Controller

Job Description:

Controller

Description

• • Position Summary
  • Full-time position under the Management Personnel Plan (MPP) available on or after January 4, 2027 for Financial Services.
    
    The University Controller provides strategic leadership for University and Auxiliary accounting and financial reporting and has overall responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of financial records, fiscal accountability, internal controls, and regulatory compliance. The position serves as a strategic financial advisor to University leadership on accounting, financial reporting, fiscal stewardship, and regulatory compliance matters and provides leadership and direction for the University’s accounting functions.
    
    
  • Job Duties
  • Duties include but are not limited to:
    • Provide overall leadership and management of University and Auxiliary accounting and financial reporting, including Student Financial Services.
    • Oversee University and Auxiliary accounting records, financial transactions, general ledger activities, and reconciliations.
    • Oversee monthly and annual financial close processes.
    • Oversee the preparation of annual financial statements and associated prepared-by-client schedules.
    • Review and analyze financial statements and accounting information and make recommendations for corrections or improvements.
    • Oversee compliance with applicable accounting and financial reporting standards and requirements, including GASB, FASB, GAAP, Chancellor’s Office, and State of California requirements.
    • Oversee compliance with applicable local, state, and federal tax requirements.
    • Collaborate with Post Award Grant Administration and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to ensure accurate grant accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, and applicable compliance requirements.
    • Coordinate financial and compliance audits.
    • Establish, document, and maintain internal control policies and procedures.
    • Develop, interpret, and apply accounting and financial policies, guidelines, and procedures.
    • Serve as a strategic financial advisor on accounting, financial reporting, fiscal stewardship, and regulatory compliance matters.
    • Provide financial analysis and recommendations and advise the campus on accounting matters.
    • Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders on complex financial issues and business process improvements.
    • Lead the review and modernization of accounting practices, financial systems, and processes, including automation and technology initiatives.
    • Serve as the University’s technical accounting authority.
    • Represent the University on CSU systemwide committees and workgroups related to accounting and financial matters.
    • Communicate accounting and financial reporting requirements to the campus community.
    • Provide leadership and direction to managers and staff.
    • Hire, train, supervise, assign work, and evaluate personnel.
    • Develop staff and lead succession planning.
    • Determine long-range University and Auxiliary accounting goals and priorities.
    • Provide leadership and support to senior management.
    • Serve as a member of the Financial Services management team.
    • Participate in divisional, departmental, campus, and CSU systemwide committees and workgroups.
    • Other duties as assigned.
  • Minimum Qualifications
  • Experience: Seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional accounting or financial management experience that includes financial reporting, internal controls, auditing, or governmental accounting, including three (3) years of experience leading professional accounting staff or managers.
    Education: Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or other closely related field. (Additional progressively responsible experience directly related to the duties of the position may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)
    
  • Preferred Qualifications
  • • Prior experience in a CSU or higher education setting.
    • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license or certification.
    • Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field.
    • Three (3) years of professional accounting or financial management experience in a higher education environment.
    • Three (3) years of experience using PeopleSoft Finance or a comparable enterprise financial management system.
    • Three (3) years of experience coordinating or managing external financial and compliance audits.
  • Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
  • • Comprehensive knowledge of accounting and financial management principles, practices, and standards.
    • Ability to interpret and apply Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and applicable federal, state, Chancellor’s Office, and campus policies and procedures.
    • Ability to work effectively with enterprise financial systems and various financial reporting tools, including dashboard reporting and query tools.
    • Ability to manage and direct complex accounting and financial operations, including financial reporting, general ledger activities, reconciliations, and monthly and annual close processes.
    • Knowledge of internal control, financial and compliance audit, fiscal accountability, and regulatory compliance principles and practices.
    • Ability to analyze complex financial and accounting issues, apply strategic thinking and sound judgment, and develop recommendations for senior management.
    • Ability to develop, interpret, implement, and maintain accounting and financial policies, procedures, and internal controls.
    • Ability to lead and implement business process improvements and effectively use technology to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and transparency of financial operations and reporting.
    • Ability to supervise and provide leadership to managers and professional staff, including establishing priorities, assigning work, evaluating performance, and developing staff.
    • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and collaborate with campus departments and other internal and external stakeholders.
    • Ability to communicate complex accounting and financial matters clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, including with executive leadership.
    • Ability to exercise sound professional judgment, discretion, integrity, and accountability in matters involving institutional finances, internal controls, and regulatory compliance.
    • Ability to provide effective and responsive service to the campus community.
  • Physical Requirements
  • The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
    
