporting, and resolution of outstanding items.
Provide technical accounting expertise and consultative support to campus departments by interpreting accounting requirements, advising on financial matters, and delivering training on accounting policies and procedures.
Supervise and develop accounting staff through coaching, work prioritization, performance management, quality review, and professional development support.
Identify and implement opportunities to improve accounting processes, strengthen financial controls, enhance reporting capabilities, and leverage technology and automation to increase operational efficiency and service excellence.
Accountable for the successful oversight of campus accounting support functions, including establishing policies, processes and objectives; makes data-informed recommendations to leadership.
Directly oversees chartfield governance, including the review and approval of setup and maintenance requests processed by accounting staff, to support accurate financial reporting, appropriate organizational structures, and compliance with university requirements.
Manages and supervises the accounting operations team, including hiring, firing, advancement, promotion, performance, development, etc.
Identifies and implements opportunities to streamline accounting processes, strengthen controls, improve service delivery, and responsibly use new technologies, reporting tools, and automation.
Identifies gaps in current resources or policies; develops and updates policies and resources to effectively govern more complex scenarios related to accounts receivable, general ledger updates, funding deficits, reorganization/department-node changes, financial-statement balances, payroll expense updates, etc.
Develop and facilitate training materials for the accounting operations team and campus Departments.
Hybrid - this role is eligible for a hybrid schedule of 2 days per week on campus and as needed for in-person meetings.
The Finance Office offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a collaborative, mission-driven environment. As an Accounting Operations Professional, you'll work on complex accounting and financial management activities, partner with stakeholders across campus, and help shape processes that support effective decision-making and responsible stewardship of university resources.
Join a team that values expertise, innovation, and continuous improvement while providing opportunities to expand your technical accounting knowledge, develop leadership skills, and contribute to initiatives that enhance financial operations across the university.
We have AMAZING benefits and offerexceptional amounts of holiday, vacation and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:
- Medical: Multiple plan options
- Dental: Multiple plan options
- Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
- Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
- Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
- Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
- Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
- Holiday Days: 15/year
- Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
- ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service
There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.
- Bachelor's degree in accounting or a directly related field from an accredited institution. Substitution: A combination of education and related technical/military/paraprofessional experience may be substituted for a bachelor's degree on a year for year basis.
- Five (5) years of professional accounting experience including financial reconciliations, financial analysis and reporting, journal-entry review, complex problem resolution, and month-end and fiscal year-end close activities.
- One (1) year of professional experience supervising employees, including assigning and reviewing work, coaching staff, and supporting performance and professional development.
Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.
- Professional accounting experience in higher education, government, the public sector, or another complex organization.
- Experience with an enterprise resource planning system such as PeopleSoft, Workday, Oracle, SAP, or a comparable financial system.
- Experience using financial reporting, business intelligence, or data analytics tools.
- Experience identifying and implementing process improvements, strengthened controls, or workflow automation.
- Experience providing consultative financial guidance and customer support to diverse stakeholder groups.
- Prior experience or familiarity with University of Colorado financial systems, reporting tools, and administrative policies.
- Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship. We are unable to provide work visa sponsorship or employment authorization for this position now or in the future.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, lookup functions, data analysis, and reporting.
- Familiarity with University of Colorado financial systems, reporting tools, and administrative policies.
- Advanced knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, fund accounting, Governmental Accounting Standards Board requirements, financial reporting, and internal controls.
- Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to identify trends, investigate discrepancies, assess risk, and resolve complex financial issues.
- Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly and effectively in writing and verbally to financial and non-financial audiences.
- Ability to build collaborative working relationships with employees and stakeholders at all levels of the institution.
- Responsive, solutions-oriented customer service that balances stakeholder needs with accounting standards, university policy, and internal-control requirements.
- Sound judgment, discretion, accountability, and the ability to make well-supported decisions in areas of technical complexity.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize competing responsibilities and meet deadlines.
- Ability to learn and effectively use new software, systems, reporting tools, and business processes.
- Commitment to continuous improvement, responsible use of technology, and an inclusive, collaborative, and respectful workplace.
Applications will be accepted until finalists are identified, but preference will be given to complete applications received by November 20, 2026. Those who do not apply by this date may or may not be considered.
The starting salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established as: $67,133 - $90,000
The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position may be eligible for overtime compensation, depending on the level.
Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.
Total Compensation Calculator
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at hr.adacoordinator@cuanschutz.edu.
The University of Colorado Anschutz is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.
CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases. If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU Anschutz, you will be required to comply with the vaccination and medical surveillance policies of the facilities or clinics where you work, visit, or volunteer, respectively. In addition, if you work in certain research areas or perform certain safety sensitive job duties, you must enroll in the occupational health medical surveillance program.
Cover Letter, Resume/CV, List of References
Finance and Accounting
Hybrid
U0001 -- Anschutz Med Campus or Denver - 20655 - ADM AVCFC Administratn
Full-time
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