College Accountant

Thomas College; Waterville (ME); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

6% 403(b) matching plan

Paid vacation

Paid sick leave

Thirteen paid holidays

On-site gym

Meal discounts and free tuition for em

Spouse and dependent children

Job summary

Thomas College, located in Waterville, Maine, seeks a College Accountant to manage monthly close, journal entries, and reconciliations within a collaborative shared-services team.

The role supports grant accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting, ensuring GAAP compliance and accurate statements. Ideal candidates have accounting degrees and 3–5 years of related experience in higher education or nonprofit sectors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field with accounting concentration.
• 3–5 years of accounting experience with general ledger responsibility.
• Experience in higher education fund accounting, nonprofit accounting, or public accounting preferred.
• Experience with ERP and general ledger systems preferred.
• Familiarity with Colleague or similar student information systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Handle day-to-day accounting operations including journal entries, loan draws, and tax reconciliations; monitor activity for accuracy.
• Perform general ledger reconciliations and maintain the fixed asset system; prepare monthly and annual reports and schedules for audit.
• Support grant accounting: review expenditures, coordinate with grant project managers, reconcile grant activity, and assist with annual grant budgets.
• Assist in preparing College reports (Form 990, IPEDS, FISAP, DOE reporting, surveys, payroll reporting).
• Ensure GAAP/FASB compliance and help establish policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with the AVP of Finance and Student Financial Services to ensure budget accuracy and reporting alignment.

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

Tools

ERP systems

Colleague

Job description

Description

Thomas College, located in beautiful Waterville, Maine, is defining what it means to be the College of the Future. With a strong commitment to innovation, career readiness, and community partnerships, Thomas College is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of Maine's top colleges for social mobility. Our distinctive Guaranteed Job Program, accelerated undergraduate degrees, and flexible graduate programs empower students to advance faster in business, entrepreneurship, education, technology, applied STEM, and arts & science fields. At Thomas, belonging isn't a buzzword; it's a promise. We create a supportive, welcoming environment where every student is seen, valued, and prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world. For more information visit Thomas.edu.

The College Accountant is accountable for the timely and accurate recording and reporting of the College's financial transactions, including maintenance of the general ledger and support of integrated financial systems. The position owns the month-end close process, prepares journal entries, and completes monthly balance sheet and bank reconciliations. The College Accountant also supports grant accounting, budgeting, audit schedules, financial reporting, and special projects as assigned, working within a shared-services accounting office where several functions are covered collaboratively across the team.

• Responsible for the day-to-day accounting operations of the College, including journal entry preparation, loan draws, and Federal and State tax reconciliation. Monitors account transaction activity to ensure the accurate and appropriate recording of revenue and expenses.
• Performs general ledger account reconciliations and maintains the fixed asset system. Prepares monthly and annual reports on accounts as required, including the detailed schedules, worksheets, and analysis required for the annual audit, and assists with the preparation of timely and accurate financial statements.
• Supports grant accounting functions, reviewing expenditures for proper account and project codes and for adherence to grant proposals and budgets. Coordinates with grant project managers to support proper and timely expenditure of grant funds in compliance with budget guidelines, reconciles monthly grant activity against budget, and communicates results to project managers. Assists in preparing annual grant budgets and supports the Grant Oversight Committee with project budgets and administrative processes.
• Assists with the preparation of College reports as required, including Form 990, IPEDS, FISAP, DOE reporting, institutional surveys, and payroll reporting.
• Ensures that accounting procedures are in accordance with GAAP, FASB, and other applicable regulations, and assists in establishing policies and procedures that maintain compliance.
• Works with the AVP of Finance and Student Financial Services to ensure proper budget allocations, reporting accuracy, and consistency between actual and budgeted financial statements.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree in accounting required, or a related field with a concentration in accounting; three to five years of experience in accounting or a related field, with demonstrated general ledger responsibility; experience in higher education fund accounting, nonprofit accounting, or public accounting preferred; experience with enterprise resource planning and general ledger systems preferred; familiarity with Colleague or similar student information systems is a plus. Employment is contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

Thomas offers a competitive benefits package to include:

• Medical insurance
• dental insurance
• life insurance
• disability insurance
• 6% 403(b) matching plan
• paid vacation
• paid sick leave
• thirteen paid holidays
• on-site gym
• meal discounts and free tuition for employees
• spouse and dependent children

Thomas College is an equal opportunity employer.

Thomas College's mission is to prepare students for success in their personal and professional lives, and for leadership and service in their communities.