Accounting Process & Systems Manager

$100m/year PE owned for-profit operator of niche universities growing at 20% annually. We are seeking an experienced accounting professional for a newly created individual contributor role with two primary areas of responsibility: improving accounting processes across the full accounting cycle, and supporting the implementation of MS Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O), targeted for Spring 2027.

Many of our current accounting processes are manual and Excel-based. The Accounting Process & Systems Manager will work across all areas of the accounting cycle – transaction processing, reconciliations, the monthly close, and reporting – to redesign these processes so they are standardized, documented, well-controlled, and automated where possible. These redesigned processes will inform the configuration of the new ERP system, for which this position will serve as a key member of the finance workstream from requirements gathering through go-live and stabilization.

This position reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer and takes day-to-day direction from the CFO, the Finance Director, and the Accounting Director. The role has no direct reports.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Accounting Process Improvement (approximately 50%)

• Document current-state processes across accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, fixed assets, general ledger, reconciliations, and the monthly close; identify sources of errors, rework, and delay.
• Redesign manual, Excel-based processes into standardized, controlled, and auditable workflows, prioritizing areas with the greatest opportunity for automation and efficiency.
• Support efforts to shorten the monthly close cycle through a standardized close calendar, reconciliation templates, and defined ownership and review procedures.
• Strengthen internal controls within redesigned processes and support audit readiness and preparation.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures and process documentation to reduce key-person dependency.
• Provide hands-on support across all areas of the accounting cycle, working alongside the Accounting team.

2. ERP Implementation — Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O (approximately 50%)

• Serve as a lead finance team member for the Dynamics 365 F&O implementation planned for Spring 2027, working with the CFO, Finance Director, Accounting Director, and the implementation partner.
• Translate redesigned accounting processes into system requirements and ensure system configuration reflects future-state processes.
• Contribute to chart of accounts design, financial dimensions, approval workflows, and reporting requirements.
• Support data cleansing, mapping, and migration validation for accounting master data and balances.
• Plan and execute user acceptance testing and parallel runs; document and resolve issues.
• Develop training materials, deliver training to accounting staff (in English and Spanish), and support post-go-live stabilization and continuous improvement.

Key Objectives (First 12–18 Months)

• Highest-priority manual and Excel-based accounting processes are redesigned, documented, and controlled, with a measurable reduction in errors and rework.
• The monthly close operates on a standardized calendar with consistent reconciliation procedures and a progressively shorter close cycle.
• Audit preparation is improved, with supporting documentation prepared in advance of fieldwork.
• The Dynamics 365 F&O implementation meets its Spring 2027 milestones, including validated data conversion, tested processes, and trained accounting staff.

Organizational Structure

The Finance organization is led by a Finance Director, with an Accounting Director reporting to the Finance Director; the Accounting team reports to the Accounting Director. This position is an individual contributor role reporting directly to the CFO, with a dedicated focus on process improvement and the ERP implementation. The position takes direction from and coordinates closely with the CFO, Finance Director, and Accounting Director, and works collaboratively with the Accounting team.

Qualifications

Required

• Active CPA license.
• Minimum of six (6) years of progressive accounting experience, including senior accountant or accounting manager-level responsibility for full-cycle accounting (AP, AR, GL, reconciliations, close, and financial reporting).
• Experience in organizations with annual revenue under $250 million.
• Demonstrated experience improving accounting processes, including standardizing manual processes and strengthening internal controls.
• ERP implementation or comparable finance system implementation experience (requirements gathering, testing, data migration, or training).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Preferred

• Bilingual — professional fluency in English and Spanish (strongly preferred).
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, or with Dynamics GP/NAV/AX in a migration to D365.
• Experience in healthcare, higher education, or other regulated or grant-funded environments.
• Familiarity with process documentation and improvement methodologies (SOPs, process mapping, lean concepts).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to analyze end-to-end processes and identify opportunities for standardization, automation, and control improvement.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and influence process change.
• Comfortable performing both hands-on transactional work and process design work as needed.