Controller, SOM

School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

Join the School of Medicine as a Controller and lead strategic financial operations!

In this pivotal role, you will provide leadership in compliance, accounting, and financial strategy across the SOM Finance Office and its departments.

Be You.

The Controller, School of Medicine (SOM), provides strategic, compliance and accounting leadership to the SOM Finance Office and the departments they serve within the School.  The Controller is responsible for establishing and ensuring compliance with financial management and reporting policies and processes, including the development of operational budgets at the school level. In a strategic capacity, the Controller leads the design and implementation of initiatives that support the evolving financial needs of the School.

A key responsibility of this role is the management and oversight of the Dean’s Central Planning and Strategic Reserves, including commitment management. The Controller also oversees the daily operations of the School of Medicine’s accounting functions, including Plant Accounting, and ensures effective controls within the School’s SAP financial systems.

This position supervises a team of financial professionals and reports directly to the Associate Dean for Finance. The Controller plays a critical role in coordinating and managing programs, projects, and activities across the School. Additionally, the Controller serves as a primary liaison between the School Finance Office and key university stakeholders, including the University Finance Offices, the Provost Management Center, and the Corporate Finance Office for Duke University Health System.

Work Arrangement - Hybrid

Anticipated Hiring Range - Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $111,129.00 to USD $222,260.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members.

Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

DEPARTMENTAL PREFERENCES

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and/or Master’s degree in Business Administration strongly preferred.

The position requires extensive knowledge of accounting and finance or business principles and practices obtained through a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting or Finance. Experience and skill in leading and directing financial planning, budgeting and forecasting in an academic medical center or higher education environment is highly desirable.

Working knowledge of sponsored research fundamentals and fund accounting is preferred.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Training - Work requires a Bachelor' s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field.

Experience - Ten or more years of experience working in general accounting principles, financial management; include Ad-Hoc financial analysis and reporting, budgeting and financial modeling. 

A minimum of five (5) years of experience directly supervising finance/financial planning professionals.

OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Be Bold.

Skills

• Strong analytical skills with ability to analyze trends and financial information to perform complex analysis and financial modeling.
• Demonstrates excellence in customer service to internal and external staff and department personnel.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Tools and other integrated systems such as Advanced Excel and SAP respectively.
• Excellent written, oral and conversational communication skills to effectively work with diverse groups.
• Ability to analyze, evaluate multiple solutions and solve complex problems using judgement and well developed critical & analytical thinking skills.
• Attention to detail needed to operate accurately and effectively.
• Flexibility and ability to work on multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Work Performed

Plan, develop, validate and maintain SOM accounting practices and general ledger. (30%)

Specific efforts include:

• Manage daily operations for SOM accounting, including Plan and SAP financial systems;
• Review existing elements of accounting code structures (fund, general ledger account, and reporting attributes) to clarify purpose and document philosophy of usage;
• Validate and recommend modification of code structure as appropriate;
• Develop and implement processes to ensure consistent usage of accounting codes with established purpose and philosophy;
• Monitor ongoing utilization of elements of the accounting codes to ensure proper usage and to correct inconsistencies;
• Establish system access control procedures; 
• Establish and coordinate revisions of SOM accounting policies and procedures;
• Document and maintain accounting policies and procedures online for reference throughout SOM; 
• Serve as an expert resource within the office and to the departments served, including on financial reporting performed via SAP Business Warehouse queries, business process flows associated with funding models and overarching budget development.

Develop and maintain oversight of the annual all funds operating budget and create the long-range financial planning model for the School. (20%)

• Analyze budget objectives;
• Evaluate and recommend use and availability of funds for strategic investment;
• Review budget priorities with senior leaders; 
• Maintain critical analysis of financial trends such as the Indirect Cost Recovery (F&A); 
• Analyze costs allocated to the School, including Plant and Maintenance costs and costs associated with the University and Duke University Health system offices;
• Oversight of the Central Planning and Strategic Reserves, including commitment management

Responsible for the creation of the quarterly Board of Trustee reporting narratives and highlights package for review and submission to the Associate Dean for Finance and Executive Vice Dean for Administration and the Duke University (DU) FP&A Office. (15%)

Advise and participate in critical discussions related to the long-range planning model and the development of new funding models for the departments served and School’s operating funds. Working with the Associate Dean for Finance and other Assistant Deans, develop the quarterly projections of operating funds for the School and the departments for presentation to various school constituents.  (10%)

Serve as the primary liaison to the DU Budget office on all matters associated with Cost allocations and Building Budgets.  Responsible for the management of the School’s debt and the associated endowment funds that support these costs.  (10%)

In collaboration with the university treasury billing office, oversees the School’s accounts receivable collection on all sponsored research activity.  Liaise with Corporate A/R offices and staffing within the departments that manage the sponsored research portfolios of their faculty to manage projections. Provide quarterly updates to the Associate Dean for Finance and the Executive Vice Dean for Administration on all items that are deemed critical write-offs of funds within the School. (5%)

Perform critical review of various reports as well as create various ad-hoc financial reporting for senior leaders within the School. (5%)

Provides support to the Associate Dean for Finance as needed and required by the assignment of new responsibilities to the Finance Office. (5%)

Choose Duke.

If you're ready to drive impactful financial initiatives and collaborate with key stakeholders across the School of Medicine and university, we invite you to apply.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends onthe robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.