Accountant

Department: Fiscal Services Classification: Financial Svcs Specialist 1 Job Category: Classified Staff Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk) Location: Fairfax, VA Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship Pay Band: 04 Salary: Salary starting at $68k, commensurate with education and experience Criminal Background Check: Yes Financial Background Check: Yes About the Department: The Controller's Office establishes and monitors the university’s internal control framework, collaborates with university units to establish fiscal processes, and provides guidance to academic and administrative units related to administrative policies and procedures. It maintains close working relationships with the Office of Budget and Planning, the Office of Sponsored Programs, Procurement and Accounts Payable, and Human Resources and Payroll. The goal of the Controller's Office is to provide excellent customer service and minimize costs through demonstrating consistent progress toward increasing flexibility, reducing administrative burden, eliminating "no value added" efforts, and automating transaction processing. About the Position: This position is responsible for performing core accounting and financial reporting functions while also developing advanced analytical reports and dashboards to support data-driven decision-making. This role blends strong technical accounting expertise with modern data analytics skills, leveraging tools such as AI-enabled analytics, automation, Power Query, and Power BI to improve reporting accuracy, efficiency, and insight. Responsibilities: Prepares schedules, reports, and documentation to support audit requests; Assists with annual Higher Education filings under Comptroller’s Directive and other requirements per the state audit and reporting processes; Gathers and analyzes data to support financial analysis and reporting and prepare related journal entries with schedules (including but not limited to debt service); Assists with monthly, quarterly, and year-end reporting including variance analysis, transaction research, and financial reporting. Perform balance sheet & P&L account reconciliations; Analyzes aggregate information received from Component Units (CU) and prepare the annual CU financial statements and footnotes; Reviews and analyzes complex accounting transactions against guidance (i.e. GASB 87-Leases, GASB-96 SBITAs, etc.) to prepare journal entries, reconciliations, and related year-end footnotes; Supports maintenance of Banner Chart of Accounts, such as new element workflow approvals, element inactivation and re-activation, and element changes needed due to departmental reorganizations; Designs, develops, and maintains financial dashboards and reports using Power BI; Utilizes Power Query to extract, transform, and model data from multiple systems; Applies data analytics techniques to identify trends and anomalies; Supports financial and analytical requests using structured and automated approaches; Leverages AI-enabled tools to enhance variance analysis, data validation, and reporting efficiency; Assists the Lead Accountant with financial reporting for the George Mason Research Foundation (GMRF); Provides support as needed and serve as backup for other staff members in Financial Reporting; and Other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience; Experience with financial accounting processes including journal entries, account reconciliations, financial close, and financial reporting; Experience with Power BI and Power Query or similar data visualization and ETL tools; Experience in using AI, automation tools, or RPA within finance or accounting; Experience with ERP systems (e.g. Ellucian Banner, Workday, Oracle); Demonstrated understanding of GAAP, financial reporting, and accounting principles; Knowledge of interpreting technical accounting guidance – preferably GAAP and relevant GASB/FASB pronouncements; Intermediate Excel skills with hands‑on experience in data manipulation and analysis including advanced functions (e.g. Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, etc.); Effective oral and written communication skills; Ability to perform balance sheet & P&L account reconciliations; Demonstrated ability to analyze large datasets and communicate findings effectively; Ability to apply critical thinking; attention to detail; work independently; and focus on thoroughness and quality of information; and Ability to interact effectively with a wide range of people within the university community. Preferred Qualifications: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or progress toward certification; Experience in Higher Education industry; Experience in Government Accounting; and Knowledge of GASB. #J-18808-Ljbffr