Job Description

Summary:

Under general direction, plans, organizes, oversees, coordinates, and reviews the work of staff performing difficult and complex professional, technical, and office support activities related to the processing of financial transactions, and preparing and reconciling financial and accounting records and reports; performs professional accounting work to ensure regulatory compliance with governmental accounting standards; maintains and improves the Town’s accounting system; provides highly complex and responsible support to the Director of Finance; and performs related work as required.

Supervision Received and Exercised:

Receives general direction by the Director of Finance. Exercises general and direct supervision over accounting professional and technical staff.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

This is an assistant department head classification in the Finance Department. The incumbent organizes and oversees day-to-day financial processing, reporting, and record keeping activities and is responsible for providing professional-level support to the Director of Finance in a variety of areas. Assists in short- and long-range planning, development, and administration. Responsibilities include oversight of payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, and fixed assets. The incumbent performs a variety of customer service, analysis of accounts and revenue, record keeping, reconciliation, and financial report preparation activities. Responsibilities regularly include the use of one or more automated systems, although some manual processing may be required. This class is distinguished from the Director of Finance in that the latter has overall responsibility for all financial and accounting functions and for developing, implementing and interpreting public policy.

Essential Functions:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. 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. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. 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. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Manages and participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for assigned programs; recommends within departmental policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; recommends and administers policies and procedures.
• Develops and standardizes procedures and methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Town financial operations; continuously monitors and evaluates the service delivery methods and procedures and identifies opportunities for improvement; recommends improvements to the Director and implements new procedures and methods.
• Continuously monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures; assesses and monitors workload, administrative and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identifies opportunities for improvement and reviews with the Director.
• Plans, directs, coordinates, and reviews the work plan for the Accounting Division; meets with staff to identify and resolve problems; assigns work activities, projects, and programs; monitors work flow; reviews and evaluates work products, methods, and procedures.
• Selects, trains, motivates, and evaluates assigned personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements discipline and termination procedures.
• Performs complex and difficult accounting and financial support work within programmatic and procedural guidelines.
• Oversees the payroll process; ensures that data submitted and payments made are correct; audits payroll deductions and earning registers for correctness.
• Researches and audits a variety of reports, records, and documents to reconcile ledgers and journals and to produce a variety of specialized reports; may develop report formats and utilize varied databases.
• Assists in monitoring various accounts, verifying availability of funds, and classification of expenditures; researches and analyzes transactions to resolve concerns.
• Updates Town records and procedures in assigned areas pursuant to changes in law, Town policies and procedures, Memoranda of Understanding, and other pertinent rules and regulations.
• Confers with other departments on questions regarding matters related to assigned areas of responsibility; negotiates and resolves significant issues.
• Oversees and reviews accounts payable check processing; answers questions related to proper coding, proper authorizations, and available budget.
• Assists in formulating fiscal policy and develops effective procedures for financial record keeping and accounting systems that comply with current Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and practices, legal mandates, special grant funding, and special programs.
• Ensures that tax reporting is in compliance with Internal Revenue Service regulations and guidelines.
• Prepares the year-end close of Town books; coordinates various audits and provides information to outside auditors during annual and mid-year audits; gives expert assistance to auditors for questions, data gathering, and compiling reports; prepares annual audit book containing all schedules requested by auditors.
• Assists with fixed assets accounting procedures, contract procedures, miscellaneous holding accounts, and purchasing requirements consistent with public contract code.
• Assists in compiling the departmental bi-annual budget, including developing salary and benefits projections, account, revenue and expenditure projections, and preparing the initial draft of the departmental budget; revises and edits budget documents and reports for accuracy and content.
• Provides technical information and instruction regarding applicable procedures and methods; interprets and explains rules, regulations, and procedures; answers questions and resolves concerns.
• Oversees reconciliation of Town bank accounts to the general ledger on a monthly basis, inclusive of providing support for fiscal agent, and investment reconciliation.
• Records and verifies a variety of complex financial transactions; prepares and maintains records and a variety of periodic and special financial, accounting, and statistical reports; may present reports to Council and other groups as requested.
• Coordinates the preparation of the Comprehensive Annual Financial report and quarterly financial statements for the Town and related entities.
• Participates on a variety of boards and commissions; attends and participates in professional group meetings; keeps abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of municipal accounting.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

An equivalent combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education, Training, and Experience Guidelines
An equivalent combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be considered. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in business or public administration, accounting, finance, or a related field, and seven (7) years of responsible professional-level accounting experience with considerable supervisory or administrative experience.

License and Certification Requirements:

None.

Knowledge of:

• Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation and evaluation, and supervision of staff, either directly or through subordinate levels of supervision.
• Principles and practices of governmental accounting, public finance administration and budgeting, auditing, reconciliation; federal and state regulations, and guidelines as they pertain to municipal finance; municipal taxation and revenue management.
• Organizational and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of programs, policies, and operational needs.
• Practices and techniques of automated and manual financial and accounting document processing and record keeping.
• Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures.
• Public agency payroll principles and practices.
• Applicable laws, codes, and regulations.
• Standard office support practices and procedures, including the use of standard office equipment.
• Computer applications related to the work, including word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.
• Record keeping principles and procedures.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for dealing effectively with the public, vendors, contractors, and Town staff, in person and over the telephone.
• Techniques for effectively representing the Town in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to public and Town staff, in person and over the telephone.

Ability to:

• Assist in developing and implementing goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards for the Finance Department.
• Plan, organize, schedule, assign, review, and evaluate the work of staff.
• Train staff in work procedures.
• Perform difficult, professional, and technical accounting and financial support work accurately and in a timely manner.
• Interpret, apply, and explain complex laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances.
• Recommend improvements in financial record keeping systems.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, procedures, and other written materials.
• Maintain accurate records and files of work performed.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence and independent judgment within general policy, procedural and legal guidelines.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Physical Demands and Working Environment:

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, typewriter keyboard, or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects necessary to perform job functions.
Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Fair Labor Standards Act labels cannot be given to a group of employees. Each employee must meet every requirement for the claimed exemption. The designation mentioned above is for general manager guidelines.