Accountant II

Job Announcement Serves as an integral part of the fiscal team supporting the Department of Human Resources. The position is within DHR's finance group and will play a pivotal role in ensuring the financial integrity of the county's benefit programs.

This position manages reconciliations, payments, and accounting processes related to benefits and other assigned accounts, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, and providing valuable financial insights to support strategic decision-making. Also, it involves monitoring and processing other financial accounting activities of assigned funds and researching accounting issues to recommend to management updates on related policies. Processes, tracks, and reconciles vendor invoices to FOCUS generated enrollment reports for Benefits program including group health, dental, life insurance and others.

Coordinates and reconciles enrollment numbers with Benefit plan vendors. Works closely with various departments such as Payroll, Finance and Purchasing to ensure timely and accurate payments of all invoices and bills. Develops, recommends, and implements plans and programs for improvement in the Benefit Division's operations with emphasis on quality assurance and efficiency in a number of financial process areas, including vendor payments (claims, fees, etc.), premium collection, enrollment reconciliation, Employee Fitness Wellness Center reconciliation and related processes to meet Internal Audit Standards.

Coordinates with the Department of Finance and Department of Management & Budget the posting of benefit plan-related payments, contributions, expenses and fund transfers to county financial systems. Coordinates with Department of Procurement and Material Management to prepare and monitor expenditures for division purchase orders. Performs enrollment analyses and reporting for self-funded health plans managed by the Benefits Division.

Prepares financial reports for programs at both summary and detailed levels. Develops tools and controls to identify and resolve plan-level issues internally and externally with carriers. Reconciles financial discrepancies by collecting and analyzing account information.

Reconciles Employee Fitness Wellness Center member payment and County purchase cards Supports the Payroll Division with specific journal entry postings and reconciliations of accounts. Takes part in initiatives to enhance DHR's finance programs. Illustrative Duties (The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all inclusive list.

A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.) Performs highly technical analyses of county financial operations; Participates in development and implementation of county-wide policies and procedures pertaining to accounting and financial reporting; Researches accounting issues and new accounting pronouncements and recommends solutions and means of implementation; Prepares financial statements and reports required by federal and state, including the county's annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR); Serves as a consultant to departments on accounting and financial reporting matters; Provides assistance to outside auditors by preparing work papers and financial reports as required; Files all required Federal Information Returns and prepares related Annual Withholding Reconciliations for IRS reporting, and manages the related financial system accounting processes. Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities (The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all inclusive list.) Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); Knowledge of automated accounting systems; Ability to prepare and interpret financial reports and statements; Ability to develop and apply accounting procedures; Ability to plan and supervise the work of subordinates; Employment Standards MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies.) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in accounting; or a bachelor's degree in business administration or related field that has been supplemented by at least 18 credit hours of intermediate level accounting or higher; plus two years of professional accounting experience, including one year of experience working with automated accounting systems.

CPA certification, or a master's degree in an appropriate field, may be substituted for one year of required experience. NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.

Certain positions with financial responsibility within this class may be subject to criminal background checks and/or credit checks as a condition of hiring and periodically thereafter, as determined by the department head. An applicant or employee may be required to submit a request for a criminal background check and/or credit check to the appropriate agency. Applicants and employees within these select positions must demonstrate financial responsibility in personal finances as a condition of employment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning systems (such as SAP or FOCUS) Experience managing multiple projects and tasks simultaneously. Experienced in applying Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and analyzing financial data.

Knowledge of payroll and employee benefit administration processes is preferred. Experience in reconciliation of payroll and employee benefit accounts is a plus. In-depth knowledge of automated financial systems and proficient use of databases and applications like Oracle or SAP.

Strong interpersonal skills, including the capacity to build collaborative partnerships across various agencies and external organizations. Excellent communication skills tailored to diverse audiences. Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.

Demonstrates initiative and problem-solving skills to address complex issues. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite applications (Word, Excel, Access). PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: This position requires ability to operate standard office equipment and personal computer.

Ability to lift up to 10 pounds. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations. SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel Interview and may include a practical exercise. The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity. Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314.

DHREmploymentfairfaxcounty.gov. EEO/AA/TTY. LI-JY1