Senior General Ledger Accountant

Job Title

Manage and supervise the general ledger (GL) function, including budget control, cost allocations, internal and external financial reporting, and oversight of the cash reconciliations and capital assets activities.

Basic Function

The Borough's general ledger is comprised of actuals, budgets, and encumbrances. Responsible for the transaction-based general ledger and encumbrance modules of the Borough's financial management system (FMS).

Typical Duties

1. Manage the general ledger and budget control functions. Review all budget and journal entries. Responsible for all month-end and fiscal year-end accounting and closing tasks. Perform maintenance to the GL chart of accounts and supporting documentation. Supervise the maintenance of general or subsidiary ledgers, balancing operations, pre-auditing functions, and various other accounting and accounts maintenance activities. 2. Interview, select, train and cross-train, direct, supervise, motivate, evaluate, and discipline subordinate staff in accordance with Borough policies and procedures. Perform work of subordinate positions during absences. 3. Prepare and maintain or review routine and non-routine reconciliations, allocations, analyses, reports, statements, databases, spreadsheets, work papers, and schedules. Work includes identifying and interpreting financial, technical, and other information and ensuring data integrity through self-audit, analyses, and review. 4. Design and write reports to access data from GL and other modules and systems. 5. Keep current on developments and authoritative changes affecting the Borough's accounting and other financial activities. Monitor new governmental accounting and financial concepts and techniques. 6. Troubleshoot and maintain the GL and encumbrance modules of the FMS, including the budget sub-module. Supervise and/or train Borough staff in the use of these modules. Ensure that the GL module and financial statement reporting documentation is updated and maintained. Plan, test, and implement new and updated software. 7. Maintain a current knowledge of all elements that post to the GL and to the encumbrance module: the accounts payable, accounts receivable/ cash receipts, check management, purchasing, and payroll modules of the FMS and the capital assets and property tax accounting systems. 8. Assist with departmental policy development and enforcement. Make recommendations for changes and implement/enforce accounting policies and procedures. Coordinate with other departments, divisions, or sections as appropriate. 9. Perform, assist with, and oversee audit preparation and the annual financial audit. Responsible for financial statement preparation and review, and the Borough's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. 10. Oversee the preparation and review of the annual budgetary and fiscal year-end cost allocations in accordance with applicable regulations, policies, and procedures. 11. Manage projects, including planning, budgeting, resource allocation, procurement, implementation, training, Borough-wide communications, and project debriefing. 12. Assist in the Borough's annual budget preparation by providing data to the Chief Financial Officer and Treasury/Budget Manager. 13. Respond to questions and inquiries. Prepare correspondence, memoranda, and forms. 14. Direct and supervise records management for the GL function, including all audit and financial statement preparation work. 15. Assist in the selection and maintenance of materials for the accounting library. Assist others in the use of the library for research purposes. 16. Prepare and present formal training and information sessions. 17. Perform other management, professional accounting, and financial functions or duties.

Position Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Any combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the responsibilities of this position is acceptable, such as: A Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from an accredited institution or program or a CPA. CPA preferred. Five (5) years of recent professional accounting and/or financial auditing experience in positions of progressive responsibility and authority and at increasingly more complex levels of demonstrated proficiency and scope, preferably in/with a governmental environment or large-sized entity. 2. Two (2) years supervisory experience is required, preferably in a union environment. Demonstrated supervisory, planning, problem solving, and decision making skills and the ability to plan, coordinate, and direct work of subordinate staff. One (1) year management experience is preferred. 3. Demonstrated experience applying generally accepted accounting principles is required. Experience in the following areas is preferred: governmental accounting, (governmental) budgeting and control, (governmental) purchasing, encumbrance accounting, grants accounting, payroll accounting, capital assets, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and cash reconciliations. Cross training or experience in any of the following functions is preferred: information technology, financial auditing, grants compliance and single audits, electronic procurement and payment processing, banking services, and cash receipting/handling. 4. Must have recent verifiable experience using a sophisticated integrated financial management system and specific experience in maintaining an automated general ledger to include data input, information research, along with internal and external financial reporting. 5. Must have recent extensive and verifiable analytical experience and demonstrated ability to perform complex analyses using a sophisticated, integrated financial management system. 6. Must have demonstrated proficiency using recent versions of Microsoft Excel, including functions and linking, and Word. Experience with recent versions of the remainder of the Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, and Publisher) and with Adobe Acrobat Pro is preferred. Must be accurate and proficient at keyboarding and with a 10-key calculator. 7. Experience in project management is preferred. Project management experience or participation in activities related to vendor-developed financial management systems is desirable. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES 1. Must have the ability to research, understand, and interpret federal, state, and local laws and regulations; contracts and other legal documents; and other authoritative sources relevant to Borough accounting, financial reporting, accounts payable, and related compliance reporting. 2. Ability and temperament to contemporaneously organize, prioritize, coordinate, oversee, manage, and perform multiple functions, projects, and tasks, whose priorities change frequently. Ability to perform these work activities accurately, efficiently, and timely with minimal direction, sometimes under stressful situations and short deadlines. 3. Ability to work both independently and cooperatively. 4. Demonstrated integrity, leadership, and maturity. 5. Ability to use independent judgment in applying guidelines to varied situations. 6. Ability to maintain confidentiality. 7. Demonstrated ability to communicate courteously, professionally, clearly, and concisely, both verbally and in writing. 8. Must be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Borough management and staff and to deal effectively and harmoniously with outside entities, professional colleagues, elected officials, other state and local governmental agencies, and the general public. 9. Ability to analyze and interpret fiscal and accounting data and to prepare appropriate statements and reports. 10. Must have knowledge of GAAP and GAAS is required. 11. Must have an understanding of internal controls and ability to incorporate appropriately into the workplace. 12. Must have knowledge of governmental accounting. 13. Must have knowledge and judgment of inter-relationships of financial data and other information. OTHER 1. A PROFICIENCY TEST MAY BE ADMINISTERED. 2. This position requires a criminal and credit history background check.