Senior Accountant

Monitors and evaluates assigned departments’ budgets for compliance with City policy.  Assists in preparing annual budget and financial statements within the guidelines of Governmental Accounting Standards Board procedures, City policies and procedures, budget guidelines, and federal, state and local laws and ordinances. Reports to the Budget Manager or other designated person and works with co-workers, department directors, auditors, vendors, and elected officials and their representatives to provide accurate and accessible records.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 

• Assists departments in the preparation of budget requests by performing budget fieldwork – i.e., analyzing alternative budget scenarios, visiting department heads, and reviewing request for format and content.  Provide technical assistance during budget work sessions and perform initial cut of expenditure requests based on budgetary guidelines. 
• Monitors the expenditures/charges of assigned departments – review projects’ expected expenditures to ensure progress within the approved budget.  Reviews, for accuracy, and processes necessary journal entries and approved budget adjustments to maintain budget guideline compliance.  
• Performs a variety of professional, technical and analytical duties.  Interprets and evaluates reports/fiscal studies, advises on resources and assumptions underlying budget forecasts and prepares comparative analyses of operating programs. Completes State required surveys and reports related to assigned departments’ programs.  Prepares monthly financial reports for management.   
• Assist and provide data to internal and external auditors.         
• Perform other duties of a similar nature or level.

Qualifications

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Education:  BA/BS from an accredited college in a course of study related to the field of Accounting or Finance

Experience: Two (2) years of experience in Accounting or Finance.  (Budget Analyst experience preferred)  

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: 

• Knowledge of principles and practices of budget preparation, review and analysis procedures, problem solving and interpersonal relations.
• Familiarity with computerized financial and accounting systems, relevant federal, state, and local laws and county policies and procedures, governmental accounting and financial management.
• Interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction. 
• Mastery of operation of personal computers and standard software 
• Excellent verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently 
• Knowledge of principles and practices of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Finance and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS).

 

PERFORMANCE APTITUDES:

• Data Utilization:  Requires the ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data using established criteria. Includes exercising discretion in determining actual or probable consequences and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives.
• Human Interaction:   Requires the ability to work with and apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others to coordinate programs or activities of a project, and resolve typical problems associated with the responsibilities of the job.
• Equipment:  Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Verbal:  Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, advisory and/or design data and information.
• Math:  Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include ability to compute discount, interest, and ratios; may include ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.
• Functional Reasoning:   Requires the ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, a