Director, Accounting & Finance (AS)

Associated Students (AS) at California State University Northridge (CSUN) is a student-led nonprofit auxiliary organization dedicated to enhancing the student experience through programs services advocacy leadership opportunities and campus engagement. Guided by its mission of For students by students AS serves as the collective voice of the student body while providing a broad range of social educational cultural recreational and support services.

AS operates across a diverse portfolio that includes student organizations and funding the Childrens Center Ticket Office Outdoor Adventures Sport Clubs Sustainability Productions scholarships transportation programs and student leadership. Its operations span multiple revenue streams programs and stakeholder groups creating a sophisticated financial environment well beyond a traditional student-government organization.

The organization manages more than $11 million in annual revenue and directs the majority of its resources toward programs services and infrastructure that directly support students.

For more information please visit: Associated Students California State University Northridge

The Director Accounting & Finance will serve as the senior financial leader for Associated Students with broad responsibility for accounting financial operations budgeting forecasting financial reporting controls compliance investments systems and long-term financial strategy.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director the Director will serve as a key member of the AS management team and a trusted advisor to executive leadership the Board of Directors Finance Committee student leaders department heads and university stakeholders.

This is a leadership opportunity with CFO-level breadth. The role is designed to elevate the finance function beyond day-to-day accounting by strengthening the team modernizing processes and systems improving financial visibility and accountability and providing strategic insight to support the organizations continued development.

The opportunity is particularly well suited to a Controller Director of Finance Assistant CFO or smaller-organization CFO who wants broader organizational influence and the ability to build and shape a finance function.

Financial Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the Accounting & Finance function and ensure the overall financial integrity of AS.
• Oversee accounting AP/AR purchasing cash management investments financial analysis and financial reporting.
• Serve as a strategic financial advisor to the Executive Director Board Finance Committee and organizational leadership.
• Develop financial strategies supporting organizational priorities capital needs and long-term sustainability.
• Monitor financial performance identify trends and risks and recommend appropriate actions.

Budgeting & Financial Planning

• Lead the annual organizational budgeting process and ongoing forecasting.
• Partner with department leaders to establish budgets monitor performance analyze variances and improve accountability.
• Advise leadership on the financial implications of new initiatives programs and investments.
• Ensure operations remain aligned with approved budgets while maintaining flexibility to support evolving student priorities.

Accounting Controls & Compliance

• Ensure accurate and timely monthly annual and management financial reporting.
• Establish and maintain strong internal controls policies and financial procedures.
• Oversee annual internal and external audits and implement resulting recommendations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable CSU local state and federal requirements including tax and grant obligations.
• Oversee purchasing policies cash management investments and financial systems.
• Lead improvements to financial processes reporting automation and systems.

Team Leadership

• Lead develop and empower the Accounting & Finance team.
• Strengthen team capabilities through coaching professional development effective delegation and clear accountability.
• Build a collaborative engaged and service-oriented finance organization.
• Establish the appropriate balance between strong oversight and empowering team members to own day-to-day execution.

Organizational Partnership & Governance

• Present financial information and recommendations to the Board of Directors Finance Committee Audit Committee and other governing bodies.
• Provide financial guidance to student leaders and organizations operating within the AS governance structure.
• Partner with department leaders to improve financial decision-making and accountability.
• Advise the Childrens Center on financial operations and multiple revenue streams.
• Oversee financial aspects of ticketing and box-office operations supporting athletics commencement arts and communications events transportation programs and other campus activities.
• Build strong relationships across CSUN and serve as a liaison on AS fiscal matters.

The ideal candidate will be a broad-based finance leader with the technical foundation of a Controller and the strategic orientation of a CFO.

Experience & Education

• Bachelors degree in accounting finance business or a related field required; masters degree preferred.
• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible finance accounting budgeting or financial administration experience.
• Proven experience leading and developing accounting or finance professionals in a complex multifaceted organization.
• Strong experience across accounting operations budgeting forecasting financial reporting controls audit compliance and financial analysis.
• Experience working across multiple departments revenue streams and stakeholder groups.

Particularly relevant backgrounds include higher education university auxiliaries foundations nonprofit organizations public-sector entities or other mission-driven organizations.

Experience with grants restricted funding Board or committee governance and university-affiliated environments is highly valued.

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will be:

• Strategic and financially rigorous without being overly transactional.
• Comfortable moving between executive-level strategy and operational financial oversight.
• A strong delegator who develops people rather than remaining buried in the details.
• Confident holding leaders accountable for budgets and financial performance.
• An effective communicator who can translate complex financial matters for nonfinancial audiences.
• Collaborative approachable and relationship-oriented.
• Comfortable working within a student-led governance structure.
• Able to build trust across executive leadership university stakeholders department leaders and student representatives.
• Energized by the opportunity to strengthen an established team and create a more engaged accountable finance organization.

Why Associated Students Why This Opportunity

Meaningful Mission. Financial leadership directly supports programs services and resources that enhance the experience of thousands of CSUN students. The work has a visible connection to the organizations student-centered mission.

CFO-Level Breadth. This is much broader than a traditional accounting leadership role. The Director will influence accounting budgeting forecasting investments controls grants systems compliance and long-term financial strategy.

Opportunity to Build. The Director will have meaningful latitude to strengthen the finance function develop the team improve processes and establish more effective financial reporting and accountability.

Executive & Board Exposure. Reporting directly to the Executive Director the Director will have regular interaction with the Board Finance Committee student leadership department heads and university stakeholders.

A Multifaceted Environment. AS combines student programs ticketing childcare grants events funding and other campus servicescreating an unusually diverse operating environment for a finance executive.

A Chance to Leave a Mark. For a finance leader seeking more than maintaining an established accounting operation this is an opportunity to build a stronger financial organization influence important decisions develop people and help shape the financial foundation supporting Associated Students for years to come.