Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application. We suggest the documents be in a PDF format to avoid formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in how we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name -- RICE -- Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary

Rice University's endowment, valued at approximately $8 billion, is ranked in the top 20 endowments of private research universities (by market value) in the US. The endowment is critical to the university's ability to achieve its goals; the annual distribution funds nearly half of the university's annual operating budget. The Rice Management Company (RMC) is responsible for asset allocation, the selection and termination of investment managers, performance monitoring, and reporting to the Rice Management Company Board of Directors. The goal of the RMC is to provide a stable source of funding for current university operations and to preserve & grow the purchasing power of the endowment to benefit future generations of students. The endowment primarily utilizes outside investment managers and invests globally across all asset classes.

The Investment Operations Manager is responsible for endowment treasury, cash management, accounting functions, and compliance for the investment office. The Investment Operations Manager will lead the annual audit of endowment investments and lead/co-lead special projects related to finance, tax, audit, regulatory reporting, and other related activities. This role reports to the Chief Operating Officer of RMC.

The ideal candidate is a proven, innovative problem solver, a results-oriented self-starter, an excellent communicator who provides regular and effective updates, a team collaborator with a positive attitude, and an organized project manager.

Workplace Requirements

This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in person. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• 3 years of related experience in accounting and financial management for an investment firm, endowment, family office, foundation, wealth management firm, or other similar organizations
• Skills
  • Ability to communicate
  • Proven track record for management of people, projects, and resources
  • Demonstrated leadership, supervisory, planning, and change management skills
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Ability to problem solve, gain buy-in, merge ideas from multiple sources, and think creatively to execute goals and resolve conflicts
  • Advanced financial expertise in budget planning and financial forecasting
  • Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Strong knowledge of industry standards and/or regulatory requirements
  • Subject matter expertise for area(s) of responsibility
  • Working knowledge of MS Office Suite, including in-depth experience with MS Excel, SAP systems, and other basic business systems

Preferences

• Degree in Accounting or Finance
• 5+ years of related experience in accounting and financial management
• Current or previous CPA designation

Essential Functions

• Manages the annual audit of endowment investments and works closely with the COO, the RMC team, and the Controller's office to ensure investment activity is properly accounted for.
• Oversees daily treasury function activities, manages cash needs for the endowment, executes applicable cash and trade transactions, reviews daily account statements for appropriateness of activity, accuracy, and recordkeeping, and works closely with the endowment and university treasury teams to achieve goals.
• Serves as the primary contact for all investment office banking relationships and brokerage accounts. Opens and closes accounts as needed, manages services by evaluating, recommending, and implementing changes to services or service providers, and conducts periodic reviews of fees and services offered.
• Oversees minerals portfolio revenue activity, produces monthly reporting, processes incoming funds, posts transactions to applicable systems; and assists the Minerals Manager with annual audit and valuation reporting for the minerals portfolio.
• Responsible for reporting on the investment office expenditures annually and multi-year business plan: updating various systems, tracking progress, communicating regular reporting, and overseeing the allocation of resources
• Works closely with the endowment leadership team and applicable university leaders to ensure treasury, accounting, audit, and other financial duties are executed properly
• Creates, oversees, implements, and communicates business policies/procedures; advises senior management on relevant matters; and ensures overall organizational compliance with internal university policies
• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• Works closely with the COO and RMC General Counsel to manage and oversee various endowment office compliance, including programs for conflicts of interest, insider trading, confidentiality, and regulatory reporting
• Leads and co-leads large-scale special projects and creates project plans, establishes tracking tools, leads regular communications, gains buy-ins, and updates leadership regularly
• Provides leadership and staff development to colleagues and interns through informal interactions and formal programs: internship programs, small training sessions, and staff meeting updates
• Leads strategic plans for business operations and works with senior management to develop and direct strategic plans for the overall organization

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity at all levels and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and the full inclusion of all qualified persons in the workplace. This commitment includes providing reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities. For applicants with disabilities who require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.