Accountant

Under direction of assigned supervisory or management staff, performs a variety of professional level duties related to the application of Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting Standards as developed by GFOA, and the application of GAAP as they relate to municipal finance; performs a variety of accounting duties including account reconciliation, worksheet preparation, and computer use and report preparation; assists with annual programs and special reports; and performs related work as required.

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

1. Compiles, reconciles, analyzes, and prepares a variety of financial statements, general and subsidiary ledgers, supporting schedules, and other financial and statistical reports; prepares work papers, financial statements, and various reports for federal and state agencies as well as for internal accounting.
2. Reconciles utility billing receivables; interprets financial reports involving the utility billing system.
3. Electronically submits audited and unaudited financials to Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC).
4. Monitors revenues and expenditures; approves check requests and bank reconciliation for all accounts.
5. Performs various cash management, investment, and reporting duties; prepares daily cash report; prepares monthly investment report; gathers and provides information on current and future cash receipts and disbursements; makes recommendations for cash and investment management; prepares bank and investment wire and transfer forms; reconciles bank and investment accounts; coordinates with banks on issues related to the City's accounts, bank transactions, and investment activities.
6. Assists lower-level staff within the Finance Department with training and questions/problems with their job duties and procedures.
7. Prepares capital asset, depreciation, and cost accounting; performs construction in process (CIP) accounting including monthly journal entries for capital asset and construction in process adds and retirement; processes capital asset depreciation; prepares quarterly and annual capital asset, capital expense, and CIP reconciliations; tracks cost on CIP projects and sets up completed CIP projects as a capital assets when completed projects are accepted; processes all capital asset donations to the City; coordinates the annual physical inventory of a portion of the capital assets and reconcile the physical inventory to the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers; coordinates with auditors as necessary.
8. Monitors and reports on the status of grants; reviews and audits grant contracts, amendment, and other documents to ensure grant compliance; tracks revenue/expenses; prepares claims to County for reimbursement that requires meeting precise deadlines with County of Ventura; analyzes transactions to resolve budget expenditure problems.
9. Participates in the maintenance and analysis of all Housing Authority accounts and other programs; prepares and submits all year-end requirements to HUD.
10. Assists in the preparation of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), State Controllers reports, and related year-end financial statements schedules, notes, and reports; ensures selected general ledger accounts and annual reports accurately to reflect the City's financial position at fiscal year-end; assists staff and City auditors with the pre-audit and audit.
11. Performs general ledger accounting, reporting, and reconciliations; prepares monthly reconciliations of City checking accounts, investment and trust accounts, and accounts for developer security deposits; prepares general journal entries and reports based on reconciliations; tracks transactions and transfers; coordinates with other staff in preparation for the monthly, quarterly, and annual closing of the general ledger.
12. Interprets data and generates related statistical and fiscal reports; prepares and submits accounting information for data, accounting records, and other source documents; reviews and posts payroll file.
13. Assists the Finance Department by preparing special reports, completing special projects, and coordinating specialized transactions for the City with internal and external sources.
14. Provides backup for all accounting functions as necessary.
15. Performs related duties as assigned.

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of :

Principles and practices of public agency financial management including general and governmental accounting, fund accounting, general ledger accounting, budgeting, auditing and reporting functions as well as General Accepted Principles and Procedures (GAAP) and General Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS).

Rules and regulations governing federal, state, and local programs, Code of Federal Regulations, Housing and Urban Development Guidelines, low rent Housing Accounting, and comprehensive Grant program guidelines.

Principles and practices of automated financial system. 

Principles and practices of revenues and expenditures of the City for cash flow projections. 

Principles and practices of debt financing and accounting.

Principles and practices of automated financial systems.

Principles and procedures of record keeping.

Principles of business letter writing and report preparation.

Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.

Perform professional level accounting duties in accounting, financial reporting, and fixed assets.

Conduct financial research and analysis.

Examine, complete and analyze detailed financial documents, forms, and records.

Understand, interpret, and apply general and specific administrative and departmental policies and procedures as well as applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws and regulations.

Respond tactfully, clearly, concisely, and appropriately to inquiries from the public or other agencies on sensitive issues in area of responsibility. 

Prepare a variety of financial statements, reports, and analyses.

Manage multiple projects simultaneously and be sensitive to changing priorities and deadlines. 

Plan and organize work to meet changing priorities and deadlines.

Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.

Perform mathematical calculations quickly and accurately including to add and subtract, multiply and divide, and calculate percentages, fractions, and decimals.

Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Requirements:

Education :

A Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in

Accounting, Finance, Public Administration, Business Administration, or closely related

field.

Experience :

Three years of experience that includes fund accounting, audits, and reconciliation.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential job functions.

Environment :  Tasks are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature and noise extremes, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, toxic agents, violence, disease, or pathogenic substances.

Physical :  Tasks involve the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation. Some tasks may involve the ability to exert very moderate, though not constant physical effort, typically involving some combination of climbing and balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, and which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (12-20 pounds).

Vision : See in the normal visual range with or without correction.

Hearing : Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Compensation details: 37.7-49.02 Hourly Wage

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