Director Accounts Payable
8728BR
Finance & Administration
Payroll & Accounts Payable Services
Job Summary
Please note: This is a Temporary Position: The initial appointment period is 20 months ending on February 1, 2026 and is conditioned on satisfactory performance as determined by the Controller's Office. This appointment may be extended based on satisfactory performance and the needs of the Enterprise Resource Planning project. At the conclusion of the project, the position will end and your employment with RIT will be terminated.
Provide oversight and day-to-day direction for a high volume accounts payable operation to ensure timely, accurate and efficient payment of invoices, graduate research assistant (GRA) stipends, non-employee travel expense reports, and student refunds; including applicable tax reporting. Must have an in-depth understanding of the University's procure-to-pay process including relationships with key suppliers and related systems and be able to act quickly to resolve issues related to payments. Ensure that payables functions are performed accurately, on time and in compliance with University policies and procedures. Act as a role model for and deliver excellent quality service to students, faculty, staff, and external customers.
Job Responsibilities:
Major Responsibilities:

• Maintain appropriate staffing infrastructure in Accounts Payable and provide day-to-day direction and supervision to four (4) AP Specialists and (1) Accounts Payable Team Lead to ensure that all payments to suppliers, non-employee reimbursements, student refunds, stipend payments to graduate research assistants and participants, supplier set-ups, abandoned property reporting, and balance sheet reconciliations are processed timely, efficiently, accurately and in compliance federal regulations, when applicable. AP requests include purchase order invoices, invoice payment forms, GRA payment requests, and external supplier and internal invoice loaders. Payment types include check, ACH, wires and direct debit. Monitor payment backlog and invoices on hold and reallocate resources when required to meet deadlines. Work with the staff to identify and resolve issues as they occur and approve all necessary adjusting entries, as needed.
• Oversee the monthly and year-end payables close process ensuring that payables information is recorded in the general ledger and tasks required to support the monthly, fiscal year-end and calendar year end close processes, including the preparation of IRS Forms 1099 and 1042-Ss, are completed timely and accurately. Review transactional data to ensure that expenditures, capital items and prepayments to suppliers are recorded timely and in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Federal regulations, when applicable. Review and approve accrual and prepaid journal entries ensuring that expenses are recorded in the correct fiscal year.
• Perform a full range of payables responsibilities including: a) record transactions paid via wire transfer monthly prior to the month-end close; b) review reports prior to scheduled supplier payment runs for invoices on hold and work with AP Specialists to resolve; c) work with AP staff to process prepayments when required by the supplier and clear the balance sheet account when the goods/services have been received, ensuring that the payment is applied correctly to the purchase order. Act as primary liaison with departments across the University to address special circumstances and take appropriate action to resolve issues as they are identified.
• Design AP processes and procedures that ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and University policies. Continuously review policies administered to ensure they are appropriate and up-to-date; propose modifications as needed; and effectively communicate policies and supporting procedures with departmental staff and University stakeholders. Manage the completion of the annual Management Self-Assessment testing and certification process and ensure that appropriate internal controls are in place to prevent and detect errors and/or compliance issues.
• Serve as the subject matter expert in transformation activities to upgrade existing and/or deploy new technology solutions for the AP organization, including harmonizing data across multiple technology platforms. Work collaboratively with other stakeholders in and outside the Controllers Office to recommend and implement technology solutions to comply with new regulatory or legal requirements and/or University policies and procedures; streamline the AP process; and deliver an exceptional customer experience to internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop, track and disseminate payables productivity metrics including daily invoices processed by AP Specialists, error rates, invoices on hold, invoices processed per Specialist, etc. Address productivity with the staff issues as they occur and take steps to remove barriers to improving performance. Work collaboratively with other Controllers Office staff responsible for the Procure to Pay Process to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the payables operation.
• Oversee the design and delivery of effective AP training to the university community. Develop alternative forms of training to better reach University stakeholders, including development of on-line training and knowledge articles for the RIT Service Center (RSC) to support the CTO/RSC partnership.
• Work with the staff responsible for developing and executing appropriate testing plans to ensure that program changes, patches, and updates to the AP application continues to perform as expected and in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Complete special projects as assigned by management.
• Participate in a minimum of 40 hours of training/professional development annually. Training must be applicable to the employees role current within the Controllers Division with the intent of enhancing overall knowledge as well as the specific skills, whether functional or technical, required to perform successfully in the position.

