Staff Accountant II

City of Farmington•Farmington, NM

9d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for implementing the goals, standards, and objectives of the Administrative Services Department and the Finance division. The Staff Accountant II provides guidance to Finance staff in auditing and grants management, maintains reporting requirements for state/federal grants, and evaluates the legal compliance of grants, financial administrative regulations, and state statutes. The role also assists in managing staff development and performing other tasks necessary for the administration of the City's accounting systems, including training staff and facilitating problem-solving. The position performs technical and administrative accounting work to maintain the City's fiscal records and systems in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable governmental accounting standards. It provides technical evaluations, recommends procedures for accounting/financial issues, and keeps management and customers informed of pertinent activities. The Staff Accountant II is expected to exercise personal initiative, be a team player, and coordinate with various stakeholders. The role involves researching and resolving difficult accounting problems, preparing complex accounting reports, and ensuring timely completion of monthly, quarterly, and annual standard reports, as well as regular and special request accounting and budget projects. This includes preparing month-end journal entries, analyzing and completing technical accounting transactions, and assisting with petty cash and cash drawer audits. The position also monitors transactions and disbursements for compliance with City policies, reviews and approves Personnel Request Forms (PRFs), and prepares/updates the monthly manning table. Additionally, the Staff Accountant II oversees and/or prepares monthly bank statement reconciliations, verifies account numbers, projects numbers, and work orders, and works with the Staff Accountant I on work order closures, fixed assets, and the annual ICIP process. Assistance is provided to the Enterprise Accountant for the utility assets system and CPR system for assets, and daily utility billing is reconciled. The role assists in compiling data for the City's Quarterly Report, Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), Annual Budget Report, Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), and Cost Allocation Plan. It also assists with the development of the annual budget slide presentation for public input forums and provides technical assistance to City employees on budgeting matters. The position supports the Finance and Budget Manager in monitoring the City's debt, including quarterly analysis and reporting, maintaining debt service schedules, and evaluating total debt obligation. It prepares the annual census report, grant reports, and pay requests, and assists with local Lodgers' Tax audits, including preparing and reviewing quarterly reports and Travel Trends reports. The Staff Accountant II develops and documents job duties and accounting policies and procedures, cross-trains on other positions, and trains others to provide backup. The role also assists the Finance and Budget Manager and Finance staff as workload demands, maintains safety procedures, and handles confidential and sensitive material appropriately.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in Business, Accounting or Finance, and three (3) years of experience in governmental accounting or any equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to perform the duties of the position.
Valid New Mexico driver's license with acceptable driving record for the past three years.
Comprehensive knowledge of computer applications and software packages. Including, but not limited to, Central Square Public Sector, MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Professional, Google email software, and other electronic document management systems is required.
Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) statements, theories, and practices is required.
Demonstrated analytical and technical/computer skills using government accounting systems, and proficient in the use of personal computers and query programs.
Excellent verbal communication, written communication, analytical and problem-solving, and customer service skills.
Strong work ethic, displaying initiative, adaptability, and integrity.
Ability to manage a heavy workload under pressure with tight deadlines and frequent interruptions.
Ability to establish priorities, work independently, and proceed with objectives with minimal supervision.
Ability to meet deadlines, prioritizes work, and be flexible with work assignments.
Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, other City personnel and the public.
Must effectively communicate with management, purchasing staff, inter-departmental customers and suppliers. Communications must be efficient and timely to keep all informed of issues and pertinent activities that affect them.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Governmental Finance Officers Association (GFOA) practices and principles is preferred.
Knowledge of governmental and FERC accounting standards, procedures, and practices is preferred.

Responsibilities

Works under the supervision of the Finance and Budget Manager or Enterprise Accountant, and collaborates with and receives direction from the Staff Accountant III - Grants Manager on grant-related tasks.
Provides guidance to Finance staff in the performance of auditing and grants management.
Maintains reporting requirements for state/federal grants.
Evaluates legal compliance of grants, financial administrative regulations, and state statutes.
Assists in management of staff development and completion of any other tasks that are necessary for the administration of the City's accounting systems including; training staff in proper accounting procedures and facilitating problem solving through group discussions.
Performs technical and administrative accounting work necessary in maintaining the fiscal records and systems of the City in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable federal and state governmental accounting standards.
Provides technical evaluations and recommends procedures for the resolution of accounting/financial issues.
Keeps management and customers fully and timely informed of pertinent activities that affect them.
Researches and resolves difficult accounting problems.
Prepares a variety of complex accounting reports and ensures timely completion of monthly, quarterly, and annual standard reports including completion of regular and special request accounting and budget projects; coordinates this activity with supervisor.
Prepares various month end journal entries; makes calculations and enters them into general ledger accounts.
Analyzes, addresses, and completes a wide variety of highly technical accounting transactions and processes.
Assists in petty cash and cash drawer audits to ensure compliance with the City's Cash Handling Policy.
Assists in monitoring of transactions and disbursements to ensure adherence to City policies including purchasing cards, travel, cash handling, finance regulations, and personnel regulations.
Reviews and approves Personnel Request Forms (PRFs) for accuracy, completeness, funding availability, and compliance with City staffing policies.
Prepares and updates the monthly manning table, ensuring all staffing changes, vacancies, and personnel adjustments are accurately recorded.
Oversees and/or prepares monthly bank statement reconciliation process.
Verifies account numbers, projects numbers, and work orders on reports, journal entries, and purchase requisitions.
Works with the Staff Accountant I to close work orders and maintain fixed assets of the City and preparation of the annual ICIP process.
Assists the Enterprise Accountant in maintaining the utility assets system including closing of work orders and maintaining the CPR system for assets.
Reconciles daily utility billing to ensure that all payments received posted correctly.
Assists in compiling data for City's Quarterly Report.
Assists in the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
Assists in the preparation of the annual Budget Report, Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), and Cost Allocation Plan.
Assists with the development of the annual budget slide presentation, including graphs and revenue/expenditure data, for the Community Public Input Forums as required.
Provides technical assistance to City employees related to budgeting matters as needed.
Provides assistance to the Finance and Budget Manager in monitoring the City's debt, including quarterly analysis of the long-term debt portfolio and preparation of the long-term debt report, maintaining debt service schedules, and evaluating total debt obligation as required.
Prepares annual census report and files it online.
Prepares grant reports and pay requests as needed.
Assists in local Lodgers' Tax audits.
Prepares and/or reviews quarterly Lodgers' Tax reports.
Prepares/reviews quarterly Travel Trends report for Lodgers' Tax.
Develops and documents job duties and accounting policies and procedures.
Cross-train on other positions and train others to be a backup for this position.
Assists the Finance and Budget Manager, and Finance staff in other capacity as workload demands.
Maintains and adheres to safety procedures.
Ability to maintain confidential and sensitive material appropriately.
Attendance at work is an essential function of this position.
Using excellent communication and customer service skills, establishes and maintains effective working relationships with other employees, officials, and all members of the general public.
May serve on various employee committees, as required and assigned.