Accountant

The Position
Under general supervision of the Accounting Manager, the Accountant is responsible for performing a wide range of financial and statistical reporting, reviewing various financial transactions and reports, balancing bank accounts, supporting departments with financial reporting, and finding and addressing problems and discrepancies. This position is a full range of accounting and reporting for municipal enterprise operations and all governmental fund types; analyzes and verifies financial documents, City revenue receipts and other financial entries for accuracy and compliance with established accounting and auditing procedures; originates journal entries, reconciles bank and investment statements, prepares vouchers, billings, trial balances and maintains a variety of financial schedules, records and files; ensures proper accounting for fixed assets, revenue and expense accruals; and performs related work as required.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced individual who is able to effectively multi-task, have exceptional communication skills and work successfully independently or in a team environment. This individual will have a strong foundation in accounting, internal controls and regulations applicable to a municipal finance department. The individual will also have a background in a municipal finance department who audited municipalities.

Essential Functions : -- Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class; employees may be assigned duties which are not listed below; reasonable accommodations will be made as required. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change at any time by the employer. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Preparing journal entries; assists in the preparation of year end reports and schedules; prepares expenditure and revenue reports; assists in the preparation of the City's budget and Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR); analyzes and reconciles bank and ledger accounts; performs internal audits of sub-account systems; interfaces with independent auditors; maintains grant related records and prepares periodic grant reports; assists in the development and modification of computerized accounting systems; prepares financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and governmental accounting and financial reporting standards; analyzes and prepares financial reports in compliance with federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations; maintains accounting files and or records; reviews accounting methods; may train other employees in the areas of payroll, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.

• Gathers, compiles, and prepares department financial statements, expenditure reports, and revenue information; monitors cash flow and billing for accuracy and efficiency; reconciles bank statements, check registers, and general invoicing flow; prepares information for audits and annual evaluations.
• Reviews, evaluates, and analyzes City revenues and expenditures for compliance with City policy, legal and accounting parameters, appropriate account coding, existence of substantiating documentation, and budget appropriation; recommends changes, prepares correcting entries, and addresses discrepancies.
• Maintains the fiscal records for loan requirements and auditing standards; responsible for the timely submittal of reimbursements, demand for payments, and other billing submissions; oversees and assists senior level staff with city wide compliance with City Financial Policy and Procedures.
• Provides technical assistance and training to departments in accounting related matters including budget appropriation, expense tracking, financial reporting, and in the use of the Citys financial system.
• Maintains, monitors, and updates the asset tracking and processing system and prepares annual asset reports for multiple departments; assists in the development and implementation of procedures for departments to track capital and attractive assets.
• Assists with the maintenance of the general ledger including development and maintenance of the chart of accounts.
• Conducts detailed budget and accounting reconciliation and prepares status reports for various accounting funds; analyzes various sources of data and reconciles inconsistencies.
• Researches, tracks, discovers, and addresses outstanding checks, bills, invoices, and bank statistics; prepares various program reports, and drafts expense detail reports; prepares the ACFR statistical section for the annual review.
• Performs generalized accounting duties, including initiation and review of journal entries, internal audits, cash audits, and other specialized analysis as assigned.
• Performs other tasks as required.

Knowledge of

• City and Municipal government financial policies and procedures.
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Generally Accepted Auditing Principles for Public Sector financial management.
• Legal, ethical, and professional rules of conduct for government finance officers.
• Techniques and practices of financial reconciliation and money management.
• Business and personal computers, and financial spreadsheet software applications.
• General ledger reconciliation standards.

Skill in

• Interpreting and applying financial plans, accounting standards and procedures.
• Monitoring and interpreting financial documents and assuring compliance.
• Reviewing financial and technical records and identifying and reconciling errors.
• Using initiative, independent judgment, and tact, within established guidelines.
• Establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with co-workers, officials, community groups, advocates, and representatives from local, state and federal agencies.
• Effective communication, both verbal and written.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Any combination of education, training and experience that has provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for successful job performance. A typical way to obtain the requisite qualifications to perform the duties of this class is as follows:

Education:
Bachelors Degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration or other related field.

Experience:
Five years of experience in finance, accounting, or auditing.

Highly Desirable:
Certified Public Accountant (CPA);Municipal accounting experience and knowledgeable with EDEN governmental accounting system.

Physical Requirements:
Work is done in a standard office environment with several hours spent sitting and using a computer terminal.

SELECTION AND EXAMINATION PROCESS
The most qualified applicants who most closely meet the City's needs will be invited to participate in the selection process. Those applicants who successfully complete the evaluation process will be further considered.

Initial appointment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a City paid physical examination, drug screening, background check and verification of U.S. Citizenship or right to work in the United States. This position is subject to and dependent on the continued availability of funds and the manpower needs of the City of Bell Gardens.
NOTICES
The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provisions contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice. This position is subject to and dependent on the continued availability of funds and the manpower needs of the City of Bell Gardens. Under the California Government Code, Chapter 8 of Division 4 of Title 1, Section 3100 and the City of Bell Gardens Municipal Code Chapter 2.34, all City employees are designated as official disaster workers in the event of a declared disaster. In a declared disaster City employees may be required to report to work at times other than their regularly scheduled shifts and work extensive overtime during the emergency period. Selected candidate will be designated as a Disaster Services Worker and will be required to submit to an Oath of Office.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The City of Bell Gardens is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
If you require reasonable accommodation during the examination components due to a qualified disability, you must inform the Human Resources Division at (562) 806-7717 at least 5 days in advance of testing date.
Please contact NEOGOV applicant support at (855) 524-5627 for any technical issues when creating an account or submitting an application. Applicant Support Hours: Monday through Friday, 6am 5pm PST.
The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions for this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas.
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