Payables Accounting Manager

At Holy Cross, we are focused on creating a world-class workforce by attracting and retaining employees dedicated to fostering a culture of professionalism, pride, mutual trust, and respect—one that values appreciation and recognition, empowering each of us to flourish both individually and collectively. We seek candidates who are inspired by our mission and values, and who are eager to make a meaningful difference on our campus. Learn more about Life at Holy Cross here.

Responsible for providing professional accounting and tax services with a focus on strengthening policies, procedures and internal controls and improving customer service to the college community and external parties. This role works closely with the Assistant Controller providing assistance in the performance of various functions in the financial processing for the college including the supervision of staff with a high volume workload to meet monthly, quarterly and annual deadlines. Assistance is also required with preparation of financial statements, reports, tax returns and other data in compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and higher education industry practices.

Job Description

Major Areas of Responsibility

• Manage, supervise and cross-train staff in the areas of accounts payable.  Manage workload to complete work accurately and within established deadlines.  Establish goals and objectives, mentor staff, and provide timely feedback to enhance professional development. 

• Manage all aspects of the weekly payables process including payments made in various electronic forms and by check.

• Manage all aspects of the expense reporting processes within Workday, including employee reimbursements processed in various electronic forms.

• Manage the monthly, quarterly and annual close process related to payables and liability accounts, ensuring that all transactions are reported timely and accurately and general ledger activity is reconciled accurately and timely.

• Coordinate and process one-off bulk payments for large groups (e.g., stipends, refunds, or event-related disbursements), managing relationships with departments across campus to ensure accurate and timely payment processing.

• Prepare work papers and gather documentation required for audit engagements and tax returns.  Coordinate with internal staff and external auditors to meet all deadlines.

• Monitor internal controls and implement improvements to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of internal controls. Assist with developing and documenting accounting policies and procedures.

• Perform accounting research, document conclusions, and assist in the implementation of new accounting rules and IRS regulations.

• Maintain the integrity of the vendor database working collaboratively with the procurement department.

• Identify and evaluate opportunities to leverage AI and automation tools to improve the efficiency and accuracy of accounts payable processes, such as invoice processing, data validation, and reporting.

• Actively participate in special projects as assigned. Projects may include but are not limited to testing system implementations, upgrades, or enhancements, conducting financial analysis and developing ad hoc reports and process improvement initiatives.

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or Accounting and a minimum of 3 - 5 years’ of progressive responsibility in accounting positions, preferably in a higher education environment.
• Comprehensive knowledge of accounting standards and regulations related to payables applicable to a higher education institution, including IRS, federal, and state.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience with a focus on quality customer service and team leadership and mentoring skills.
• Experience working with ERP (Workday preferred) including electronic invoice and expense management software.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, with experience using other Microsoft applications.
  

Disclaimer: The description above represents the most significant duties of this position but does not exclude other occasional work assignments not mentioned, the inclusion of which would be in conformity with the factor degrees assigned.

The salary range for this position is $88,000 - $93,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Weekly Hours:

40

Annual Work Schedule:

Application Instructions

An updated resume and cover letter are required as a part of your internal application. In your cover letter, please reflect on how your professional and personal values align with the Mission of the College of the Holy Cross to form individuals of integrity and purpose who are committed to the flourishing of all.

Additional Information
To review our generous benefits options, please review our detailed information here or check out our Benefits at a Glance. 

The College also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities during the hiring process in compliance with law. Please contact Human Resources for questions or to request an accommodation via email at [email protected], or by calling 508-793-3391. 

The College is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and complies with all Federal and Massachusetts laws concerning Equal Opportunity in the workplace.