Job Information
Colorado State University Area Accountant and Lease Specialist in Fort Collins, Colorado
Posting Detail Information
Working TitleArea Accountant and Lease Specialist
Position LocationFort Collins, CO
Work LocationPosition qualifies for hybrid/in-office work
Research Professional PositionNo
Posting Number202401745AP
Position TypeAdmin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification TitleProf/Indiv Contrib II
Number of Vacancies1
Work Hours/Week40
Proposed Annual Salary Range$58,000 to $65,000
Employee Benefits
Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, commitment todiversity, equity and inclusion (https://inclusiveexcellence.colostate.edu/about/) , and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.
Review our detailed benefits information here. (https://hr.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/01/benefits-summary-afap.pdf)
Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.
For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator (https://hr.colostate.edu/total-compensation-calculator/) .
Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in (https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-community/) !
Desired Start Date
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on11/01/2024
Description of Work Unit
The Facilities Management Finance and Accounting section is a unit within campus Facilities Management and exists to maintain and improve processes that protect the financial integrity of our departmental units. The mission of Facilities Management Finance and Accounting is to develop strong oversight and understanding of the departmental budget and construction-related accounting activities to assist with the development of best practices that enable effective, accurate management of the financial policies, processes, and activities.
Facilities Management Finance and Accounting provides oversight of 150 Facilities accounts, with over $100 million in operating costs, in the areas of budgets, accounting, financial management and reporting, university billings, department receivables, department internal financial control processes and procedures, financial instruction, and the department’s integrated workplace management system (AiM). We also provide services to the University community and non-University entities in the areas of billing, financial reporting, and real estate leases.
Reports are developed and distributed to several campus departments including the Budget Office, Business and Finance, Vice President University Operations, and the President’s Office for building costs, project costs, leases, student facilities fees, and budget book information to name a few. We pay, track, and report on university utilities for all campuses and extension offices throughout Colorado. Construction accounting services are provided on over 300 projects, totaling nearly $750 million in open projects in FY22, to project managers and Business and Finance in the areas of accounting, fund management, purchasing, contracts, payments, capitalization, bonded projects, and quarterly reporting for the Board of Governors.
Position Summary
The Area Accountant Lease Specialist role is pivotal in providing professional guidance and oversight to ensure that all departmental fiscal transactions and procedures are in strict compliance with federal, state, and university laws, regulations, and policies. This includes the departmental programs and specifically involves budget oversight, guidance, and direction for fiscal operations and management; and knowledge of compliance requirements for Federal uniform guidance; university and state fiscal rules; gift funds; and other rules and regulations as applicable.
As the Area Accountant Lease Specialist, you will be a key collaborative team member. Your role is not just about individual tasks but about working closely with the Assistant Director of Facilities Management Finance, unit directors, managers, and the administrative team to ensure the department’s financial health. Your ability to work effectively in a team and communicate financial information will be crucial to the department’s success.
As the Area Accountant, you will be crucial in providing financial information, analysis, reporting, and instruction. Your work will ensure that all stakeholders, from unit directors to managers, clearly understand the department’s financial status and future projections, empowering them to make informed decisions.
Prepare monthly and quarterly financial reports for approximately 70 assigned accounts. Includes querying data, analyzing complex labor hour and material reports, and compiling the data into a comprehensive report.
Meeting regularly with assigned area managers to present their budgets and financial status. This includes making budget projections and proposing solutions for staying within allowable balances. Your independent investigating, analyzing, interpreting, researching, and evaluating financial information for assigned accounts will significantly contribute to the financial stability of the department, instilling confidence in all stakeholders.
Oversee the annual departmental budgets for engineering, capital construction, planning, design, outdoor services, building services, administrative units, general operations, auxiliary, enterprise accounts, and others as assigned. This includes working with area managers and analyzing chargeable hours, billing rates, and account balances.
Maintaining and updating contracts, Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU ), and leases between Facilities Management and other units.
Prepare, review, monitor, analyze, and correct account transactions. Creating procurement documents (University credit card, check requests, purchase orders) and making payments.
Required Job Qualifications
- High School Diploma (or GED ) plus six years of progressive accounting/bookkeeping or related experience.
OR
- Associate’s degree plus four years of progressive accounting/bookkeeping or related experience
OR
- Bachelor’s degree plus two years of progressive accounting/bookkeeping or related experience
Preferred Job Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field.
At least five years of experience working in a fast-paced accounting environment with recurring critical deadlines.
Experience interpreting lease agreements, including calculating the Consumer Price Index ( CPI ) and other relevant calculations.
Financial working knowledge within an institution of higher education.
Experience interpreting and ensuring compliance with regulatory policy, including the General Services Administration ( GSA ).
Experience with Kuali Financial Systems.
Experience with TWARBUS ( CSU Accounts Receivable Batch Upload System).
Experience querying data with WebFocus, Access, AiM IQ, etc.
Experience calculating billing rates applying Federal Cost Accounting Standards.
Experience working both autonomously and in a team environment.
Professional and practical communication skills, both verbal and written.
Diversity Statement
Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Essential Duties
Job Duty CategoryFinancial Oversight, Reporting & Analysis
Duty/Responsibility
Fiscal Officer for approximately seventy accounts, which includes all fiscal officer duties such as reviewing, authorizing, creating, and processing transactions in Kuali for designated accounts.
Design, prepare, and produce periodic and on-demand reports by gathering, researching, analyzing, and structuring information from various sources. Tools used to query this data include Access, WebFocus, and AiM IQ, to name a few.
Prepare and distribute monthly accounting reports for all managers and administrative staff. These reports are based on Kuali data and other financial reports from the work order management system for approximately seventy assigned work accounts.
