Employment Opportunities

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Required: Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, business or public administration, or a closely related field and four (4) years of increasingly responsible professional accounting experience, preferably in the public sector. Additional experience can substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: 

Under general direction, plans and performs a variety of complex professional accounting work including payroll and general ledger activities, auditing, analyzing, verifying, processing, recording, reporting, and maintaining financial transactions, preparing various financial statements and reports, and reviewing and approving transactions prepared by accounting staff; identifies and implements internal control procedures and ensures accounting standards are met; periodic maintenance of existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System including but not limited to financial, budget, and ad-hoc reporting; provides information to staff regarding accounting practices and procedures; and performs related work as required.

This is the advanced journey-level class in the Accountant series. Positions at this level are distinguished from the Accountant by performing the most complex work assigned to the series and assisting the Accounting Supervisor in overseeing all or assigned accounting operation functions such as payroll, accounts payable, and general ledger/project ledger reporting. Incumbents regularly work on tasks which are varied and complex, requiring considerable discretion and independent judgment. Positions in the classification rely on experience and judgment to perform assigned duties. Assignments are given with general guidelines and incumbents are responsible for establishing objectives, timelines, and methods to deliver services and complete assignments. Work is typically reviewed upon completion for soundness, appropriateness, and conformity to policy and requirements.

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS (Illustrative Only):

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Provides technical and functional direction to assigned accounting staff responsible for payroll, accounts payable and general ledger; reviews and controls quality of work; inspects and evaluates work in progress and upon completion to ensure that accounting activities are performed in accordance with RCTC standards.
• Monitors quality of work and identifies opportunities for improving service delivery methods and procedures; evaluates, develops, and monitors fiscal practices and controls in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and fund accounting practices; provides recommendations concerning process changes to the supervisor; and implements changes and improvements after approval.
• Reconciles and maintains the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers to a variety of source documents and forms; prepares and posts journal entries or reviews and approves a wide variety of journal entries generated by other accounting staff; maintains general and subsidiary ledger chart of accounts.
• Researches and analyzes transactions to resolve questions and validate data primarily related to payroll, accounts payable, general ledger, and project ledger processes; ensures internal control procedures and accounting standards are met.
• Reviews, reconciles, and approves bi-weekly payroll, including bi-weekly and monthly employee benefit reporting processed by technical accounting staff;
• Implements, maintains, and reviews payroll processing and accounting systems to ensure timely and accurate processing of payroll transactions including salaries, benefits, garnishments, taxes and other deductions.
• Participates in the preparation for year-end audits, including the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), and other financial reports/audits; prepares audit schedules, footnotes, documentation support, and reports, for coordination of staff and management review; provides information and works with the Deputy Director of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and/or designee, and auditors to resolve issues.
• Prepares year-end accruals, reconciliation, and tie-outs for projects; performs capital project year-end analysis; conducts first-level review of year-end accruals and new fiscal-year reversals for projects prepared by accountants.
• Coordinates and/or performs monthly and year-end general ledger reconciliation; prepares journal entries and periodic reconciliations of general ledger, project ledger, subsidiary accounts, and bank statements with proper documentation; prepares and posts journal entries and balances general ledger accounts; ensures compliance and accuracy in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and procedures.
• Perform monthly and year-end closing duties, capital project year-end data analysis, and prepare journal entries and periodic reconciliations of general ledger, project ledger, and subsidiary accounts.
• Participates in the lead review of the processing of payroll and accounts payable performed by accounting staff. Performs various complex analyses and reconciliations of the chart of accounts; researches and analyzes accounting and financial data from various sources and assists in the preparation of financial reports and statements, including reports submitted to funding and/or government agencies and auditors, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; prepares data summaries, notes, tables, and charts for inclusion in reports.
• Researches, interprets, explains, and applies general and governmental accounting/auditing principles and procedures, laws, and regulations affecting financial operations.
• Maintains the operations of the ERP system; responds to end user ERP system problems; provides technical support to end users by investigating and troubleshooting ERP problems with the information technology consultant and/or software vendor for resolution.
• Assists in developing automated financial reports and documenting system operations; continuously analyzes financial system to develop more effective procedures and reports; identifies system deficiencies and makes recommendations for changes.
• Assist with the development of audit schedules related to pension, other post-employment benefits (OPEB), and other employee compensation in connection with the development of the ACFR.
• Participates in the annual budget preparation processes by assisting staff in the preparation and completion of budget worksheets and supporting documentation; assists with compiling the annual budget document and coordinating input of the adopted budget into the ERP system; prepares budget adjustments and monitors budget lines for overages; resolves variances and issues with appropriate department and staff.
• Organizes and maintains accurate and detailed databases, spreadsheets, files, and accounting records; verifies accuracy of information, research discrepancies, and records information; ensures compliance with established records retention policies, procedures, and schedules.
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings; monitors legal, regulatory, technology, and stays abreast of new trends and innovations in accounting and finance.
• Serves as a resource to other RCTC staff and provides advice and technical assistance related to accounting procedures and ERP system processes.
• Receives, investigates, and responds to difficult and sensitive problems and complaints in a professional manner; identifies and reports findings and takes necessary corrective action.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Advanced principles, practices, and methods of public and governmental accounting, finance, and auditing, including payroll, general ledger, cash and investments, accounts payable, and fund and project accounting and their application to public agency operations.
• Principles and practices of payroll preparation and management; policies and procedures related to payroll, time reporting, and benefit plans; federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to payroll processing, withholding, and reporting, including public agency financial operations
• Benefits related to employee compensation, including but not limited to, pension, OPEB, employee retirement (457 and 401(a)), and insurance.
• Payroll functions including preparation, balancing, internal control, and payroll taxes.
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statements for public sector accounting.
• Federal, state, local, and related funding sources, use, and reporting requirements applicable to RCTC projects and programs.
• Accounting source documents including budgets, contracts, expenditures, encumbrances, revenues, special ledger, general ledger, project ledger, cash and investments, capital assets, and related accounting procedures.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to public agency financial operations.
• Principles and practices of business organization and public administration.
• Principles of providing technical and functional direction and training to journey-level staff.
• Record keeping principles and procedures.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to work, including word processing and spreadsheet software.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, RCTC staff, and staff of member agencies in person and over the telephone.

ABILITY TO:

• Analyze, interpret, summarize, and present complex financial information and data in an effective manner and draw sound conclusions.
• Prepare and maintain clear and accurate payroll and accounting records, financial reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials.
• Verify the accuracy of financial data and information.
• Lead and participate in the preparation of clear, complete, and concise financial statements and reports.
• Coordinate, record, and post accounts various accounting transactions, adjustments, and journal entries.
• Make accurate arithmetic, financial, and statistical computations.
• Ability to lead in researching inquires related to payroll, general ledger, cash and investments, accounts payable, and fund and project accounting.
• Ability to leverage Microsoft Excel or similar software in developing tools to provide internal and external users information of daily transactions generated from either payroll, and/or accounts payable.
• Effectively provide staff guidance and direction.
• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record keeping, and tracking systems.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, and prudence within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds.

This is primarily a sedentary classification, and the employee works in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. The employee interfaces with staff, management, other departmental representatives, transportation and government officials, business representatives, and the general public in explaining RCTC policies and requesting and providing information.