Required Qualifications:
Education/Experience:

• BS in Accounting or Business Administration; or equivalent combination of education and applicable experience
• Eight to ten years experience in accounts payable and in a customer focused environment

Skills:

• Must possess a solid understanding of (GAAP) including prepaid transactions and accruals as well as IRS tax regulations.
• A full understanding of the procure-to-pay process including supplier relationships, impact of the payables operation on the universitys working capital, industry best practices and technology driven processes
• Prior supervisory experience required, with preference given to those individuals who have worked in a high volume, work-team based setting.
• Knowledge of a financial enterprise system and the procure to pay modules required, the Oracle Financial applications, preferred, with PC based computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word and Excel, required.
• Must be highly organized with excellent time management skills and be able to work in a fast paced environment.
• Must be able to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and analyze and interpret information, including payables key performance indicators, to make sound business decisions.
• Must possess strong written and verbal communication skills and exercise professional judgment in carrying-out assigned responsibilities required.
• Must be able to engage in crucial conversations with employees.

Preferred Qualifications:
MBA and/or CPA preferred
Department/College Description
Finance & Administration
Controller's Office
Payroll & Accounts Payable Services
Minimum Qualifications
Education/Experience:

• BS in Accounting or Business Administration; or equivalent combination of education and applicable experience
• Eight to ten years experience in accounts payable and in a customer focused environment

Skills:

• Must possess a solid understanding of (GAAP) including prepaid transactions and accruals as well as IRS tax regulations.
• A full understanding of the procure-to-pay process including supplier relationships, impact of the payables operation on the universitys working capital, industry best practices and technology driven processes
• Prior supervisory experience required, with preference given to those individuals who have worked in a high volume, work-team based setting.
• Knowledge of a financial enterprise system and the procure to pay modules required, the Oracle Financial applications, preferred, with PC based computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word and Excel, required.
• Must be highly organized with excellent time management skills and be able to work in a fast paced environment.
• Must be able to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and analyze and interpret information, including payables key performance indicators, to make sound business decisions.
• Must possess strong written and verbal communication skills and exercise professional judgment in carrying-out assigned responsibilities required.
• Must be able to engage in crucial conversations with employees.

Professional Area:
Employment Category: Fulltime
Staff Job Function: Wage Band: $79100 - $132500
Hourly/Salary Minimum: $79100
Hourly/Salary Maximum: $132500
How to Apply
In order to be considered for this position, you must apply for it at: http://careers.rit.edu/staff. Click the link for search openings and in the keyword search field, enter the title of the position or the BR number.
The direct link to this posting can be found here: https://sjobs.brassring.com/
Additional Details
Rochester Institute of Technology, the 10th largest private university in the U.S., is among the worlds leading technological universities. Its 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries are enrolled in over 200 academic programs, including 7 interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs. A pioneer in experiential education, RIT was the first to offer undergraduate degree programs in biotechnology, information technology, software engineering, and microelectronic engineering. As home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, the university offers unparalleled academic opportunities and services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Founded in 1829, RIT has 115,000 alumni throughout the United States and around the world. RIT has been named by the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the "Great Colleges to Work For." RIT is a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation site, and is responsive to the needs of dual-career couples through the Upstate NY Higher Education Recruitment Consortium. For more information, visit www.rit.edu/overview/rankings-and-recognition and www.rit.edu.
As a member of the RIT community employees receive a well-balanced benefits package that offers a variety of choices and access to additional employment advantages. These benefits, combined with an employees pay, provide a total compensation package that can be tailored to meet your needs. More on RITs Benefits, Health & Wellness program can be found at: https://www.rit.edu/fa/humanresources/content/benefits-health-and-wellness
RIT does not discriminate. RIT is an equal opportunity employer that promotes and values diversity, pluralism, and inclusion. For more information or inquiries, please visit RIT/TitleIX or the U.S. Department of Education at ED.Gov
Hourly/Salary Minimum: 79100
Hourly/Salary Maximum:132500
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