Accountant

Accountant Position

This recruitment will be used to fill 2 vacancies our city currently has within two different departments. One vacancy in Electric, and the other in Public Works. First 80 applications will be accepted.

Under general supervision, performs a wide variety of financial accounting, budgeting, CIP accounting and grant administration tasks and provides highly responsible administrative staff assistance in conducting comprehensive financial analyses and studies; maintains, develops and analyzes fiscal statements and records; and prepares financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Government Accounting Standards.

This is a journey level classification within the Accountant job series. Successful performance requires a thorough knowledge of governmental accounting procedures and the ability to exercise sound independent judgment. The Senior Accountant class is distinguished from the Accountant by the level of discretion and independent action and knowledge of the City's accounting system, processes, and complexity of work assigned. May exercise technical and functional supervision over technical and clerical accounting staff.

Examples of essential functions include:

• Perform a variety of routine to complex customer service functions to departments/divisions in the City including providing financial information, researching problems and processing accounting, budget, and grant transactions.
• Participate in the posting, balancing, and reconciliation of the general and subsidiary accounts, including grant accounts; control budget for the various funds and projects determining if funds are available and expenditures properly classified; research and analyze transactions to resolve budget problems; provide analysis of available funds at management's request; analyze budget transactions.
• Monitor and report on status of federal, state and local grants, review grant regulations and policies, grant contracts, amendments, and other documents to insure compliance.
• Perform a variety of specialized accounting and budget duties, including the development of budget schedules and reports, calculates and forecasts payroll costs; prepare journal entries; and tracks budget adjustments to the adopted budget.
• Coordinate the funds for capital improvement projects (CIP) and capital impact funds, ensuring accuracy of fund accounts; maintain budgetary control over City departmental expenditures; reviews accounting system conformity and compliance with accounting procedures and legal requirements; monitors various accounts ensuring availability of funds and classification of expenditures.
• Participate in the maintenance and analysis of all General Ledger Accounts, and other account subsystems such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, inventory, fixed assets, revenues, and utility billing systems.
• Prepare financial statements for assigned projects; prepares schedules and financial worksheets to assess financial status of the programs and makes recommendations on corrections.
• Participate in the preparation of financial statements, schedules, and other statistical and financial reports; prepares work papers, financial statements and various reports for federal and state agencies as well as for internal accounting.
• Participate in central accounting functions such as preparing adjusting entries, fiscal year closing adjustments, and documents for auditors.
• Recommend or implement changes in accounting systems and procedures; identifies and resolves problems and inconsistencies involved in maintaining accounting controls and processes.
• Coordinate accounting-related activities with other divisions and/or City programs; answers questions and develops procedures for preparing accounting transactions pursuant to GAAP and procedures.
• Prepare financial analysis and statistical statements in preparation for audit examination pursuant to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS).
• Examine, reconcile, balance, and adjust accounting records.
• Interpret data and generate related statistical and fiscal reports; prepares and submits accounting information for data processing and inputs data into the computer.
• Maintains the absolute confidentiality of all records and information.
• Maintain prompt and regular attendance.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Training and experience: A Bachelor's degree in Accounting from an accredited college or university is required. AND Possess the equivalent of three years of directly related experience in Accounting, preferably in a municipal setting is highly desirable.

Special requirements include:

• Must possess an acceptable financial history.
• Possession of a valid California Class "C" driver's license issued by the California State Department of Motor Vehicles and good driving record.

Knowledge of:

• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Basic Principles of Accounting as applied to Governmental Accounting Standards (GASB); principles and practices of municipal government and/or utility accounting; principles of financial administration, including budgeting, reporting and recordkeeping; grant and fund accounting; methods and techniques of payroll preparation and administration; modern office practices, procedures, methods and equipment, including operation of a desktop computer and Windows based applications and other related financial systems; applicable Federal, State, and local laws, codes and regulations in governmental financial reporting.

Ability to:

• Perform complex accounting transactions and analysis; recognize and resolve accounting, auditing, and internal control situations; read, interpret, and record data accurately; examine and verify financial documents and reports; prepare and analysis a variety of financial statement and reports; reconcile financial documents and reports; analyze data, draw logical conclusions, and make independent decisions; prepare a variety of financial statements, reports, and analyzes; accurately interpret data processing reports; work independently and as part of a team; maintain and establish effective working relationships with others; communicate clearly and effectively, orally and in writing with internal and external customers.