Investigate, analyze, interpret, research, and evaluate financial information from reports and meet regularly with individual supervisors to review budgets, transactions, account status, and financial goals.
Assigned work groups include Planning, Design, Capital Construction, Engineering, Outdoor Services, Building Services, Customer Service, Facilities Management Administrative Units, P3s (Public Private Partnerships), and others as assigned. Determine causes of account variances and review with budget managers. Develop recommendations and offer guidance on adjustments to be made to balance budgets.
Provide detailed information on the individual financial transactions, either from a review of Kuali transactions or from IWMS (integrated workplace management system) data. Analyze current and historical data for trends and other contributing factors that require research. This includes financial statements for each assigned group and for different areas as assigned.
Prepare productivity reports for areas and review them regularly with area managers. Determine if charges are being recorded correctly to billable work orders; if not, a thorough understanding of the impact is needed, and appropriate journal entries are required to create the correct work order. In some cases, this position reviews the billing rate and adjusts the charge rate to ensure the operations account collects an appropriate amount to cover costs without creating an excessive surplus or loss.
Percentage Of Time40%
Job Duty CategoryBudget & Rate Development for Multiple Units
Duty/Responsibility
Assist with the development of the annual budgets for approximately 70 accounts. Design and run reports to review the historical data and project the monetary needs of each group. Adjust salaries, materials, contracts, and overhead items to align with the base budget. Adjust staff counts for shop staff reorganizations. Develop and analyze complex calculations to create each unit’s billable hours and recommend a final charge rate.
Assist with the development of the annual budgets for Education and General units, including Planning, Design, Capital Construction, Space, Engineering, Building Services, Outdoor Services, Customer Service, FM Administrative Units, P3s (Public-Private Partnerships), and water rights accounts.
Assist with developing the annual budgets for Recharge FM units, which include planning, design, capital construction, engineering, building services, outdoor services, customer service, and FM administrative units.
Assist with developing the annual budgets for General Operations, Auxiliary, and Enterprise budgets, including University Rentals, Special Events, the Welcome Center, Medical Center, Natural Resource Research Center buildings, the National Wildlife Research Center, the Department of Public Safety, and CDC Ground Leases.
Calculate internal and external billing rates for recharge centers and general operations activities, including oversight for monthly billings by applying Federal Cost Accounting Standards. Adjust billing rates and budgets during the fiscal year, as needed, to maintain compliance with Office of Sponsored Programs guidelines for recharge accounts.
Develop and maintain Business Plans for areas. As new accounts are added, all associated documentation must be developed, including business plans, three-year budget summaries, tax questionnaires, and fund budget requests. This position also updates the business plans as business processes and procedures change.
Percentage Of Time25%
Job Duty CategoryManagement of Facilities Management’s Accounts Receivable
Duty/Responsibility
Independently manage the department’s internal and external accounts receivable by preparing, submitting, and revising annual budgets to Business and Finance and the Budgets Office.
Oversee the department’s enterprise accounts by working with a team to monitor budgets and expenses and provide reports. Create monthly executive summary-level reports for the Facilities Associate Vice President and Assistant Directors.
Consult with federal and state customers through reviewing supplemental lease agreements for supplemental operations and maintenance costs.
Invoice public-private partnerships and federal, state, and city agencies for leases, projects, and other special needs using the commercial accounts receivable system. Work in multiple federal invoicing systems to invoice customers and review financial information for accuracy.
Percentage Of Time15%
Job Duty CategoryFacilities Management Contract and Lease Management
Duty/Responsibility
Manage and monitor financial commitments between Facilities Management and other units, including federal, state, and CSU departments.
Compile cost information from the IWMS (integrated workplace management system). Review and disseminate cost information to department work units for contract amendments and renegotiations. Analyze contract net income and make recommendations for revisions to contracts.
Percentage Of Time10%
Job Duty CategoryFinancial Leadership
Duty/Responsibility
Provide financial leadership and advise Facilities staff on using the correct accounting strings for work orders, all operating expenses, and overhead expenses. Ensure departmental staff follows federal, state, and university rules and regulations. Help facilitate facilities staff’s understanding of these rules.
Hold training and work sessions to educate managers, supervisors, and staff on the intricacies of the IWMS (integrated workplace management system). Provide ongoing guidance to departmental staff to aid in financial and business decisions.
Guide and make recommendations throughout the year to area managers to control expenses, expand revenues, and adjust billing rates so that revenue accounts break even at the end of the fiscal year.
Act as a resource to the area managers and staff regarding IWMS (integrated workplace management system) issues related to accounting transactions.
Develop processes and procedures related to accounting issues and document them in writing.
Position also serves as a backup for others on the FM Finance and Accounting team.
Assist in analyzing, evaluating, revising, developing, documenting, and implementing departmental processes and procedures. Advise department personnel on accounting and budget issues, fiscal rules, and financial processes.
Percentage Of Time10%
Application Details
Special Instructions to Applicants
To apply, please upload a cover letter that addresses the required and preferred job qualifications, a resume, and the contact information for three professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates.
Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.
Conditions of EmploymentPre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search ContactMichelle.Tate@colostate.edu
EEO Statement
Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. TheOffice of Equal Opportunity (https://oeo.colostate.edu/) is located in 101 Student Services.
The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715,titleix@colostate.edu.
The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836,oeo@colostate.edu.
The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836,oeo@colostate.edu.
Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to theOffice of Civil Rights, Department of Education (https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html) .
Background Check Policy Statement
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.
References Requested
References Requested
Minimum Requested3
Maximum Requested3
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
Applicant Documents
Required Documents
Cover Letter
Resume
Optional Documents