Controller

Manhattan Area Technical College; Manhattan (KS); On-site; USD 67,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Manhattan Area Technical College seeks a Controller to lead accounting and financial reporting, ensuring GAAP/GASB standards and strong internal controls. You will provide hands-on expertise in budgeting, cash management, and grant accounting, reporting to the Vice President of Operations, and supervising the Business Office Accounting Manager.

The role emphasizes accuracy, timely closes, and strategic financial analysis to support executive decision-making and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Maintain the integrity of the Colleges accounting records and chart of accounts, including the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers.
• Lead monthly and year-end closes, including journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and schedules.
• Prepare accurate and timely financial statements, budget-to-actual reports, cash reports, and other analyses for leadership, auditors, regulators, and others.
• Provide accounting data, historical trends, variance explanations, and guidance to support budgeting and forecasting.
• Implement and maintain accounting policies, procedures, documentation standards, and closing calendars.

Job description

• Compensation: Pay Grade 14 ($66,914 - $108,735 salary)
• Job Classification: Staff
• Full-Time/Part-Time Status: Full-Time
• Contract Duration: Full-Time Regular Employment
• Pay Amount: Pay Grade 14 (Annual Salary Rate: $66,914 - $108,735)
• Location: Main Campus
• Reporting Relationship: Vice President of Operations

Primary Accountabilities

Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, the Controller serves as the Colleges senior accounting officer and provides hands-on expertise for accounting, financial reporting, compliance, cash management, grants accounting, and internal controls. The position is responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the general ledger; timely monthly and year-end close; preparation of financial statements and required reports; audit coordination; and compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, Governmental Accounting Standards Board requirements, applicable laws, Board policy, and institutional procedures. The Controller serves as the primary financial advisor to executive leadership, providing day-to-day financial analysis, budgeting support and key financial information to inform long-range forecasting and other high-level financial decisions. The Controller supervises the Business Office Accounting Manager, who oversees the accounts payable and accounts receivable functions, to ensure accurate, timely, and well-controlled daily business office operations.

Primary Responsibilities

Accounting Leadership & Financial Reporting

• Maintain the integrity of the Colleges accounting records and chart of accounts, including the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers.
• Lead monthly and fiscal year-end closing processes, including preparation, review, and approval of journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and supporting schedules.
• Prepare accurate and timely financial statements, budget-to-actual reports, cash reports, and other financial analyses for executive leadership, auditors, regulators, and other authorized users as needed.
• Provide accounting data, historical trends, variance explanations, and technical guidance to support executive leadership in annual budgeting, multi-year forecasting, capital planning, debt analysis, and financial decision-making.
• Implement and maintain accounting policies, procedures, documentation standards, and closing calendars that promote accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and accountability.

Financial Operations & Cash Management

• Reconcile or review reconciliations of all College and Foundation bank and investment accounts; investigate and resolve discrepancies promptly.
• Monitor daily cash activity and liquidity, execute approved cash transfers, and provide reliable cash-position information to the Vice President of Operations and other members of executive leadership as appropriate.
• Review accounting entries, payment activity, receivable activity, and reconciliations for proper authorization, coding, documentation, and compliance with budgetary and legal requirements.
• Maintain accurate fixed-asset accounting records, capitalization and depreciation schedules, and related reconciliations in accordance with GASB standards and institutional policy.
• Partner with the Business Office Accounting Manager to establish effective transaction workflows, review controls, cross-training, and timely completion of accounts payable and accounts receivable processes.

Compliance, Audit & Internal Controls

• Perform routine accounting analysis of internal controls that safeguard assets, support reliable reporting, provide appropriate segregation of duties, and ensure compliance with federal and state law, Board policy, GAAP, and GASB requirements.
• Serve as the primary accounting liaison for annual audits of the College and Foundation; prepare schedules, coordinate supporting documentation, respond to requests, and lead remediation of audit findings.
• Prepare or review required federal, state, and local financial and tax reports and retain complete supporting records.
• Monitor changes in accounting standards and regulatory requirements and recommend necessary changes to executive leadership on best accounting practices, systems, and documentation.

Grants, Foundation & Student-Related Accounting

Maintain accurate grant accounting records, review expenditures for allowability, reconcile grant activity, support drawdowns and reporting, and coordinate with grant owner.