Director of Accounting

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):  
Bachelor's degree (foreign equivalent or higher) in Accounting, Finance or related field. Five (5) years of full-time experience in accounting or similar role. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license. Three (3) years of direct people management experience, including responsibility for supervising a team, setting goals, evaluating performance, and providing feedback. Expertise in technical accounting, financial reporting, and GAAP. Experience managing financial close cycles (month-end, quarter-end, year-end), audits, and/or tax compliance reporting.

Preferred Qualifications:  
Experience in a university and/or nonprofit setting. Additional years (4+) of direct people management experience, including responsibility for supervising a team, setting goals, evaluating performance, and providing feedback.

Brief Description of Duties:
The Stony Brook Foundation’s Director of Accounting position supports the foundation’s mission by overseeing financial operations and ensuring compliance across the Foundation’s accounting and tax functions. The Director will be responsible for managing financial reporting, implementing effective internal controls, and leading process improvements. They will partner closely with the Controller and accounting team to ensure alignment with the foundation’s strategic goals.

• Leadership & Team Development: 
• Provide hands-on leadership to a developing accounting team, offering mentorship, structured coaching, and clear performance feedback to build accountability, confidence and capability. Foster a collaborative environment focused on skill development, professional growth, and alignment with the organization’s mission and financial stewardship goals. Guide staff in adopting best practices and new technologies to strengthen operations, while identifying and developing emerging leadership within the team.
• Financial Oversight: 
• Manage and oversee Stony Brook Foundation accounting areas, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting. This includes managing general ledger functions, overseeing internal controls, and ensuring compliance with US GAAP, statutory, and tax regulations. Provide guidance to the accounting team on financial policies and procedures, month-end and year-end close processes, and financial audits.
• Process Improvement & Strategic Projects:
• Identify and implement opportunities for process improvements, leveraging technology to increase efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance performance. Lead finance-related projects and initiatives, coordinating with stakeholders to optimize accounting functions and meet organizational objectives.  Play a key role in the implementation of a new ERP system, contributing to testing and rollout to enhance organizational efficiency and data integrity.
• Compliance & Governance: 
• Ensure adherence to internal controls, legal and regulatory compliance, and manage the Foundation’s insurance arrangements. Serve as the subject matter expert on charitable gaming compliance for raffle programs, supporting Form 990 and Form 990-T filings in collaboration with external tax firms.
• Other duties as assigned.

Special Notes:
The Research Foundation of SUNY is a private educational corporation. Employment is subject to the Research Foundation policies and procedures, sponsor guidelines and the availability of funding. This is a full-time appointment. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

For this position, we are unable to sponsor candidates for work visas.

Resume/CV and cover letter should be included with the online application.

Stony Brook University is committed to excellence in diversity and the creation of an inclusive learning and working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.

If you need a disability-related accommodation, please call the university Office of Equity and Access (OEA) at (631) 632-6280 or visit OEA.

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The starting salary range (or hiring range) to be offered for this position is noted below, it represents SBU’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.