Senior Accountant

Overview

As a Senior Accountant, you will perform various accounting duties to support preparation of the agency’s financial statements, quarterly financial reports, annual budget, grant reporting, and other internal and regulatory reporting.  You will recommend procedural or systems changes based on governmental accounting requirements and applicable tax laws.  You will also develop complex reports and assist with fixed asset accounting as needed.

Essential Duties

• Reconcile balance sheet and income statement accounts related to preparing agency-wide quarterly and annual financial statements.  Prepare and enter journal entries as required, including accruals, investments, bond entries, and others as assigned.  Prepare schedules for assigned notes to financial statements.
• Prepare or assist with the preparation of complex financial reports including Community Transit’s quarterly financial statements, the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the National Transit Database, Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, Employment Security Department, the Internal Revenue Service (941 and W-2s), and various grant reports.
• Reconcile or maintain accounting system data, including actual and budget ledgers, encumbrances, and payroll distribution.  Research discrepancies, determine solutions, and recommend procedures to correct deficiencies and improve functions.  Make corrections and prepare journal entries.
• Collaborate with staff from the State Auditor's office on the annual audit.  Respond to questions regarding account balances, variances, accounting procedures, and internal controls.
• Review grant documents for accuracy.  Prepare payroll distribution for quarterly grant reporting.  Conduct a final review of calculations in the multi-level quarterly operating FTA grant billings.  Review invoices billed to capital grant projects for completeness and follow up with staff when additional documentation is needed. 
• Prepare cost allocations as necessary for grant reporting and lead the process to collect employee costs (intangible assets) attributable to capital projects.
• Analyze the effects of governmental accounting standards and regulatory changes on the agency.  Recommend needed procedural and systems changes to improve efficiency for evolving business processes.
• Work with project managers and agency staff to understand complex capital projects.  Prepare analysis for financial reporting
• Perform other duties of a similar nature or level.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• 4 years of experience in an intermediate level accounting position.  A Bachelor’s degree in accounting, or equivalent technical training may account for 3 years of experience.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Excel.
• Experience using automated accounting systems, including report writing and analysis of data.

An equivalent combination of education and experience to successfully perform the job duties is also accepted.

 

Knowledge Requirements

• Finance and budget systems:  Accounts receivable and billing, accounts payable and payroll systems a plus.
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, governmental accounting practices, and internal controls.
• Governmental financial statement and reporting preparation.
• State and local taxes (B&O, sales tax)

Skill Requirements

• Fostering an inclusive workplace by upholding Community Transit’s core values in support of the organization’s vision and mission.  Inspiring team commitment, pride, and trust while promoting cooperation and motivating members to achieve shared goals.  Demonstrating courtesy, sensitivity, and respect in all interactions.
• Effective written and oral communications that are timely, relevant, concise, and clearly outline necessary actions.
• Ability to quickly learn new technology platforms and embrace continuous learning.
• Microsoft Excel, including the ability to perform lookups, create functions and formulas, and use pivot tables to analyze data.
• Maintaining confidentiality and communicating with tact and diplomacy.
• Managing multiple tasks simultaneously and effectively and adjusting to changing priorities.
• Meeting strict deadlines.
• Planning and implementing complex tasks and setting work priorities for efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ability to think critically, identify strengths and weaknesses and alternate solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Preferred Skills and Knowledge

• Governmental accounting experience, preferably local government, such as transit, public works, county, or city government.
• Use of PeopleSoft Financial