Posting Title

Assistant Controller-Accounting Services

Location

CO - Golden

Position Type

Regular

Hours Per Week

Working at NREL

NREL is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join NREL, where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NREL stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NREL, you’ll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

Perform responsibilities as an Assistant Controller over accounting services within the Financial Operations Group. This position provides leadership for accounts payable, travel, and payroll functions, ensuring accuracy of the entire process as it related to vendor payment, payroll processing, travel compliance, and expense reimbursements. The individual will be responsible for promoting and exhibiting ethical and professional behavior in a diverse work environment. Maintain compliance with applicable laws, regulations, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Federal Accounting Standards (SFFAS), Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Conference Management policies, Foreign Travel Order, and e-Country Clearance policies, Department of Energy (DOE) contractual requirements, and NREL policies and procedures.

DUTIES:

Provide strong leadership for multi-functional teams, including staff hiring, development, and mentorship.
Ensures processes are established and operating effectively to record transactions that are accurately reflected in the accounting records in compliance with GAAP, other accounting guidelines and internal policies and procedures.
Provide staff with technical advice and guidance related to their respective areas.
Stays current on accounting, payroll, and financial reporting issues and topics.
Understands variances, key drivers and assumptions.
Provides oversight and review of payables and payroll information required for DOE and IRS reporting to ensure accuracy.
Review and approve appropriate ledger entries and balance sheet reconciliations prepared by staff.

Define team’s goals and objectives to align with OCFO and Lab goals.
Evaluate and perform team’s annual performance appraisals and provide recommendations to management during annual compensation increase cycle.
Identify, recommend, implement, and maintains key cross-functional team metrics.
Ensure teams’ compliance with DOE regulations and contractual requirements and all lab level policies and procedures.
Proactively identify, develop, and implement process improvement initiatives to improve efficiency and/or effectiveness of teams’ processes and recommends best practices for change management strategies.
Researches complex, technical accounting issues and provides analysis of GAAP and FAR and FTR regulations and other statutory standards to determine impact on financial reporting and provide recommendations to apply those principles to new and unusual transactions.
Responsible for other accounting and financial operations duties as assigned.
Act as management delegate as needed, on a short-term basis.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree and 14-years’ experience in technically related research discipline; Or, Master’s Degree and 12-years’ experience in technically related research discipline; Or, PhD and 9-years’ experience in technically related research discipline.

Eligibility requirements: This position will require access to sensitive information, Government facilities, and/or Government information systems restricted to individuals with US citizenship. Only applicants that are US Citizens at the time of application will be considered.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, or finance.
Thorough working knowledge of GAAP.
Strong computer and business solutions software skills.
Advanced level Excel skills.
Strong written and oral communication skills with a variety of customers and management levels.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Demonstrated knowledge of multi-state payroll processing.
Ability to hold confidential information.
Detail oriented and proactive in issue identification and solution implementation.
Accuracy, timeliness and meeting critical deadlines is a must.
Strong leadership skills with ability to work well and influence people across organization and drive solutions through to conclusion.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in accounting, business administration, or finance.
Certified Public Accountant or CPA candidate.
Prior government contractor experience.
Experience with Oracle EBS.
Generally viewed as subject matter expert for group or work units. Excellent organization, project management, budgeting, interpersonal and communication skills.
Proven problem-solving and negotiation skills. Demonstrated ability to make appropriate decisions regarding work activities and projects. Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and direct personnel with diverse skills, work styles and values.

Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Manager III / Annual Salary Range: $140,900 - $253,600

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

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