Assistant Controller - Financial Operations

Job Description
Department:
Office of Financial Services Pay Rate Type:
Salary Employee Type:
Job Summary:

Reporting to the AVP & Controller, the Assistant Controller - Financial Operations serves as a strategic leader responsible for the College's end-to-end disbursement ecosystem, including Payroll, Accounts Payable, and Procurement. This role oversees a high-performing team of five, responsible for driving operational excellence by architecting robust internal controls, optimizing ERP workflows, and championing cost-savings initiatives.

The Assistant Controller - Financial Operations acts as the primary institutional expert on payroll compliance, tax governance, and strategic sourcing. By partnering with colleagues across campus, including the Office of Human Resources, the Office of the Provost, Risk Management, and Information Technology, the Assistant Controller - Financial Operations ensures that our financial operations are not only accurate and compliant but also efficient and aligned with the College's broader mission. The ideal candidate is a strategic problem-solver who balances meticulous attention to detail with the emotional intelligence required to serve a diverse faculty, staff, and student body.

Essential Functions

To be successful in this position, an individual should be able to perform the essential duties and bring the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities that support the role. Colby College supports the Americans with Disabilities Act and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. We encourage inquiries from candidates who will contribute to the cultural and ethnic diversity of our college.

The successful candidate will be a mission-driven leader who views financial administration as a service-oriented partnership. You will be joining a team that values kindness, clear communication, curiosity, accountability, and professional pride. We are looking for a leader who believes in the importance of cultivating followership on their team.


This list of duties is intended to be representative rather than exhaustive, and additional responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

Payroll Strategy & Operations:

• Strategic Oversight: Provide high-level leadership for the payroll function, ensuring all payrolls (exempt, non-exempt, and student) are processed accurately and in accordance with federal, state, and institutional policy.
• Team Empowerment & Mentorship: Direct and develop two payroll staff members. Foster an environment of excellence, providing the training and guidance necessary for them to own the daily processing and routine reconciliations.
• Payroll Systems: Act as the primary technical lead for payroll system architecture. Partner with IT, HR, and the Provost's office to improve efficiency, manage the department's required validation steps for periodic, required upgrades, and implement new initiatives (including the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Act this spring).
• Compliance: Serve as the expert on complex payroll matters, including executive compensation, tax treaties for international staff, and sensitive leave/withholding issues. Maintain the highest level of confidentiality in the administration of non-routine pay arrangements.
• Audit Management: Serve as the primary institutional liaison for annual workers' compensation and retirement plan audits. Ensure that all data transmission, security protocols, and internal controls are robust, documented, and fully compliant with evolving IRS and Department of Labor standards. Partner closely with the Associate Controller, the Senior Director of Student Financial Services, and the Director of Grant, Restricted and Endowment Funds Accounting to provide requested year-end audit deliverables, with a high degree of accuracy and adherence to audit deadlines. .
• Escalation & Resolution: Act as a strategic problem-solver for the department. Resolve non-routine discrepancies, troubleshoot systemic malfunctions, and provide high-level guidance to staff when they encounter complex scenarios that fall outside of standard operating procedures.
• Continuous Improvement: Cultivate a culture of proactive compliance. Regularly review internal processes to ensure they reflect best practices, leveraging data to improve department efficiency and service to the campus community.

Accounts Payable & Procurement Leadership

• Operational Leadership: Oversee the day-to-day operations of the AP and Procurement functions, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. Lead, motivate, and mentor three staff members, fostering a culture of professional growth and high performance.
• Internal Controls & Risk Management: Partner with the Associate Controller and the Controller to architect and maintain robust internal controls and procurement policies. Partner closely with Risk Management and the Information Security departments to protect the college against cybersecurity risks and threats. Ensure organizational compliance with IRS regulations, NACHA guidelines, and best practices, proactively mitigating risk.
• Strategic Procurement: Champion the evolution of the College's procurement strategy by identifying opportunities for cost savings, vendor consolidation, and strategic sourcing strategies.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Lead the analysis of expense trends and spend patterns to provide the leadership team with creative, data-backed information to help inform cost-optimization strategies.
• System Optimization: Serve as the primary technical lead for the College's ERP (Workday) procurement and AP modules. Continually identify opportunities for improving efficiency, manage the department's testing and validation steps for periodic required upgrades, and implement new initiatives. Understand key banking functionality and seek opportunities to modernize payment processing and improve internal controls.
• Vendor Lifecycle Management: Manage the College's vendor database with a strategic lens, ensuring competitive vetting, consistent W-9/1099 compliance, and long-term value from existing supplier relationships.
• Purchasing Card Stewardship: Oversee the Purchasing Card program, ensuring policy adherence, auditing high-risk transactions, and educating department heads on cost-effective procurement.

Compliance, Tax Strategy, & Reporting

• Governance & Regulatory Oversight: Maintain an expert-level understanding of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations. Proactively identify and implement changes in wage and hour laws, social security, SUI, and workers' compensation requirements to ensure the College remains in total compliance.
• Complex Tax & Information Reporting: Oversee the integrity of all payroll-related tax filings, including W-2s, 941s, 940s, 1099s, and 1042/1042-S. Ensure accuracy and timely submission, managing the resolution of any discrepancies.
• Accounting Partnership: Act as the primary payroll advisor to the Controller. Provide high-level data analysis and support for non-payroll tax filings (Forms 990, 990-T, state tax returns, and sales tax) to ensure organizational alignment and financial accuracy.
• Internal Review & Reporting: Lead the preparation of all payroll reporting and financial audit requirements. Develop robust audit trails for all GL entries and payroll adjustments, maintaining the highest standards for transparency and accountability.

Service Excellence & Stakeholder Strategy

• Service Delivery Leadership: Define and oversee the team's service approach, ensuring all payroll inquiries are handled with diplomacy, confidentiality, and institutional empathy. Cultivate a "service-first" culture that balances strict policy enforcement with a supportive experience for students, faculty, and staff.
• Escalation & Resolution Strategy: Act as the strategic point of contact for high-level payroll, leave, and benefit inquiries. Empower the team to handle routine questions while providing guidance on complex issues, ensuring consistent, professional, and compliant communication.
• Institutional Resource & Educator: Serve as the College's internal expert on payroll policy. Proactively communicate changes in pay practices, fringe benefit taxation, and deduction impacts to the campus community, serving as a partner to HR and the Provost's office in improving employee understanding of their compensation.

Perform additional duties as assigned; duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice

Position Minimum Qualifications


Education and/or experience:

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent in education and experience
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible payroll & payables related business experience
• Advanced experience with Microsoft Excel and accounting/finance; strong analytical skills
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal skills, and support-oriented
• Proven problem solving/judgment skills, and high level of attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong skills using and understanding the flow of transactions in an integrated and automated payroll accounting system
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion and sound judgement
• Demonstrated understanding of wage and hourly laws regarding state and federal payroll taxes
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team, establish priorities, and work collaboratively as a member of a diverse community
• Effective time management practices; self-motivated in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Qualifications or Skills:

• Proven experience leading, mentoring, and developing direct reports in a collaborative team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to drive process improvement and lead change management initiatives within a finance or business office.
• Experience with strategic sourcing, contract negotiation, and vendor management.
• Awareness of and aptitude for artificial intelligence enabled solutions and process improvements, coupled with an understanding of its inherent risks and the guardrails needed for effective and ethical use of AI.
• Working knowledge of procurement best practices, including P-Card oversight and internal controls.
• Direct experience managing external audits (e.g., retirement plan/403(b) audits, workers' compensation, or financial statement audits).
• Comprehensive knowledge of IRS regulations regarding 403(b) plans, 1099/1042-S reporting, and multi-state tax compliance.
• Experience managing system integrations and workflows between Payroll/ERP systems and third-party vendors. Experience with a major ERP system (Workday a plus).
• Familiarity with ADP, immigration, and tax software desirable
• Relative work experience in higher education or comparably sized human resources/payroll/payables function in a mid-large organization preferred
• Proficiency in financial/accounting software and advanced skills in Microsoft Excel
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a high degree of attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex financial information to non-financial audiences

Physical/Mental Demands

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here reflect what is typically needed to perform the essential functions of this position and what may be experienced while carrying out those duties. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• To perform this role effectively, an employee is expected to handle employee information, documents, and sensitive matters with care, professionalism, and respect for privacy.
• This position involves working with a variety of timelines, including some that require quick turnaround and responsiveness to urgent needs.
• In this role, the employee will interact with members of the public and others in a variety of situations and conversations. Presenting oneself in a professional, respectful, and thoughtful manner at all times is an important part of the role.
• This position includes regular movement throughout the office spaces, hallways, meeting rooms, and other campus locations.
• Daily work may involve extended use of a computer, including keyboard and mouse.
• Physical requirements differ by position. In general, most roles involve lifting up to 10 pounds regularly, with some positions requiring occasional lifting of up to 35 pounds or more, in more physically demanding roles, up to 50 pounds.
• Vision requirements for this position include the ability to see clearly at close and far distances and to adjust focus as needed.
• The work environment is dynamic and engaging, often involving multiple tasks and projects that require shifting focus and strong organizational skills.
• The noise level is generally moderate; however, there may be occasional moments of louder sounds depending on campus activity.