Director of Financial Accounting

PLEASE NOTE:

• This position can be 100% remote​
• Client required Health system/hospital experience 

EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY:

The Director of Financial Accounting serves as a core operational and strategic leader with the Client in Virginia. This role is responsible for driving the day-to-day management of organization’s financial accounting, month-end and year-end close processes, financial statement preparation, and internal controls.
Acting as leader, the Director oversees accounting staff, solutions complex technical accounting matters under, and ensures compliance across complex state, federal, and tax regulations (including Unrelated Business Income Tax / UBIT). This individual will liaise extensively with internal leadership, governing boards, external auditors, and government regulatory agencies.

KEY
RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Operational & People Leadership

• Direct, lead, and mentor a high-performing
  team of accounting professionals.
• Establish clear operational performance
  metrics, cross-training initiatives, and succession plans to build a
  culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and inclusion.
• Oversee workflow management, task
  delegation, and staff development within central accounting operations.

2. Financial Close
& Technical Accounting

• Oversee month-end, quarter-end, and year-end
  financial close activities, including journal entries, ledger
  reconciliations, and variance analysis.
• Lead technical accounting research and
  solutioning for complex, evolving public sector standards (specifically
  GASB and U.S. GAAP).
• Supervise the preparation of annual
  accrual-based financial statements, Management’s Discussion & Analysis
  (MD&A), and footnote disclosures.

3. Internal Controls
& Risk Management

• Design, implement, and maintain a robust
  internal control framework to safeguard organization’s assets, reduce
  financial reporting risk, and ensure fiscal integrity.
• Maintain and continuously refine the
  university’s Risk Control Matrix (RCM) and financial policies.

4. Tax, Government
Agencies, & Executive Liaison

• Oversee compliance with state and federal
  financial regulations, including Code of Virginia directives. reporting
  mandates.
• Lead tax compliance processes, including
  Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) data collection, analysis, and
  reporting.
• Serve as a primary operational liaison to
  external auditors, Commonwealth of Virginia audit agencies (e.g., Auditor
  of Public Accounts / APA), and federal oversight bodies.
• Prepare and deliver financial analysis,
  reports, and strategic recommendations to Leadership, Vice Presidents, and
  Board Members.

5. Systems &
Solutioning

• Evaluate, refine, and optimize core
  financial accounting processes, workflows, and system solutions.
• Drive chart of accounts maintenance and
  maximize the use of enterprise ERPs and reporting tools (specifically Oracle
  PeopleSoft Financials, Workday Financials, Adaptive/Anaplan, and
  Qlik/UBI).

6. Process Engineering, Policy Drafting &
Defect Reduction

SOP Development & Policy Writing:

Demonstrated ability to author, standardize, and enforce comprehensive
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), desk manuals, and university-wide
financial policies that ensure compliance and internal control rigor.

Continuous Process Improvement (CPI):

Proven
track record of evaluating end-to-end accounting workflows to eliminate
redundant steps, reduce cycle times (especially around month-end and year-end
closes), and drive operational efficiency.

7. Procurement Integration
& Public Purchasing Governance

Procure-to-Pay (P2P) Alignment:

Good understanding of the end-to-end Procure-to-Pay
lifecycle, ensuring seamless alignment between financial accounting, accounts
payable, purchasing, and vendor management teams.

Procurement
Compliance & Policy:

Familiarity with public sector and higher education
procurement regulations—specifically the Virginia Public Procurement Act
(VPPA), Commonwealth of Virginia purchasing directives (eVA portal), and
federal grant procurement guidelines (OMB Uniform Guidance).

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Must-Have
Qualifications (Required)

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in
  Accounting, Finance, or a closely related business discipline.
• Experience: Minimum 5+ years of financial accounting/leadership experience specifically
  within a health system, hospital, or academic medical center
  environment.
  Leadership Experience: Minimum of 3–5 years of direct supervisory/people
  management experience leading accounting teams.
• Hands-on operational experience with Oracle
  PeopleSoft Financials.
  Technical Knowledge:
• Deep expertise in U.S. GAAP and/or GASB (Governmental Accounting Standards Board) frameworks.
• Demonstrated command over financial
  close cycles, complex ledger reconciliations, and internal control
  frameworks.
• Proven experience with tax
  compliance matters relevant to non-profit or public institutions (e.g.,
  UBIT).
  Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Exceptional leadership and interpersonal skills, with a track
  record of building consensus with executive leadership, government
  auditors, and non-financial stakeholders.
• ERP today is People software​
  

Good-to-Have
Qualifications (Preferred)

• Master’s degree in Accounting (MAcc), Master
  of Business Administration (MBA), or Master of Science in Finance.
• Practical familiarity with modern enterprise
  platforms, such as Workday Financials, Adaptive Planning, or
  Qlik/Power BI reporting platforms.
• Big 4 or public accounting audit/advisory
  experience.
• Good functional knowledge of PeopleSoft ERP

Required
Certifications & Licensures

Highly Preferred

• CPA (Certified Public Accountant): Active Virginia CPA license (or reciprocal license from
  another U.S. jurisdiction with the capability to obtain Virginia
  licensure). This is the single most critical industry certification for
  this role in Virginia.

Good-to-Have
Certifications

• CMA (Certified Management Accountant)
• CGFM (Certified Government Financial Manager) – Highly respected in
  Commonwealth of Virginia agency roles.
• CGAP (Certified Government Auditing Professional)
• CIA (Certified Internal Auditor)