Operational Accounting & Systems Manager

The Operational Accounting & Systems Manager reports to the Associate Director of Accounting and is a key member of the CSFA management team. This role directs, coaches, and provides hands-on guidance to the accounting team responsible for operational real estate accounting. The Operational Accounting & Systems Manager ensures strong internal controls and full compliance with GAAP, University and Campus Services accounting policies and applicable laws and regulations.

The role is also responsible for driving process improvement and efficiency through effective use of technology and automation. Success in this position requires strong leadership, independent judgment, critical analysis, clear communication, advanced technical accounting systems skills, and innovative problem solving. The Operational Accounting & Systems Manager successfully collaborates with a wide range of university partners, including (but not limited to) Harvard University Housing & Real Estate, CS Finance & Administration colleagues, and Information Technology, to address accounting, process, and system issues and align stakeholders.

This is a player–coach role: the manager will both lead the team and personally execute key deliverables.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Talent Strategy & Development

• Actively leads and is responsible for a team of operational accounting professionals, including hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, workload allocation, engagement, and ongoing coaching and feedback to ensure high-quality work, strong customer service, and an inclusive, collaborative, and innovative work environment.

• Champions employee development by identifying skills gaps, creating targeted learning opportunities, and providing ongoing coaching and mentorship to build technical, analytical, and leadership capabilities across the team.

Accounting Technology Strategy & Automation

• Serves as an accounting subject matter expert on key financial systems (e.g., Yardi), partnering with the Associate Director of Accounting, CS HUIT, and business units to shape system strategy, optimize functionality, and resolve system-related accounting issues, while coaching team members to build redundancy and deepen cross-functional expertise.

• Under the direction of the Associate Director of Accounting, manages technology and automation strategies to enhance accounting processes, strengthen internal controls, and support system integrations and workflow improvements.

• Provides leadership for User Acceptance Testing and system implementations, collaborating with the Associate Director of Accounting, CS HUIT, and business units to resolve issues, mitigate risk, and ensure effective adoption and ongoing optimization.

Operational Accounting, Controls, & Process Improvement

• Manages and actively participates in the monthly, quarterly, and annual close for a large, diverse real estate portfolio with significant assets and liabilities using a combination of University and Campus Services financial systems.

• Manages and independently performs complex accounting reconciliations and analysis, ensuring appropriate documentation, identifying variances, reconciling balances, and resolving accounting issues.

• Ensures that all aspects of the billing cycle are performed timely and accurately, closely collaborating with Campus Services and other university colleagues to achieve this goal. 

• Oversees and contributes to daily accounting activities to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with policies and internal controls, while maintaining responsive, high-quality customer service.

• Manages the journal entry process for operational accounting reviewing journal entries. Prepares and processes journal entries, as needed.

• Ensures compliance with university internal controls by developing, reviewing, testing, and maintaining Campus Services accounting policies, processes, and procedures—including the integration of business applications with university enterprise systems—and collaborates with colleagues to continuously improve accounting practices and compliance with audit, disclosure, and regulatory requirements.

• Analyzes and interprets financial and accounting information, identifying trends, risks, and opportunities.

Customer Service

• Ensure that timely, accurate, and professional customer service is provided to customers and the University community.

• Develop and maintain productive partnerships with colleagues and customers within the Harvard community.

Working Conditions

Remote Work: This position is expected to have an on-campus presence an average of approximately 2 days per week to promote face-to-face interaction with team members and clients.  Any remote work should be performed in Massachusetts or in compliance with Harvard’s Out of State Employment Policy.