Fiscal Officer

City of Syracuse•Syracuse, NY

10h

About The Position

The Fiscal Officer is responsible for the planning, coordination, and direction of a department’s fiscal affairs. The position performs complex accounting work, oversees fiscal records and reporting, and advises the department head on fiscal and budgetary matters. The incumbent exercises independent judgment and initiative, receives supervision from an administrative superior, and supervises subordinate staff. Work instructions, policy implementation, and work problems are addressed through regular conferences and discussions with the department head. A background check may be required; all offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of a background check and/or drug screen. The position may also implement or assist with new or revised manual or automated accounting systems, train staff, oversee fiscal reporting for state- or federally funded programs, and assist with cash-flow projections and cash-needs determinations. Related work may be required. Candidates may qualify through specified promotion pathways or through one of two open-competitive pathways. Open-competitive qualifications require a qualifying accounting degree plus four years of relevant professional experience, or eight years of specified accounting, auditing, or full-charge bookkeeping experience, including four years of relevant professional accounting or financial auditing experience. Graduate coursework in accounting or a closely related field may substitute for some work experience. Degrees in finance, banking, economics, and related fields do not qualify.

Requirements

Comprehensive knowledge of accounting and auditing theories, principles, techniques, and procedures.
Thorough knowledge of how to select and apply appropriate accounting techniques, principles, and procedures.
Thorough knowledge of basic trends and current developments in accounting.
Thorough knowledge of modern business management and administration principles and practices, including debt and investment management.
Ability to gather, assemble, and analyze facts and draw conclusions.
Ability to prepare accurate accounting reports and statements and present them.
Ability to plan and supervise staff work in a manner conducive to strong performance and morale.
Ability to analyze and evaluate staff reports and make sound decisions based on them.
Ability to train professional and/or clerical staff in operating an accounting system.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Promotion qualification: one year of permanent competitive-class status as Systems Accounting Manager, Auditor (Payroll), or Auditor III; or two years as Accountant II, Auditor II, or Accounting Supervisor Grade B; or four years as Accountant I, Auditor I, or Systems Accountant.
Open-competitive qualification A: A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university in accounting, or a baccalaureate degree including or supplemented by 24 semester credit hours (or equivalent) in accounting, plus four years of relevant work experience, or its part-time equivalent. The experience must involve applying accounting principles to installation and operational maintenance of a general or specialized accounting system, designing or modifying an accounting system, having final authority and responsibility for a system or major portion of one, and supervising accounting activities.
Open-competitive qualification B: Eight years of accounting, financial auditing, or full-charge bookkeeping experience, or its part-time equivalent. The experience must include accumulating financial and statistical data into general and subsidiary ledgers and journals and compiling it into financial reports and studies. At least four years must be relevant professional accounting, financial auditing, or closely related experience involving accounting system installation and operational maintenance, system design or modification, final authority and responsibility for a system or major portion of one, and supervision of accounting activities.
Graduate semester hours in accounting or a closely related field from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university may substitute for experience: 30 graduate semester hours equals one year, and 60 graduate semester hours equals two years.
Degrees in finance, banking, economics, and related fields are not considered qualifying.
Successful completion of a background check and/or drug screen is a condition of employment.

Responsibilities

Supervise, assign, review, and evaluate support clerical and/or accounting clerical personnel.
Perform complex accounting duties based on the needs of the agency, programs served, applicable laws and regulations, and the accounting system in use.
Supervise and participate in maintaining manual or automated ledgers, classifying and recording transactions, and preparing accounting statements and reports.
Supervise the establishment and maintenance of fiscal records for fund receipts and expenditures.
Verify, code, and classify financial transactions using established accounting methods and procedures.
Prepare supporting accounting statements and design or assist in designing special accounting schedules, forms, and reports; recommend changes to existing materials.
Consult with the department head on departmental fiscal and budgetary matters.
Review staff and program budget requests and develop them for submission to an administrative superior and/or state or federal agencies.
Request allocations of funds.
Serve as a liaison with agency and non-agency staff, providing advice and information about program operations, project status, and fiscal, budgetary, and purchasing matters.
Review proposed contracts and applications for special research grants for fiscal implementation and effect on departmental fiscal programs.
Prepare and issue annual fiscal reports and other special departmental reports.
Implement or assist in implementing new or revised manual or automated systems and train subordinates in their use, as needed.
Supervise recordkeeping and required fiscal reporting for state- and/or federally funded or agency programs, including interpreting guidelines and monitoring schedules and reports, as needed.
Perform or assist with cash-flow projections and cash-needs determinations, as needed.