Director of School Finance recruitment

The Charter Schools Institute was established by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) in February, 1999 to assist them in carrying out their responsibilities under the New York Charter Schools Act of 1998 (article 56 of New York Education Law).

Function and Scope:

The Director of School Finance will report to the Vice President and General Counsel and will provide leadership in the area of finance by suggesting, designing and implementing regulatory and fiscal policies that strengthen both the oversight of the Institute as well as the regulatory and fiscal performance of individual charter schools.  Specific responsibilities include:

• Design, implement and monitor a comprehensive not-for-profit fiscal oversight program targeting high quality academic and business operations at SUNY’s 102 charter schools;

• Lead the development and incorporation of the SUNY Charter Schools Institute’s fiscal dashboard into a comprehensive fiscal oversight strategy;

• Review and analyze applications for proposed new charter schools in the areas of finance, governance structure and facility planning;

• Maintain the Institute’s charter school financial control files, which includes the oversight and review of quarterly reports and budgets to ensure compliance with requirements in the Charter Schools Act and a school’s charter;

• Oversee the management of the SUNY Fiscal Dashboard;

• Monitor on an ongoing basis the fiscal stability of each charter school through the review of annual school budgets, financial reports and audit reports/recommendations and on-site reviews; determine and develop corrective/remedial action plans as necessary;

• Analyze charter school requests for changes-in-program to determine the extent of financial impact, if any, and monitor any required revisions of the school’s budget to ensure that the school remains fiscally viable; prepare related correspondence and briefing materials regarding the changes as a result;

• Serve as a liaison with representatives of each charter school, as well as with the State Education Department, other educational entities and professional societies ( e.g. New York State Society of CPA’s, Association of Government Accountants), in issues of interest to the Institute;

• Provide leadership and coordination to various technical personnel engaged in specific charter school fiscal project activities as appropriate;

• Provide technical assistance to charter schools in regards to financial policies, procedures and internal controls; develop written guidance to schools concerning audits, financial management and other fiscal issues as required;

• Coordinate with SUNY to receive state and federal grant funds on behalf of the Charter Schools Institute, which will include the development of expenditure plans, Request for Proposals, and disbursement plans;

• Oversee all disbursements to grant recipients, which will include the review of all interim and final narrative and fiscal reports to ensure the grant recipients have accurately reported all financial data, as well as the preparation of interim and final grant reports;

• Periodically evaluate the Institute’s fiscal evaluation systems and protocols, providing suggestions for improvement as necessary;

• Other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Minimum of B.A. /B.S. with master’s degree in business or accounting highly preferred.  At least five years of progressively responsible senior level experience in accounting; financial compliance and monitoring; internal controls and auditing.  Must demonstrate strong writing, analytical, organizational and communication skills. Advanced skills in Excel required.  Experience in a primary or secondary educational environment preferred. Experience with public school and/or not-for-profit accounting required. Experience as an auditor in public-sector environment preferred.  Experience in setting oversight/compliance fiscal policies also preferred. 

Job based in Albany or New York City.  Albany preferred.  Ability to travel a must. 

Salary $85,000 - $95,000 depending on experience.

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements in terms of education and experience. Qualified candidates should send a resume with cover letter and salary requirements to: Shawn Davis, Charter School Institute, 41 State St., Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207 or email to charters@suny.edu..  Reference (job# 1112Charter03 ) in all correspondence about this position.