Associate Controller, Payroll & Tax Compliance

Job description

Be You Occupational Summary Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Finance and University Controller, the Associate Controller, Payroll and Tax Compliance provides strategic leadership and oversight for critical financial operations supporting Duke University and Duke University Health System (DUHS). This role oversees Tax, Payroll, Fringe Benefits Accounting, and International Administrative Operations within a highly complex, decentralized environment. This position is one of four Associate Controller roles within the Controller’s Office and serves as a key member of the Controller’s senior leadership team, collectively providing strategic direction, governance, and operational coordination across the University’s financial functions. As a senior advisor and key member of the Finance leadership team, the Associate Controller leads a team of approximately 25 professionals ensuring institutional compliance, mitigating financial and regulatory risk, and advancing operational excellence across functions with significant financial scale and external visibility. What You'll Do Tax Compliance and Regulatory Oversight (25%) Provide strategic direction and executive oversight to the Senior Director, Corporate Tax, and team responsible for federal, state, and local tax compliance for Duke University and DUHS. Oversee preparation and filing of approximately 30 IRS Form 990 and 990Ts and related state returns, sales and use tax filings, property tax returns and unclaimed property reports. Ensure effective management of internal and external audits and serve as a senior institutional resource on tax compliance matters and risk mitigation. Payroll (25%) Lead and provide oversight to the Senior Director, Corporate Payroll, responsible for the accurate and timely payment of over $4.7B in annual compensation to more than 52,000 University and DUHS employees and students. Ensure payroll operations utilizing SAP are compliant, auditable, and aligned with institutional financial controls, including accurate expense posting to the University’s financial accounting systems. Support continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, controls, and service delivery. Fringe Benefits Forecasting and Accounting (25%) Oversees the Director of Fringe Benefits Accounting, responsible for monthly accounting, reporting and forecasting of fringe benefit expenditures and recoveries totaling over $1.3B annually. Ensure high‑quality financial data and analysis to support budgeting, financial planning, and strategic decision‑making. International Operations (25%) Provide leadership oversight for International Administrative Support and act as a key advisor on financial, compliance, and operational matters related to international activities. Play a significant role in the development and implementation of policies governing international financial operations, requiring complex, cross‑functional coordination across academic, legal, and administrative stakeholders Onsite, Remote and Hybrid working arrangements available. What You'll Bring Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field. Ten years of progressively responsible experience, including significant management and leadership experience. Preferred Qualifications MBA, Master of Accounting (MAcc), CPA, and/or CIA designation. Higher education experience. SAP or other large-scale ERP system experience. Success Profile The ideal candidate will demonstrate: Strategic leadership and executive presence. Strong financial, tax, and regulatory compliance expertise. Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and influencing skills. Experience partnering with senior leaders across complex organizations. A collaborative leadership style focused on team development and operational excellence. Commitment to customer service, quality, and continuous improvement. Be You at Duke At Duke, we are driven by a commitment to excellence, innovation, and collaboration. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds and perspectives to bring their authentic selves to work and help shape the future of one of the nation's leading universities and health systems. Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status. Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values. Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.