Sr Finance/Payroll Spec

Orange County Public Schools•Orlando, FL

About The Position

Under administrative direction, the purpose of the position is to perform district-based duties associated with coordinating and prioritizing departmental duties assigned to the Finance, Accounting or Accounts Payable departments which include reconciling master accounts and/or processing of off-cycle vendor payment and general funds expenditure reclassification requests. Employees in this classification perform at a coordinator/lead capacity and may assign and review work of others. Employees in this position are responsible for interpreting and implementing proper procedures, which must adhere to specific guidelines of the district and outside governmental agencies. Employees are required to analyze and monitor project expenditures. Performs related work as directed.

Requirements

Associate’s degree from an accredited institution with course work emphasis in accounting/finance or related area, supplemented by five (5) years of progressively more complex work experience in an accounting/finance area; or any equivalent combination of related education, training, and/or experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential job functions.

Responsibilities

Responds to internal and external customers in a timely, accurate, courteous and empathetic manner representing OCPS in a positive light.
Provides technical assistance and support regarding confidential matters with the local, state, and federal agencies including the Internal Revenue Service. This includes determining any reporting requirements in adherence with state, board policies.
Serves as the point of contact and handles all general funds expenditure reclassification requests.
Creates vendor numbers for related reimbursements (e.g., travel, beneficiary, teacher supply debit, one time vendors, grants, and internal accounts).
Assigns travel privileges, as needed.
Assists staff, verifies information, researches errors, and resolves discrepancies to ensure proper payment in a timely manner.
Analyzes, reviews, and advises locations of supporting back-up documentation and corrects accounting and general ledger codes required for expenditure reclassification requests.
Evaluates accuracy of data; approves or rejects requests in portal.
Ensures all expenditure reclassifications are corrected and parked before year-end deadline with minimal supervision.
Conducts one-on-one training with district staff on the process for expenditure reclassification requests as well as how to use the online portal system; provides guidance on the proper accounting and general ledger codes to use and the required documentation that must be attached for justification of the expenditure moves.
Monitors, tests, and troubleshoots on-line portal system issues related to expenditure reclassification requests.
Checks transaction batches for errors; provides follow up, investigation, and coordination to help address issues to ensure appropriate processing.
May oversee department purchase requirements, purchase order procedures, and payment processes.
Confirms and provides documentation to the property accounting department to ensure all reclassification request of fixed asset expenditures are appropriate and in accordance with district policy.
Advises district staff of applicable procedures to ensure reclassification of expenditures are recorded accurately and timely. In addition, reviews the work location’s budget to ensure sufficient funds are available to cover the reclassification.
Researches expenditure reclassification problems when they arise within the areas of budget and accounting, to determine the appropriate resolution within guidelines and communicates to the end user on the appropriate resolution in a timely and efficient manner.
Identifies and corrects critical errors regarding expenditures posted to ensure accuracy. This includes serving as a problem solver and resource for internal and external customers.
Interprets the code of accounts (i.e. Redbook) as mandated by the state. This includes maintaining knowledge of standard accounting principles relevant to recording and maintaining accounting information.
Provides knowledge and assistance to schools and departments on using the correct accounting and general ledger codes in accordance with Red Book.
Serves as a liaison between the various departments within the district; serves as a liaison between the district and financial institutions and other outside entities.
Provides assistance in preparing and coordinating all communication correspondence with the District’s internal and external customers, when needed.
Prepares manual journal entries (i.e. Food Service catering invoices, construction, donations), ensuring compliance with Department of Education accounting principles.
Reviews the Finance, Accounts Payable and Property departments’ weekly payroll report to ensure employees are reporting time accurately and timely before submission to payroll department.
Analyzes and researches pay leave history to resolve any discrepancies in payroll records.
Maintains accurate payroll files for each fiscal year and keeps records of changes for auditing purposes.
Prepares Excel spreadsheets, audits for completeness, questions discrepancies, and assists with chargeback journal entries.
Troubleshoots any error messages received.
Coordinates and prioritizes departmental duties, working closely with district staff and providing guidance as needed, to ensure efficiency and a high level of production.
Acts as a resource, protecting sensitive information.
Maintains a filing system for audit review.
Creates and maintains specific department process and procedure manuals pertaining to expenditure reclassification requests.
Performs testing, analysis, and documentation for system upgrades and process improvements.
Responsible for keeping up to date on current trends, regulatory changes, and technology, as job appropriate, being used by OCPS.
With the support of the district, attends workshops, webinars, and conferences, as needed, to ensure skill level in various technologies is at the level required to perform in current position.
Responsible for timely and accurate information they maintain as part of their job responsibilities.