    • Position may be required to travel.
  • Salary Range
  • Anticipated starting salary will be $10,834 to $13,334 per month plus excellent paid benefits. Salary will depend on the qualifications of the successful finalist.
    
    
  • Compensation & Benefits
  • Commensurate with qualifications and experience. As a member of the 23-campus CSU System, we offer an extremely competitive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, outstanding vacation, health, dental, and vision plans; a fee waiver education program; membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS); and 15 paid holidays a year. Link to Benefits Summary: CSU Employee Benefit Summary
    
    
  • How to Apply
  • To be considered, qualified candidates must submit a completed Stanislaus State online employment application, cover letter, and resumé. Applications are accepted electronically only. Please note that failure to completely fill out each section of the online application may result in your application not receiving consideration. To apply online, please click the “Apply Now” button on this page.
    
    
  • Application Deadline
  • OPEN UNTIL FILLED; SCREENING TO BEGIN ON OR AFTER NOVEMBER 16, 2026. (Applications received after the screening date will be considered at the discretion of the university.)
    
    
  • Criminal Background Clearance Notice
  • Satisfactory completion of a background check (which includes checks of employment records, education records, criminal records, civil records; and may include motor vehicle records, professional licenses, and sex offender registries, as position requires) is required for employment. CSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.
    
    
  • Additional Information
  • Campus & Area
    California State University, Stanislaus serves the San Joaquin Valley and is a critical educational resource for a six-county region of approximately 1.5 million people. The University is fully committed to creating a culture of diversity and inclusion - one in which every person in the University community feels safe to express their views without fear of reprisal. Widely recognized for its quality academic programs, the University has 10 nationally accredited programs and 662 faculty members. 94 percent of full-time faculty holds doctorates or terminal degrees in their fields. The University offers 43 undergraduate majors, 16 master's programs, 7 post-graduate credentials, a doctorate in education and serves more than 10,000 students. New instructional facilities have been built for the unique pedagogy of professional programs, laboratory sciences and performing arts.
    
    Stanislaus State continues to receive national recognition with its ranking as one of the best 384 colleges in the nation by The Princeton Review. The University was one of 12 public universities in the nation to be recognized by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for demonstrating exceptional performance in retention and graduation rates. In addition, U.S. News and World Report ranks Stanislaus State in its top 10 among public universities in the West, while Washington Monthly honored Stanislaus State as the West’s No. 1 university for the money. Stanislaus State also is recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education.
    
    Clery Act Disclosure
    
    Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the annual security report (ASR), is now available for viewing at https://www.csustan.edu/annual-campus-security-report . The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and sexual assault prevention information, and drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery Act crimes for Stanislaus State for the previous three years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the office of the Clery Director located at One University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382.
    
    Equal Employment Opportunity
    
    The university is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, covered veteran status, or any other protected status. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083, revised 7/21/17, as a condition of employment.
    
    Applicants requiring necessary accommodations to the application process may contact the Human Resources Department at (209) 667-3351. California Relay Service is available at (800) 735-2922 voice and (800) 735-2929 TDD. As a federal contractor, we are committed to attracting a diverse applicant pool. Please consider completing the Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability form (your response will not be shared with the search committee) at: Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability PDF Form .
    
    CSU Stanislaus hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
    
    The CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. The CSU prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California.
    
  • The individuals who appear to be the best qualified for this position will be contacted by telephone or email for an interview.
    
    INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
    
    

Advertised: Oct 23 2026 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: