Controller

Position Title: Controller Department: Accounting / Finance Reports To: Associate Vice President for Financial Operations FLSA Status: Exempt Position Summary The Controller provides leadership and hands-on management of the Universitys accounting operations and financial reporting. This role ensures timely, accurate, and GAAP-compliant financial statements for a not-for-profit higher education institution, maintains strong internal controls, oversees key accounting functions (including Accounts Payable), and partners across campus to strengthen financial processes, reporting, and system effectiveness. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Financial Reporting & Close * Lead the month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes; ensure accurate reconciliations, journal entries, and supporting schedules. * Prepare and distribute a monthly financial reporting package (e.g., consolidating P&L, balance sheet, cash activity, budget-to-actual variance summaries, and key metrics). * Prepare consolidated financial statements (including footnotes/supporting schedules, as applicable) and required debt covenant reporting. * Provide analytical review of revenue, expense, and balance sheet activity; identify trends, risks, and actionable recommendations. Audit, Compliance, and Governance * Coordinate the annual financial statement audit and any required program/other audits; serve as primary liaison with external auditors. * Maintain and enhance internal controls and accounting policies/procedures to safeguard University assets (including restricted funds, endowment, grants, and capital activity). * Support regulatory and compliance reporting (e.g., surveys, institutional reporting, and other required filings as applicable). Accounting Operations Oversight * Direct and oversee Accounts Payable functions to ensure accurate, timely processing and compliance with policy. * Oversee general accounting operations and services, including the integrity of accounting records, chart of accounts, fixed assets, and applicable reconciliations. * Partner with campus stakeholders to ensure correct accounting treatment and consistent processes. Endowment, Investments, Debt, and Specialized Accounting * Oversee recording and reporting of endowment and investment activity, including fair value / market-to-market accounting and related reporting. * Maintain schedules and accounting support for debt, debt compliance, and related reporting. * Support accounting for auxiliary enterprises and any University-related entities (including commercial real estate interests, where applicable). Financial Systems & Process Improvement * Serve as a functional leader for the financial system environment; coordinate assessment of financial system needs and recommend/implement improvements (e.g., Banner Finance configurations, reporting tools, workflow enhancements). * Establish and maintain accounting operations procedures, user guidance, and training to promote consistent practices and data integrity. Leadership & Management * Supervise, coach, and develop accounting staff; plan and schedule work to ensure coverage, appropriate workload distribution, and cross-training. * Support hiring, performance management, professional development, and succession planning for the accounting team. * Serve on University committees and project teams as assigned; perform other related duties as required Minimum Qualifications * Bachelors degree in Accounting or Finance (Masters preferred). * CPA strongly preferred. * 1012 years of progressive accounting experience; not-for-profit and/or higher education experience strongly preferred. * Demonstrated experience preparing GAAP financial statements; experience with not-for-profit GAAP strongly preferred. * Experience preparing consolidated statements and supporting audit engagements. * Experience with investment accounting and fair value concepts; experience with debt compliance reporting preferred. * ERP experience required; Ellucian Banner Finance experience preferred. * Strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills; ability to collaborate effectively across campus; able to manage multiple deadlines. Additional Information: Houston Christian University is an independent, private Christian liberal arts institution with a diverse student body. It has access to all the cultural advantages of one of the largest metropolitan centers in the country. For more information about the University, visit

Created: 2026-04-02