Accountant, Senior

Washington County Community Services is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Accountant, Senior. This position follows generally accepted accounting principles to prepare, maintain and analyze financial records necessary to satisfy internal and external reporting requirements. This is a senior level professional position that requires significant technical knowledge, independent judgment, accuracy and the ability to manage assignments of a more complex nature.

The Accountant, Senior serves as a subject matter expert, providing support, training and expertise to other accounting staff within the department and across the organization. Washington County Community Services values your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. We are committed to building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive work environment where differences are valued and accepted. We believe diversity benefits and enriches our work and helps us to effectively deliver services to our employees and communities.

• Three or more years of experience in human services finance and fiscal reporting
• Previous work experience generating, interpreting, and analyzing financial data, concisely communicating findings to collaborators, and providing actionable insights
• Paid work experience leading projects and/or fiscal teams, providing training and mentorship to junior staff, and/or serving as a technical resource for staff
• Previous experience developing processes to optimize workflow, internal controls, technical functionality, and cost efficiency
• Demonstrates an ability to work on a diverse team and promote an inclusive, culturally competent, and respectful workplace

SELECTION TECHNIQUE: Your training and experience will be rated based on the required application material submitted and the top scoring candidates will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration.

HOURS / DAYS: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday-Friday, with the ability for flexibility of working remotely as approved by the supervisor. Work schedules (hours and days) and location are subject to change based on department needs.

ANTICIPATED HIRING RATE: $82,056.00 - $112,028.80 Annually

E-Verify Participation: Washington County participates in the federal E-Verify program. This means that Washington County will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Washington County is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact DHS and/or the SSA before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants and may not limit or influence the choice of documents you present for use on the Form I-9.
E- Verify Participation Poster
Right to work Poster

Reporting to the Accounting Manager and/or Deputy Director the Accountant, Senior follows generally accepted accounting principles to prepare, maintain and analyze financial records necessary to satisfy internal and external reporting requirements. This is a senior level professional position that requires significant technical knowledge, independent judgment, accuracy and the ability to manage assignments of a more complex nature. The Accountant, Senior serves as a subject matter expert, providing support, training and expertise to other Accounting staff within the department and across the organization regarding payroll, the general ledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: The Accountant, Senior requires a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or related field and five (5) years of progressively responsible paid professional accounting experience. A professional certification is highly desirable: CPA, CPFO, CFE, CISA, CIA, CPP.
 
CORE COMPETENCIES, JOB SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL JOB PERFORMANCE 

Core Competencies outline essential business and professional traits necessary to perform this job.

• Support and prioritize a welcoming and respectful workplace that fosters diversity and encourages contributions from all individuals.
• Provide inclusive and equitable service to all members of the community with dignity and respect.
• Demonstrate support for the County’s diversity, equity and inclusion program.
• Promotes a culture of continuous quality improvement in the workplace.
• Demonstrates knowledge of, or ability to learn, quality/continuous improvement.
• Demonstrates knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, audit standards and practices, and current governmental fund accounting and reporting standards.
• Demonstrates knowledge of state, federal and local payroll regulations and compliance.
• Demonstrates ability to perform functions and generate reports with the accounting and payroll software package.
• Demonstrates ability to quickly generate complex special reports using available resources.
• Demonstrates advanced skill in mathematics.
• Demonstrates the ability to work logically and accurately on multiple complex tasks.
• Demonstrates ability to analyze complex accounting problems and propose solutions.
• Demonstrates the ability to train and advise others and serve as a technical resource for staff.
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of and proficiency with spreadsheet and database programs.
• Demonstrates ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other employees, state and federal agencies.
• Demonstrates ability to interpret and apply Minnesota Statutes and Rules.

Please note that Accountant, Senior may perform some or all of the following tasks depending on their areas of expertise: 
 
1. Coordinate and oversee operations of countywide systems and subsidiary ledgers.
2. Conduct complex system, procedural, and internal audit reviews to determine if proper accounting methods and/or operational procedures are being followed and to verify the accuracy of financial and payroll information.
3. Research processes for best business practices and the setting of performance benchmarks, design, recommend, and implement business process changes and performance measurements for county financial and payroll operations.
4. Coordinate the resources necessary to maintain the optimum function of county financial and payroll systems – IT support, software upgrades, and software vendor support services.
5. Assist with the development of policy and procedure changes to optimize workflow, internal controls, technical functionality, and cost efficiency.
6. Responsible for the accounting and payroll system, including reporting, trouble shooting, daily operations and on-going enhancements and improvements; serve in an advisory capacity for other departments.
7. Responsible for reconciliation of the County's balance sheet reconciliations.
8. Make recommendations to management staff on enhancing existing or new technology and products to ensure efficient operations. 
9. Provide assistance to all County departments as needed.
10. Identifies process and/or control weaknesses and issues and initiates resolutions to address them.
11. Assists in the development of financial modeling, security, planning, and reporting. 
12. Identifies control weaknesses and procedural issues and initiates resolutions. 
13. Reconciles general ledger, including subsystem analysis.
14. Assist in system maintenance and the analysis of various financial records and accounts.
15. Lead user groups related to subsystem/ledger responsibilities.
16. Lead or coordinate a financial activity.
17. Assist with preparation of statements and other supporting documentation.
18. Serve as lead worker to paraprofessional and professional staff.
19. Develop and prepare reports and financial information/documentation, including monthly, quarterly, annual and as needed basis.
20. Train County employees on new financial and payroll systems or system upgrades.
21. Coordinate audit procedures in all general ledger areas and system interfaces.
22. Serve as a liaison to other County departments, government agencies, external auditors and vendors by responding to inquiries and working to resolve accounting issues.
23. Prepare, maintain and analyze financial records necessary to satisfy internal and external reporting requirements.
24. Set up and maintain the chart of accounts, accounts payable, payroll, general ledger, subsidiary ledgers, and other financial records.
25. Analyze and monitor reporting structures.
26. Oversee period end close processes.
27.  Interpret and implement State statutes, Federal laws, collective bargaining agreements, County policy and related changes.
28. Prepare and submit a variety of financial reports to State and Federal agencies to ensure compliance with the reporting requirements for State statutes and Federal laws.
29. Assist with the preparation of the County's financial reporting.
30. As directed, perform duties related to fixed assets, inventory, accounts payable, procurement, payroll, accounts receivable and service billing.
31. Assist or conduct special projects assigned by management.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Essential functions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Work is sedentary in nature and involves sitting most of the time. Physical effort is light for the majority of work with lifting or carrying limited to 25 pounds intermittently. There is pressure associated with daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting deadlines. Report preparation and writing at times requires extended use of a keyboard. Work interruptions are frequent.
 
Additional physical/mental requirements that occur may not be listed above but are inherent in performing the position's essential functions.
 
This job description is intended to describe the kinds of tasks and level of work difficulty being performed by people assigned to this classification. The list of responsibilities is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. The County retains the discretion to add or change the contents of this job description at any time.