Senior Accountant

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS (Illustrative Only)

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Provides complex professional and technical assistance in the administration and implementation of the Town’s financial, auditing, and accounting programs, including financial report development, budget monitoring, forecasting, and collection of revenues.
• Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for assigned programs; recommends and administers policies and procedures.
• Analyzes financial data and prepares a wide variety of financial reports and statements, including the Redevelopment Agency’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
• Analyzes and reconciles expenditures; researches and analyzes transactions to resolve problems; prepares monthly and year-end journal vouchers for a wide variety of financial programs.
• Coordinates and administers a wide variety of financial and accounting programs, including monitoring the property tax increment by project area and monitoring and reconciling loan programs.
• Participates in the compilation and preparation of annual budgets, including assisting other departments with budget preparation, providing revenue and expense projections, monitoring expenditures, and preparing and updating cash flow and projections.
• Participates in the preparation of audit schedules and reports for external auditors and assists the Accounting Manager during the annual auditing process.
• Prepares payment requisitions for debt service transfers, fees, and agreements; maintains historical data on debt service requirements; projects costs and property taxes.
• Processes and reconciles revenues, expenditures, and technical transactions in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and Town laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances.
• Provides financial information to bond consultants, fiscal agents, investors, or consultants as requested.
• Prepares and processes reports and records including cash flows, historical summaries, charts, graphs, and various memos and letters.
• Receives, reviews, and processes various reports and records including payment authorizations, mainframe computer printouts, and fiscal agent bank statements, checks and receipts.
• Refers to manuals, documents, and books including Auditing and Financial Reporting Manual and Governmental Accounting and Financial Reporting Standards.
• Researches and analyzes technical transactions to resolve questions and validate data; ensures fiscal accountability and fund integrity for transactions and supporting documentation.
• Coordinates technical and financial information and communications between the division, other departments, and external agencies regarding allocations and accounting issues.
• Interprets, explains, and applies general and governmental accounting/auditing principles and procedures, laws, and regulations affecting the financial operations of municipal government; provides professional and technical guidance and training to other staff in accounting processes and procedures.
• Assists in writing and reviewing the Recommendation and Fiscal Impact sections of staff reports; prepares reports, takes to the Town Council and various other committees and boards.
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops, and training sessions, and reviews publications to remain current on principles, practices, and new developments in accounting.

Knowledge of:

• Principles of providing functional direction and training.
• Modern principles, practices, and methods of public and governmental accounting and financing, including program budgeting and auditing and their application to municipal operations.
• Public agency finance and account functions, payroll processes and techniques, employee benefits processes as they relate to payroll, and laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and office practices related to the processing and recording of payroll and financial transactions related to employee benefits.
• General principles and practices of data processing and its applicability to accounting and municipal operations.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to municipal financial operations.
• Principles and practices of business organization and public administration.
• Research and reporting methods, techniques, and procedures.
• Technical report writing and preparation of correspondence.
• Principles and procedures of record keeping.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and Town staff.

Ability To: 

• Analyze financial data and draw sound conclusions.
• Evaluate and develop improvements in operations, procedures, policies, or methods.
• Analyze, interpret, summarize, and present administrative and technical information and data in an effective manner.
• Review payroll and other financial documents for completeness and accuracy.
• Conduct research projects, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare effective technical staff reports.
• Follow department policies and procedures related to assigned duties.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems.
• Understand, interpret, and apply all pertinent laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures, and standards relevant to work performed.
• Effectively represent the department and the Town in meetings with governmental agencies; community groups; various business, professional, and regulatory organizations; and in meetings with individuals.
• Learn and understand the organization and operation of the Town and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Independently organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow-up on assignments.
• Effectively use computer systems, software applications, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.  
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgement within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course work.