Accountant - Financial Services

Accountant Position

The Accountant coordinates and manages financial resources to ensure the timely and accurate completion of all assigned responsibilities. This position maintains compliance with established accounting principles, internal controls, and security procedures governing Bonds and Fines, Inmate Accounts, Special Fund Accounts, Treasurer Deposits, Payroll, Accounts Payable, Petty Cash, Purchasing Cards (P-Cards), and Travel expenditures.

About the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

Do you possess integrity, strong interpersonal skills, and do you have a desire to serve your community? We are seeking passionate individuals to join our team with a variety of openings for Civilian, Detention and Sworn personnel. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) invites you to become part of Arizona's leading law enforcement agency where we come together as a team to support and provide public safety.

Position Qualifications

We recognize your time is valuable, so please apply if you meet the following required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a closely related field.
• One (1) year of accounting experience.
• Other combinations of education or experience may substitute for the minimum qualifications on a year for year basis.
• Must possess a valid Arizona driver's license or have the ability to obtain by the time of hire.
• Training that may be provided on-the-job: Safety; Payroll; PREA.
• Prior to hiring, the Sheriff's Office requires that all candidates pass a background review.

Our Preferred Candidate Has

• Public sector accounting experience.
• Experience working in a law enforcement environment.
• Experience preparing journal entries and conducting periodic general ledger reconciliations.

Compensation Is More Than A Salary With MCSO:

• Growth and stability since 1871
• Choice of three medical plans – starting as low as $70/month
• Holidays – 10/year + 1 personal day
• Enrollment in Arizona State Retirement System
• Paid sick and parental leaves (birth/adoption)
• 30% discount at KinderCare facilities in the Valley and upcoming MCKids Club to serve County employees and their families exclusively
• MCSO Mentoring program to provide personal and professional growth opportunities for all employees
• Access to free County gyms
• Learn more at Benefits Overview

Essential Job Tasks

(This is not an all-inclusive list of all job duties that may be required; employees will be required to perform other related duties as assigned.)

• Performs a variety of accounting assignments, including the annual setup and maintenance of accounting records, the classification of revenue and expenditure transactions, journalizing accounting transactions, and preparing closing period adjustments.
• Reviews and audits of various accounting and financial documents, ensuring accuracy and correcting entries when necessary.
• Examines supporting documentation to establish proper authorization and conformance with contracts, other agreements, policies, and appropriate regulations.
• Prepares trial balances, reconciliations, worksheets, and schedules.
• Compiles and prepares journal entries and periodic reconciliations of general ledger, journal, subsidiary accounts, and bank statements.
• Compiles and prepares financial reports and supporting schedules and documentation.
• Reviews, evaluates, and assists in preparing and maintaining the budget and internal controls.
• May compile operational or capital improvement figures and review and authorize expenditures.
• Maintains financial records for various funding sources, including grants and capital improvement projects and prepares reports for such funding agencies.
• Reviews invoices and ensures proper documentation, balances against requisitions, purchase orders, and contracts.
• Ensures all required reporting (financial and other) associated with unclaimed property, inmate funds and bonds and fines are completed in a timely manner.
• Effectively converse verbally and in writing with peers and external contacts.
• Represents MCSO Financial Services Division at meetings.
• Recommends ideas to management for updating and improving systems and procedures.
• Trains and evaluate the performance of subordinates.
• Understands County financial systems and County procedures for A/P, Payroll and A/R.
• Plans, organizes, assigns, and reviews the work of professional and accounting support staff.
• Prepare letters, memos, and other informational work sheets.
• Evaluates and reports on complex issues associated with A/P, A/R, Inmate Fund Activity, and payroll.
• Identifies issues with IF/CS activity and notify appropriate individuals.
• Checks vendor contracts against payments, reconciliations, and conducting or performing special projects assigned.
• Meets with operating staff, vendors, contractors, and others regarding invoices and payments.
• May perform cost and/or rate studies and analyze cost factors.
• May maintain inventory records and participate in physical inventories.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions

Maricopa County is an EEO/ADA Reasonable Accommodation Employer.

The following environments described are only representative of how the essential job tasks are currently performed or envisioned. As such, in order to accommodate a disability or limitation, the essential job tasks may be performed in ways other than described on these pages.

Work occurs primarily indoors. Tasks require sitting for long periods, managing time pressures and high work volumes with high degree of decision making, concentration, and accuracy. Position requires ethical conduct and a professional demeanor.

Work Environment

• Indoors
• Rarely outdoors, in temperatures above 90 degrees or below 40 degrees
• Conditions may rarely include use of stairs or ladders, high noise level, bright lighting, confined areas, unprotected heights

Physical Environment

• Sitting, standing, walking
• Driving a vehicle
• Speaking, hearing, seeing, reading and distinguishing colors
• Bending/kneeling, reaching
• Lifting floor to waist twenty (20) pounds
• Lifting waist to shoulder twenty (20) pounds
• Lifting shoulder to overhead twenty (20) pounds
• Carrying a weight of twenty (20) pounds for a distance of 50 feet
• Pushing/pulling a weight of twenty (20) pounds for a distance of 50 feet

Social Environment

• Interruptions, time pressures
• High volume of work
• Handling multiple or complicated tasks, frequently changing or unscheduled tasks
• Accuracy, concentration/vigilance
• Decision making
• Working in a team environment in close physical proximity with others
• Conditions may rarely include emergencies, public contact, hours beyond standard work week.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of

• All generally accepted accounting/financial service applications.
• Microsoft Office Suite applications, Intermediate level.

Skill in

• Problem solving and taking initiative in resolving issues.
• Researching complex data and compiling reports.

Ability to

• Communicate effectively in verbal and written format as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Comprehend and interpret financial data and information.
• Establish and maintain successful working relationships with peers, management, and external contacts.

Selection Procedure:

The hiring authority will select the successful candidate based on departmental needs. All offers of employment made to new hires and rehires at Maricopa County are contingent upon successful completion of a post-offer, pre-employment thorough background investigation. A background investigation is conducted on a current employee who changes to a Safety Sensitive Position or one having the potential for serious