Description
Position at IDEA Public Schools

At IDEA Public Schools, we believe in college for ALL and we are committed to ensuring that all of our students graduate from college. IDEA Public Schools has grown from a small school to the fastest-growing network of tuition-free Pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States sending 100% of our students to college. 50% of our students graduate from college in 6 years - that's 8 times the national rate for students in our communities!

IDEA was founded in 2000 as a single school with 150 students in the Rio Grande Valley. When interest exceeded building capacity, to meet the demands, IDEA's co-founders committed to serving more students in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and beyond. We now serve nearly 45,000 students across Texas and Louisiana. By 2022, IDEA will serve 100,000 students. Be on the lookout for IDEA schools opening near you-with continued growth in our current regions and new launches in Tarrant County (Fort Worth/Arlington), New Orleans, Houston (2020), Permian Basin (2021), and Tampa Bay (2021)!

When you choose to work at IDEA, you are part of our IDEA Team and Family. You will work alongside team members who set and reach ambitious goals every day, are excited to continue to grow with IDEA, and work relentlessly to make college for all a reality.

To learn more about IDEA, check out this video .

Role Mission: The Director of Finance/Controller will provide senior leadership for all financial functions and business operations within IPS Enterprises, LLC. In doing so, the Director of Finance/Controller will be charged with executing on the strategic financial vision for our growing organization for non-charter activities (as defined by the Texas Education Agency) and managing staff to sustained efficacy in all aspects of finance and accounting.

The Director of Finance /Controller must possess an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to rapidly and creatively adjust plans based on the changing needs of our schools and our fluid plans for growth of non-charter activities.

The Director of Finance/Controller for IPS Enterprises, LLC's mission is to provide accurate and timely financial information to IDEA stakeholders as well as to ensure compliance with any federal and state financial reporting and compliance guidelines.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer of IDEA Public Schools, the Director of Finance /Controller will play a critical role in ensuring that non-charter activities are equipped with the financial resources to ensure that all students outside of Texas learn, grow, and achieve transformative life outcomes.

Accountabilities Rating and comments

1. Financial planning and modeling for non-charter activities (as defined by the Texas Education Agency) and any other programs in IPS Enterprises, LLC.

2. Provide insightful input into non-charter activities expansion plan

• Serve as a positive role model for Business Office
• Work with senior management to provide insight and data on expansion of non-charter activities and other programs

3. Budgeting: Oversee and manage the revenue and expense and capital budget processes for IPS Enterprises, LLC for management approval prior to June 30

• Approve budget transfer requests from non-charter activities within two business days.
• Prepare and present budget amendment requests for Board of Director approval on a monthly basis

4. Oversee procurement and disbursement activities and ensure compliance with applicable state laws and regulations

• Oversee preparation of all bidding documents, including notice and instructions to bidders, specifications, and form of proposal
• Oversee purchase of materials and equipment for the district by competitive bids, competitive sealed proposals, requests for proposals, government catalog contract purchases, informal quotations, and negotiations following established district criteria and state purchasing rules
• Approve purchase orders and monitor purchase requisitions to determine correctness of information, calculations, coding, etc.
• Approve invoices for payment

5. Provide accurate and timely Monthly Financial Reports to management by the 10th business day.

• Prepare, review and approve all journal entries.
• Prepare, review and approve all cash receipts.
• Prepare, review and approve Statement of Financial Position reconciliations on a monthly basis to ensure amounts are in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Financial Accounting Standards Board. As well as to ensure that proper supporting documentation is provided.
• Review Statement of Activity on a monthly basis to determine reasonableness of amounts, detect potential errors and analyze significant variances.
• Compile month end financial reports to be distributed to management by the 10th business day.
• Compile internal, external, debt compliance, finance committee and regional financial statements by the 16th business day.

6. Obtain an unqualified audit opinion on the consolidated annual financial statements and single audit each year

• Ensure trial balances are reasonably stated at June 30
• Financial statements are presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for Not-for-Profit entities.

7 Provide financial information to external parties as well as those required by Federal and State guidelines.

• Assist external accountants with the completion of the consolidated Form 990 by November 15th following the fiscal year end.
• Prepare financial information for donors, grantors and investors.

8. Serve as a business partner to managers within the organization to ensure proper business processes are followed.

• Compile and maintain documented policies and procedures related to business functions and submit for Board approval.
• Provide guidance to managers regarding execution of Management Services and Shared Service Arrangement (SSA) contracts.
• Provide guidance related to internal controls and segregation of duties to managers implementing new business processes.

9. Ensure no reportable instances of material noncompliance in Financial Reporting and Compliance during the Annual Financial Audit.

• Keep current on new and upcoming standards related to Financial Reporting and Compliance.
• Attend continued professional education trainings related to Financial Reporting and Compliance.
• Update local Financial Reporting Manual to document current processes and controls over financial reporting as well as Local and Federal Grant policies and procedures.
• Assist in the preparation of annual trainings over OMB A-133 compliance requirements to grant managers and other stakeholders within the organization.
• Assist in the performance of monthly audits to ensure federal and state grants are in compliance with the OMB A-133.
• Communicate results of those audits to management and grant managers on a monthly basis using the Grant Compliance Dashboard.

10. Live values of IDEA

• Believes and is committed to our mission: that all students are capable of getting to and through college
• Is driven by outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them
• Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly
• Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change
• Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization
• Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes
• Embodies IDEA's core values

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This position will manage one or more staff accountants or clerks.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Competencies:

• Mission Focus- focuses on IDEA's core purpose of getting all students into college
• Record of Results - holds high expectations for self and others to achieve and surpass intended goals
• Problem Solving - able to synthesize, analyze, and prioritize data and opportunities to develop strategies for achieving quantifiable goals
• Communication - effectively conveys information using a variety of channels and techniques
• Continuous Improvement - proactively identifies opportunities to improve and consistently reflects on past actions to guide future decisions

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, management, finance, or business. Master of Accountancy or Business Administration preferred.
• Experience: 5 years accounting or auditing experience; preferably non-profit or educational setting
• Licenses or Certifications: CPA preferred

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong analytical, organizational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to plan and conduct financial and management audits
• Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principals
• Knowledge of federal grant audits
• Ability to implement policy and procedures
• Ability to interpret data
• Ability to use personal computer to produce required reports

IDEA Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability, in admission or access to, or treatment of employment in its programs and activities. Any person having inquiries concerning the organization's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), or Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), may contact IDEA Human Resources at (956) 377-8000.