Senior Accountant

Senior Accountant

The City of Albany is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Senior Accountant to join our Finance Department. This position serves as a senior technical resource, providing advanced accounting expertise and lead support across a wide range of City-wide financial operations. From financial reporting, audits, and grant compliance to ERP system administration and process improvement, the Senior Accountant plays an important role in maintaining accurate, compliant, and effective financial operations.

Working with general direction from the Accounting Manager, this position offers the opportunity to apply strong governmental accounting knowledge, sound judgment, and problem-solving skills to complex financial matters while providing day-to-day guidance and technical support to Finance staff. If you are an experienced accounting professional who enjoys working with complex financial information, improving processes, supporting a team, and contributing to the effective stewardship of public resources, we encourage you to apply.

***Please include a cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. Applications not including a cover letter will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified***

Anticipated Timeline:

• Posting closes Wednesday October 7th
• 10-minute Virtual Interviews anticipated to be on Wednesday October 14th
• Formal Interviews anticipated to be on Thursday October 22nd

*These dates are anticipated but may change pending availability*

Position Summary: The Senior Accountant performs as a lead worker in support of the Finance department. This position is responsible for a variety of complex, advanced professional accounting and financial functions and is distinguished by serving as the senior technical resources within the Finance Department and providing lead accounting support to the Accounting Manager. Responsibilities include auditing, financial reporting, grant compliance, system administration, and support of City-wide financial operations. Work is performed with general direction and requires judgment in planning, prioritizing, and completing assignments and provides day-to-day work coordination and guidance to assigned employees, temporary staff, or volunteers as assigned.

Essential Functions/Duties & Responsibilities

The following duties represent the primary responsibilities of the position and are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or assignments that may be required. Employees may be assigned additional duties that are similar, related to, or a logical assignment for the classification.

• Accounting and Financial Reporting
• Reviews and approves journal entries prepared by staff; performs bank reconciliations; prepares and enters correcting journal entries as needed.
• Monitors the City's financial activities; reconciles general ledger and subsidiary ledgers, grants, intergovernmental agreements, and other financial records for accuracy, completeness, and conformance with standards.
• Maintains and monitors assigned general ledger accounts and financial reporting areas; ensures transactions are properly recorded, classified, and supported.
• Coordinates and performs assigned month-end and year-end closing activities, including reviewing account balances, completing reconciliations, identifying and resolving unusual or erroneous transactions, and ensuring financial records are complete and accurate.
• Assists with preparing the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), including footnotes, financial statements, statistical sections, supporting documentation, and reconciling entries.
• Researches and interprets accounting standards, including GASB pronouncements and applicable governmental accounting requirements, and recommends appropriate accounting treatment for complex transactions.
• Audit, Compliance, and Internal Controls
• Coordinates annual audit activities in collaboration with independent auditors; serves as primary audit contact during the Accounting Manager's absence; prepares audit schedules and responds to auditor inquiries.
• Assists with implementation and monitoring of corrective actions related to internal control, financial reporting, and audit findings; maintains documentation of corrective actions and supporting evidence.
• Performs assigned accounting functions in accordance with established segregation-of-duties requirements and internal controls; identifies and reports potential conflicts or control deficiencies to the Accounting Manager.
• Participates in planning, evaluating, and improving accounting processes, procedures, internal controls, and financial workflows; supports documentation of policies and procedures.
• Grants and Federal Compliance
• Supports City-wide grant management by ensuring compliance with grant requirements; maintains grant documentation; coordinates with departments receiving grant funds; and assists with financial reporting and reimbursement requests.
• Supports compliance with federal and state grant requirements, including applicable Single Audit requirements; assists with preparation and review of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) and related supporting schedules.
• Financial Systems and Technology
• Performs City's ERP security role administration, including assigning and removing user roles, coordinating with IT, and ensuring appropriate internal control safeguards.
• Provides technical support for financial systems by troubleshooting system errors.
• Supports implementation of new financial systems or system upgrades, participating in planning, testing, training, troubleshooting, and process redesign.
• City-wide Financial Operations
• Ensures accurate and timely payment of City debt obligations; maintains and updates capital asset listings and related schedules.
• Supports AP, AR, and Payroll functions by providing technical assistance, resolving financial discrepancies, and ensuring proper workflow within City's ERP and related systems.
• Serves as backup for the Accounting Manager and other Finance positions as assigned to ensure continuity of essential financial operations.
• Lead Work and Team Support
• Performs as a lead worker to assigned employees; provides technical guidance, training, and daily support; plans and assigns work; monitors and approves work for completion and conformance with standards; and provides informal feedback to the supervisor regarding performance.
• Provides technical guidance, mentoring, coaching, and training to Finance staff and assists with development and maintenance of consistent accounting practices and procedures.
• Special Projects and Customer Service
• Participates in special projects and initiatives involving financial operations, process improvements, system changes, and other City-wide activities as assigned.
• Serves on committees and supports special projects as assigned.
• Represents the City of Albany by responding to the public, employees, and others in a professional, courteous, and timely manner while maintaining a positive customer service demeanor.
• Maintains regular job attendance and adheres to working hours.
• Operates a motor vehicle safely and legally.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Organizational Responsibilities
• Employees are expected to contribute to the effective operation of the City by providing high-quality service; supporting a culture of collaboration, accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement; and demonstrating leadership from any seat through taking ownership of one's work, demonstrating initiative, identifying opportunities for improvement, contributing solutions, supporting colleagues, and acting in alignment with the City's Mission, Vision, Values, and organizational priorities regardless of position or title. Employees are responsible for complying with applicable laws, regulations, City policies, procedures, and ethical standards; appropriately protecting confidential, private, and sensitive information while supporting the City's commitment to transparency and public accountability; exercising sound judgment; using City resources, equipment, technology, and information responsibly, safely, and efficiently; maintaining regular and reliable attendance and arriving prepared and on time for work, meetings, training, and other work-related functions; demonstrating professional conduct and appearance consistent with City expectations and the requirements of the position; operating vehicles, when applicable to the position, safely and responsibly and in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and procedures; following reasonable direction and completing assigned work in accordance with established expectations and deadlines; adapting to changing priorities; supporting organizational initiatives; and contributing to a respectful and inclusive work environment.

Supervision/Lead Work Exercised

Lead Worker – Provides day-to-day work coordination and guidance to assigned employees, temporary staff, or volunteers as assigned. In coordination with the supervisor, assigns daily work activities, coordinates workflow, provides training and instruction, monitors work progress, and provides feedback and input to the supervisor regarding the performance of assigned personnel. Incumbents in this position are not responsible for and do not have authority over hiring decisions, formal performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, or other formal personnel decisions.

Qualifications & Requirements

The qualifications described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Equivalent combinations of education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, licenses, and certifications that provide the required competencies may be considered, unless otherwise required by policy, regulation, or law.

• Education and Experience
• Graduation from a four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration or management, or a closely related field; AND four years of progressively responsible experience in governmental accounting; OR