Senior Accountant (Provisional)

Accounting Position

An incumbent to a position in this class independently performs difficult and responsible accounting work in connection with a variety of assignments and directs the work of others so engaged. Work is usually performed under general supervision and in accordance with outlined objectives, policies and detailed procedures. Difficult technical or policy matters are usually referred to a supervisor for decision and recommendations. Supervision may be exercised over accounting and/or clerical personnel assigned.

Typical work activities include performing general accounting work in the preparation and posting of journal entries to subsidiary ledgers; assisting in summarizing and reconciling of daily and monthly reports of receipts, disbursements including payroll and departmental revenue reports; preparing reconciliations of bank statements to book cash balances; supervising and maintaining records and accounts covering public utility tax reports, Employees Retirement System, City owned real estate covered by the Tri-Party Agreement, payroll savings and withholding taxes, outstanding grant receivables and other miscellaneous records including summarizing the receipts and preparing related journal entries; maintaining fixed inventory records for the City of Buffalo; determining account numbers for new revenues and appropriations in accordance with prescribed guidelines; assisting departments in the filing of required grant reports; preparing financial schedules for outside auditors as directed; preparing financial statements; recording cash on hand on daily cash report for all funds; maintaining vendor file of taxpayer identification numbers and preparing 1099s for Internal Revenue Service; assisting in the preparation of payroll tax reports, reconciliation, deposits of funds and transmittal of payment; operating personal computer for use of both financial spreadsheet software and word processing; pre-auditing purchase orders and contracts as to legality and price of materials in supplies purchased by city departments/agencies; pre-auditing repair and construction work orders and maintaining contract ledger accounts of all awards; performing related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Promotional (A) Continuous and permanent status in any city department as an Accountant, Auditor, (BMHA), Assistant Accountant or Assistant Auditor for one year; OR (B) Continuous and permanent status in any city department as an Assistant Financial Officer or Fiscal Supervisor for one year; OR (C) Continuous and permanent status in any city department as a Junior Accountant or Junior Auditor for two years; In addition, applicants qualifying under (B) and (C) must meet one of the following: (A) Masters Degree from an accredited college or university including or supplemented by 24 credit hours in Accounting/Auditing (must present transcript at time of filing application); OR (B) Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or university including or supplemented by 24 credit hours in Accounting/Auditing and one year of full-time accounting or auditing experience (must present transcript at time of filing application); OR, (C) Associates Degree from an accredited college, university or business technical institute including or supplemented by 15 credit hours in Accounting/Auditing and three years of full time accounting or auditing experience (must present transcript at time of filing application). Open Competitive (A) Masters Degree from an accredited college or university including or supplemented by 24 credit hours in Accounting/Auditing and two years of full time accounting or auditing experience (must present transcript at time of application); OR, (B) Bachelors Degree from an accredited college or university including or supplemented by 24 credit hours in Accounting/Auditing and three years of full-time accounting or auditing experience (must present transcript at time of filing application); OR (C) Associates Degree from an accredited college, university or business institute including or supplemented by 15 credit hours in Accounting/Auditing and five years of full-time accounting or auditing experience (must present transcript at time of filing application); OR (D) an equivalent combination as defined within the limits of A through C. Note: Verifiable part-time experience will be pro-rated to meet full-time experience requirements. Proof of education must be presented at time of appointment. Accounting experience is defined as the art or system of keeping financial records. It is the recording classifying, verifying and reporting financial data and presenting an analysis or interpretation of their significance. It includes the preparation of financial statements and schedules. Auditing experience is defined as the art of confirming financial statements or documenting the veracity of financial data. It includes a critical review of financial records and documents and an appraisal of fiscal procedures and operations. Examples of acceptable experience would be a full charge bookkeeper that is responsible for a full set of financial records including general ledger and all subsidiaries, Junior Accountant/Auditor and similar position. Examples of unacceptable experience are account-clerical experience and experience limited to posting, maintaining, examining or preparing one or more of the following: voucher register, sales register, cashbook, insurance register, accounts-receivable ledger, accounts payable ledger, any other special journal or subsidiary ledger, or experience preparing income tax returns.

Additional Information

Full performance knowledges, skills, abilities and personal characteristics include thorough knowledge of the principles of general accounting and auditing techniques; ability to understand and interpret written material; ability to plan and supervise the work of others; ability to prepare comprehensive reports; ability to be trained in the operation of personal computers, data terminals, printers and CRT Terminals; ability to get along well with others; initiative; tact; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.