Senior Financial Accountant

The City of Lakewood is dedicated to upholding City values to include: Performance Excellence, Leadership, Respect and Collaboration. Best fit candidates will demonstrate innovation, customer service, dedication, passion and engagement. All people, citizens and employees, will be treated with respect, relevance, and importance.

HIRING RANGE: $104,682.24 - $116,313.60/year

Duties include analyzing financial transactions and performing advanced accounting functions, performing complex reconciliations, and the design, modification, and/or implementation of new or existing accounting procedures and systems. The role is responsible for assisting in verifying the accuracy of accounting records and financial data, while also ensuring compliance with applicable laws, procedures, and policies related to general accounting and financial reporting.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Incumbent is accountable for all duties of this job and other projects and responsibilities may be added at the City’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential duties of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Accounting Team Lead on innovation and optimization of City’s ERP System.
  • Demonstrates strong technical accounting and analytical skills, to lead and assist in the design, modification, and implementation of new or existing reports and processes within the City’s ERP system with a proactive and inquisitive mindset.
  • Responsible for training accounting staff and other departments on ERP functionality with open communication channels to ensure collaboration and clarity with the team.
  • Lead and track team’s progress on updating accounting procedure manuals to be in line with City’s ERP and departmental policies
• Accounting Team Lead on Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) statements research and implementation
  • Responsible for research on newly issued GASB Statements and providing recommendations to Assistant Controller. Responsible for training the accounting team on new accounting functions implemented
  • Responsible for research on previously issued GASB Statements to ensure compliance standards are being met
• Accounting Team Lead on General Ledger Reconciliations
  • Assist team with reconciliations; troubleshoot any variances
  • Train team on gaining efficiencies in reconciliation processes
  • Reconcile ledger accounts monthly, quarterly, and annually
• Accounting Team Lead on journal entry processing and training
  • Approves journal entries prepared by others. Ability to effectively communicate to accounting staff any identified issues or required revisions concerning entries under review and approval
• Supports capital asset accounting
  • Requires knowledge of capital asset accounting
    • Participate in capital asset reconciliations and processing during the year and during year-end audit
  • Requires strong communication skills. This role will assist other departments with training on City’s capitalization policy and how to enter spend transactions accurately in City’s ERP system
• Prepares journal entries monthly
• Prepares monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports.
• Supports the City’s performance review and development process, performance-based pay philosophy and supporting employees attaining personal and professional goals and objectives as set by the supervisor.  
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships

Supervision Received:  Assistant Controller  

Supervision Exercised: None. May assist with training of Accountant I and/or II.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must possess sound knowledge of fund accounting, accounting methods, procedures, terms, and experience in preparing various accounting monthly and year end journal entries; ability and understanding to perform analysis of reports and records; a high degree of attention to detail; and the ability to gain understanding and find solutions to problems.
• Must have good team leading and management abilities to support the Accounting team with strong interpersonal skills to maintain effective working relationships.
• Must possess excellent communications skills to be a results-oriented communicator to achieve desired outcomes with personnel both within and outside the organization.
• Must be able to organize work efficiently and handle all assigned responsibilities with professional care and competency, despite constant interruptions and heavy workload.
• Must have the ability to successfully pass a criminal background check and possess an acceptable credit report.
• Must interact with others in a positive manner.
• Requires re