Assurance Principal – Higher Education
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Office
Location: Austin • Texas • United States
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Job Level
Tech Stack
About the role
- Assume full responsibility for all services for clients in a book of business
- Review and sign engagement letters, discuss the nature and terms of assignments with clients and staff, and approve fees
- Establish KPI dashboards for HE leaders (e.g., net tuition revenue, retention, instructional cost per credit hour, program margin, research/auxiliary performance) and track outcomes
- Ensure project teams deliver defensible methodologies and documentation aligned to HE leading practices and sponsor/federal requirements where applicable
- Drive adoption of best‑practice HE methodologies; codify playbooks and accelerators for repeatable delivery (cost models, revenue analytics, benchmarking)
- Demonstrate deep understanding of HE economics (student lifecycle, aid, auxiliaries, research, clinical/continuing education) and relevant accounting/OMB guidance as applicable
- Own a prioritized pursuit plan; manage multiple HE engagements; mentor and scale a delivery team with consistent quality and client satisfaction
- Stay current on HE regulatory and operating trends (financial aid, cybersecurity, ESG reporting) and technology transformation (cloud, AI, data analytics)
- Develop and execute a segmented business development plan targeting community colleges, private universities, and public institutions
- Periodically review engagement progress to determine whether all phases of the engagement are being carried out properly
- Review time budgets and deadlines, provide ongoing attention to client’s management, and attend final client meetings
- Communicate with managers and staff regarding engagement status, client problems, findings, and recommendations
- Assist clients in obtaining necessary funding to continue to positively impact their community
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Accounting, Taxation or related field
- Current CPA licensure required
- 10+ years of public accounting experience in an assurance role with a public accounting and/or professional services firm
- Experience leading teams of high performing people and managing governmental audits and/or nonprofit (higher education) and Single audits strongly preferred
Benefits
- health, dental, vision, 401k and much more
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
KPI dashboardsHE methodologiescost modelsrevenue analyticsbenchmarkingfinancial aidcybersecurityESG reportingdata analyticsgovernmental audits
Soft Skills
client managementmentoringteam leadershipcommunicationproject managementproblem-solvingquality assuranceorganizational skillsclient satisfactionbusiness development
Certifications
CPA