Job Title: Senior Accountant

SUMMARY

Under general direction, performs professional accounting duties in the design and maintenance of complex financial records and systems to support City departments, special funds, revenue and investments and/or budgets; provides technical expertise to labor negotiations; conducts special studies and analysis requiring advanced knowledge of governmental accounting.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is a confidential advanced journey/lead classification in the flexibly staffed Accountant series, characterized by the responsibility to apply professional accounting principles and practices in the development and maintenance of complex manual and automated financial control and information systems and the review and analysis of financial data within the boundaries established by federal, state and local law and regulation. Incumbents may be assigned responsibility to provide lead supervision to other staff and/or to lead the work of a service team for one or more City departments with the most complex budgets and financial reporting systems, in addition to preparing ongoing and special financial reports. Work assignments and objectives are discussed in general terms and work is accomplished within the framework of policy and professional and administrative standards; work product is measured by total results.

This position is distinguished from the Accountant II in that the Senior Accountant is the advanced journey professional accounting level, and from the Principal Accountant as the advanced expert/supervisor professional accounting level, and from the Accounting Manager who has overall responsibility for all of the accounting operations (including accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll).

The Accountant Series includes Accountant I/II, Senior Accountant, and Principal Accountant classifications. Depending upon assignments, some positions may be permanently allocated to this level and some positions may be designated as flexibly staffed at various levels in the series.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

include the following. This list is intended to be illustrative and does not represent an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities. Incumbents may not perform all duties and responsibilities listed. Other duties may be assigned.

• Provides accounting and financial support services to one or more City departments with complex budget and reporting systems.
• Creates new and reviews established financial systems, processes and procedures.
• Reviews Council agenda/minutes for approved appropriation transfers or additions.
• Prepares journal vouchers to effect transfers or additions.
• Reviews transactions and account balances for compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations, and for completeness, accuracy.
• Prepares monthly transaction reports.
• Participates in the preparation of the City budget and mid-year review.
• Analyzes and forecasts revenues and expenditures for the balance of the fiscal year.
• Responds to questions concerning transactions and account balances.
• Establishes new accounts.
• Prepares journal entries to close books at the end of the fiscal year.
• Reviews compliance with legal regulations and indentures.
• Prepares reports for bond issuance and bond amortization schedule.
• Computes and posts interest allocations.