Manager, Financial Operations

Are you looking for more than just a job and do you want to make a difference? If so, then join the National Student Clearinghouse talent community and discover your impact today!

We are a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization and the leading provider of educational reporting, data exchange, verification, and research services. Serving the education, workforce and learner communities has been at the heart of our mission for over 30 years. Our work - performed in a trusted, secure, and private environment - provides numerous time- and cost-saving benefits to students, schools, administrators, and requestors. Education leaders rely on the Clearinghouse's unique national student data resources to better understand student pathways and outcomes in order to help students succeed, and our research better informs practitioners and policymakers about student educational pathways and enables informed decision making.

The Manager, Financial Operations is responsible for leading and managing Accounts Receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP) transactions and ensuring accuracy of sub-ledgers, maintaining controls and compliance with company policies, procedures, and regulations. Duties include overseeing cash application, collections, payables and disbursement processing, timely billing, and accurate deferred revenue application, accruals, AR and AP monthly close, and AR monthly reporting, and aging analysis. The manager is responsible for reviewing contract pricing, performance obligations, payment commitments and terms needed to appropriately invoice customers and record deferred revenue. In addition, the manager will ensure vendor compliance and oversee 1099 and W-9 requirements. The manager will lead a team of Billing/Receivables, Collections and AP staff to deliver sound transaction processing timely and efficiently while striving for process and policy improvements.

Currently, this is a remote-first position, and this position may be required to periodically work on-site at our office and the frequency would depend on the department/division's requirements. Therefore, candidates must reside within a reasonable distance to commute to our office when required.

• Use education and deep understanding of accounting transactions and sub-ledger to drive timely and accurate recording of transactions in support of month-end and cash monitoring.
• Review Accounting Standards updates for applicability to Clearinghouse business.
• Establish procedures to evaluate credit risk, maximize collections, and time disbursements to optimize cashflow.
• Evaluate AR and AP processing for compliance with internal control policies and procedures.
• Monitor changes to tax rules and code that may impact vendor compliance and 1099 or W-9 requirements.
• Review customer contracts and renewals to identify performance obligations, contract timing and price allocation to ensure proper billing, collections and deferred revenue application.
• Work with stakeholders and business partners to address questions/concerns, support credit term establishment as needed, and help support purchase policies and workflows.
• Demonstrate openness to new perspectives and ideas; embrace differing viewpoints.
• Build trust with internal and external stakeholders by demonstrating consistency between words and actions; foster balanced relationships.
• Find creative solutions to address inefficiencies, obstacles, or challenges.
• Apply Agile process tools including continuous planning, flow of information and improvement to transaction processing and monthly close.
• Assist Accounting Team with annual and interim audit relating to testing of AR and AP transactions, entries, and accruals.
• Support Senior Accountant and FP&A team to deliver cashflow as planned and forecasted.
• Work with key stakeholders and accounting teams to develop processes and procedures for Billing and Deferred Revenue accounting that are comprehensive, stream-lined and controlled.
• Work with Purchasing Team to develop improvements to purchase-to-pay process ensuring efficiency, adherence to policy and streamlined workflow.
• Oversee team to ensure day-to-day AR and AP transactions are appropriate accurate and timely.
• Establish stringent process for prompt month-end/year-end close to meet financial reporting expectations; adhering to closing schedule, determining accrual needs and posting entries.
• Develop and implement cash collection procedures to optimize cash receipts and improve AR aging.
• Review disbursements to ensure timing of payment is proper and aligns with cash forecast assumptions.
• Ensure invoicing to customers and recording of billing and deferred revenue is efficient, timely and accurate.
• Implement processes and procedures for maintaining customer and vendor master data.
• Support vendor compliance, W-9 receipt and 1099 issuance.
• Ensure the highest-level accounting and business control environment by developing, documenting, and implementing business processes and policies to maintain and strengthen internal controls.
• Enforce purchase policies, schedule of authority and approval workflow working with third party workflow provider and Purchase team.
• Establish a series of performance metrics to monitor transactional volumes, processing times, accuracy, and compliance that will be shared with key stakeholders.

Workforce Management

• Demonstrate the management competencies: Making Complex Decisions, Being Flexible and Adaptive, Build Collaborative Relationships, Focusing on Performance, and Optimizing Diverse Talent.
• Build a team-based environment that aligns with company values, ways of working, and competencies.
• Ensure employees comply with company policies, procedures and regulations, while meeting established goals.
• Recruit and select the best talent to help optimize skills and experiences.
• Motivate and manage staff to maximize productivity and efficiency.
• Provide direction to team members, including feedback to support personal and career development and ongoing improvement.
• Develop and manage career development and advancement and define and monitor training and development plans to support job and career satisfaction.
• Coach, mentor, and ensure staff are adequately trained and provide guidance, as needed.
• Monitor and provide feedback on performance including annual reviews, rewards, and compensation structure.
• Reward employees using formal and informal methods.

• Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance or related field, or a combination of education and experience including military service will also be considered.
• 8 years of progressively responsible Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable.
• 3 years prior management and leadership experience.
• Experience with managing ERP sub-ledgers and workflow tools.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Proven ability to manage and prioritize projects for successful completion and timely issue resolution.
• Ability to collaborate as part of a matrixed team.
• Exceptional process optimization, analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication with all levels of the organization; effective presentation development and delivery.
• Proven track record of developing positive relationships at all levels with internal and external stakeholders.
• Positive and professional attitude with the demonstrated ability to adapt to a dynamic, fast paced industry and environment.
• Proficiency to align the team/organization on goals and objectives.
• Demonstrates the Clearinghouse's core competencies: customer focus, optimizes work processes, communicates effectively, collaborates, and is open and authentic.
• Must live within a commutable distance to Herndon, VA.
• Must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. We do not intend to sponsor external applicants for work visas, and may consider sponsorship only if no qualified candidates can be found who are authorized to work without sponsorship.
• Must be at least 18 years old.

• CPA, CMA or equivalent.
• Experience with:
  
  
  
  • Broader transactional finance.
  • Sage Intacct, Avalara sales tax reporting software, and Salesforce.
  
  
  
  
• Knowledge of regulations, policies, and procedures not-for-profit organizations helpful.

• Use of a computer for 8 or more hours a day.
• Use of a telephone and/or copy machine.
• Frequently required to sit for 7 or more hours per day.
• Occasionally required to use hands and fingers to operate, handle, and reach.
• Vision abilities include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• Travel via car, train, and/or airplane, as needed.
• Must be able to work after business hours, as needed.

The National Student Clearinghouse provides a robust benefit program designed to help meet the needs of each employee and their family, both now and in the future. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as life and disability insurance benefits, for employees and their qualified dependents. Health care, dependent care, and limited purpose flexible spending accounts, as well as a health savings account, are options available for employees to set aside pre-taxed dollars for certain qualifying expenses. We offer a very generous 401k matching contribution program with the opportunity to defer pre-tax and Roth contributions, as well as catch-up contributions for those who are eligible! We are proud to offer a competitive paid leave program consisting of vacation, sick, and personal time, as well as paid holidays, up to 3 weeks of paid parental leave during a 12-month period, and up to 5 days of paid military leave per calendar year. Vacation time will accrue based on length of service, and new full-time hires can accrue up to 13 days of vacation and up to 10 days of sick time per year. On an annual basis, new employees may use up to 32 hours of accrued sick time as personal time. Additionally, the Clearinghouse observes at least 11 paid holidays per year.

Another perk is that employees have the option to get reimbursed for basic wholesale company and roadside assistance memberships (e.g., Costco and AAA) and to request a buy back on portions of unused accrued vacation based on tenure and certain other qualifications. Employees can further their education and professional development by using our Employee Education Assistance Program, which establishes reimbursement for qualified education expenses upon successful completion of the program, and leveraging the enterprise-wide LinkedIn Learning subscription. There are additional employee benefits too, including but not limited to, mental health and well-being benefits. To find out more, please request a copy of our Benefits at a Glance!

Additionally, we reasonably believe that the salary range for this position is between $110,000 and $120,000.

The pay range listed above represents a general guideline and is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, and the National Student Clearinghouse considers a number of factors when determining base pay for offers, which include but are not limited to, responsibilities and scope of the job and the candidate's experience, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Internal Candidates: If you feel that you qualify and meet the requirements of the job, we highly encourage you to apply and focus on preparing for the application process. Once the final candidates are selected, they can anticipate a review of the compensation prior to any offer made.

This job announcement was posted to the National Student Clearinghouse's Careers site at www.studentclearinghouse.org/careers on October 22, 2025 and the online application period will be open for at least 3 days. A completed online application is required to be considered for this opportunity.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities: The National Student Clearinghouse is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status (or known to have a spousal, family, business, social or other relationship or association with a protected veteran), sexual orientation, genetic information, arrest record, natural hairstyle, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.

Pay Transparency Notice: The National Student Clearinghouse is a federal contractor that abides by all applicable equal opportunity laws and regulations. Under these laws, companies doing business with the federal government must provide applicants and employees with certain policies, including the following information. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)