Financial Specialist IV

Yakima County•Yakima County Courthouse, WA

1d•$27 - $35•Onsite

About The Position

Yakima County Treasurer's Office is recruiting to fill a Financial Specialist IV position. This position is responsible for performing professional level accounting activities including all Outside Districts daily Warrant Issue and balancing, Accounts Receivable and Payable, analytical research. There will be a Word and Excel exercise as part of the interview process. This is an AFSCME -87 Master Courthouse Unit Position. This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies that occur within 90 days of the closing of this position. (This excludes Yakima County Sheriff's Office and Department of Corrections). Yakima County is one of the largest employers with over 1,000 employees providing services in all areas of law and justice, corrections, administration, public services and social services. Work locations are throughout the Valley and vary based on department. Located in Central Washington, Yakima County is large (4,200 square miles) and diverse. Residents enjoy 300 days of sunshine each year and four distinct seasons. Yakima County is ranked first in the state in agricultural production, and is one of the top five areas in the nation in production of specialty crops. Irrigated farmlands and rolling foothills provide a backdrop to the nearby Cascade Mountains. Around 70 percent of the County’s 226,000 residents live in its 14 cities, towns and urban growth areas. The unique blend of rural and urban lifestyle choices offers a quality of living unsurpassed in the Northwest.

Requirements

High School diploma or GED PLUS five (5) years general accounting / banking services experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides knowledge, skills and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.
Successful completion of a financial history background check and general employment verification.
Practices and principles of project management
Basic accounting theories and principals
Laws and regulations governing financial activities of the Yakima County Treasurer’s Office
Basic financial record keeping methods
Basic mathematics
Customer service techniques
Office practices
Phone etiquette
Computerized cashiering experience
General knowledge of property tax principals
Awareness of Internal Control issues, segregation of duties, and methods to safeguard public assets.
Preparing and processing documents related to assignment area function
Tracking cash issues
Analyzing financial information and preparing sound financial recommendations
Preparing complex financial reports and statements
Reviewing and auditing of accounting information
Paying attention to detail and accuracy in a multi-tasking environment
Performing a variety of technical calculations for auditing and invoicing
Using office equipment such as phones, copies, calculators and fax machines
Using a personal computer and related software applications
Establishing and maintaining effective interpersonal relationships with County and other officials, at all organizational levels and with the public.
Communication, both oral and written, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to give or receive work direction.

Nice To Haves

Microsoft Excel and Word education/training is recommended at entry.
Associate degree or two-year technical certificate in Accounting and Finance

Responsibilities

Audit, process and approve Warrant Issue Registers for Yakima County Outside Districts, Yakima County Claims and Payroll and Yakima County School Districts.
Maintain an accurate daily accounting of individual district funds in reference to Warrants Issue requests.
Analyze and approve Cash availability for coverage of Warrant Issue for all Yakima County Departments and Outside Reporting Districts.
Verify, process and approve Void and Cancelled warrants.
Create daily Warrant Issue, Void/Cancel and Outstanding reports.
Verify Board Authorized signatures for Warrant issue and Investment requests.
Balance monthly Warrant Issue, Warrant Redemption and Warrants Outstanding against the Yakima County Treasurer’s Ascend System to the Yakima County General Ledger.
Create and maintain Yakima County School District spreadsheets for audit and analyzing daily and monthly account activity.
Record and audit the Apportionment from the State, District deposits, Payroll Direct Deposit, Warrant Issue for Accounts Payable and Payroll, Void and Cancelled Warrants, Investment Purchases and Withdrawals, any incoming Monies from local, State and Federal agencies, and prepare the journal entries for School Payroll.
Compile reports and data to report Property Taxes and Investment Earnings to the Yakima County School Districts.
Verify Principal and Interest payments for School Bond activity as reported by the Fiscal Agent.
Prepare and submit State required Financial reports (OSPI F-197) for each School District.
Performs accounts payable activities.
Verifies submitted invoices for accuracy and procedural compliance.
Calculates payments and ensures correct account assignment.
Reconcile monthly Bank Fee Analysis for the purpose of verifying appropriate bank fees to be paid by the Yakima County Treasurer.
Process “Tax Record Adjustments” to reallocate funds as is appropriately dictated by State Law(s).
Reapply payments for Tax Record Adjustments and Property Tax payments.
Verify that Statutory Interest has been properly calculated according to State Law(s).
Prepare and print Treasurer’s refund checks for Treasurer’s signature.
Ensure that payment of delinquent property taxes and/or accounts are paid as the customer requested or that they were paid in the best interest of the taxpayer.
Prepare and monitor Unclaimed Property (Treasurer Checks) according to guidelines set by State Law(s).
Receives, audits and verifies property tax payments from the general public either in person or though the mail and processes payment through computerized cashiering system to provide printed receipt to customer.
Ascertains appropriate tender whether check, money order or cash; verifies certain currency to reduce loss by counterfeit.
Calculates appropriate change.
Responds to taxpayers questions and provides payment advice.
Maintains security at all times in the secured area for cashiering activities in the Treasurer’s Office to include the cash drawers, contents of Safe, and daily deposit(s) to the bank, and appropriate personal are present.
Balances all cashiers’ daily deposits for the bank to the accounting system for verification and accuracy.
Creates reports of all cashiers’ deposits, which is used for investment activity and balancing to bank records.
Audits, verifies and compiles monthly collection reports for the Cities and State Treasurers by compiling financial data from various accounting systems.
Tracks General Ledger city and state liability accounts to ensure accurate remittance to City and State Treasurers.
Understand State guidelines to ensure property taxes are correctly reported.
Prepares journal entries to disburse funds to be remitted to the cities and state. Must be completed by deadlines set by the State.
Process property tax payments thru a Payment Processing system which scans the payment stubs and checks.
Audit and ensure the payment processing image of negotiable items meets Check 21 standards.
Balance multiple parcel pays and edit payments thru the Acuracy system.
Performs other accounting duties as required.
Must be cross-trained in multiple positions based on internal controls.

Benefits

Health Care Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life and Basic LTD)
Retirement Benefits
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Paid Sick Leave
Medical, Dental, Prescription and Vision Coverage
Basic Life and Long-Term Disability Insurance Coverage
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Health Reimbursement Account (HRA- VEBA)
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Voluntary Benefits – vision, term life, critical illness, disability and other insurance plans
Washington State Retirement Plan (DRS)
457 Deferred Compensation Program (DCP)