Accountant II (Temporary Administrative Special Services)

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The Office of the Chief Financial Officer - ODFS Public Safety Fire division is seeking to fill an Accountant II (TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIAL SERVICES POSITION ) position.

Position Summary

Accountant II is an intermediate level accounting professional within the City of Detroit Office of the Chief Financial Officer. The Accountant performs significant accounting duties that are required to support timely and accurate financial statement reporting. The key services provided include, but are not limited to: preparing, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting accounting data; operating, maintaining, and modifying accounting systems; using accounting information to recommend solutions to management problems and structuring of organization programs; managing, operating, and analyzing cost accounting systems in connection with functions, activities and financial operations; and designing, implementing, and assessing internal control processes and systems. Many of these services will be performed within the appropriate modules of the ERP Cloud that impact the operations of this position.

~ THIS IS A TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIAL SERVICES POSITION (TASS) ~

• Using ERP Cloud applications performs the following activities:

• Creation of Financial Reports

• Editing of reporting templates

• Use of Business Intelligence Publisher templates and data models

• Creation of Transactions Business Intelligence dashboard and reports

• Analysis of data through SmartView and Account Monitor

• Identifies accounting problems such as inadequate maintenance of fund controls, inaccurate records and reports, improper methods for document control, and lack of documentary evidence to support performance of regulatory reconciliations

• Conducts searches and examinations of budget and financial records to provide factual data on the amount and type of funds available for submission to others within the employing entity who will use the data to prepare budget estimates and reprogramming actions

• Compiles centrally requested cost reports and reports of variance from standards. Develops reports comparing actual results to plans and budgets

• Conducts special cost analysis of various operations to determine, for example, if proposals for revised methods or new equipment would affect savings. Performs statistical analyses of agency productivity trends. Participates with other accountants in developing cost estimates for in-house projects and contractor proposals

• Tracks ongoing operations and solves problems that arise; studies existing reports, accounts, or instructions to streamline operations or provides reports with greater detail; prepares specific instructions for ongoing operations; documents accounting system features designed by higher level accountants; and advises managers or others when transactions differ from norms on nature and volume

• Uses conventional accounting methods to reconcile payroll system and general ledger payroll data and to analyze internal controls over accounts receivable overpayments

• Prepares, examines, or analyzes accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards

• Reports to management regarding the finances of establishment

• Establishes tables of accounts and assigns entries to proper accounts

• Develops, implements, modifies, and documents recordkeeping and accounting systems, making use of current computer technology

• Assists in executing portions of an audit plan that tracks process flow, verifies reported data, or assures that functional operating instructions generate desired results

• Computes taxes owed and prepares tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements

• Performs accounting functions consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), standardized bookkeeping processes, accounting terminology, accounting techniques, and other financial rules and regulations

• Researches, analyzes, and implements accounting rules and regulations as stipulated by Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) or other regulatory agencies

• Compiles and analyzes statistical and accounting data relative to the preparation and monitoring of the Annual Budget; Prepares and updates revenues and expenditures, base requests, changes adjustments, rate and fee setting, position changes, and budget set-up

• Posts journal entries, reconciles dates, and manages inter-agency billings and transfers required to support financial reporting

• Provides experience in using the specific procedures of automated systems to find, review, or change accounting data in transaction files, ledgers, accounts, summary reports, and financial statements

• Performs grant management, monitoring, and administrative duties and activities (e.g. financial, set-up, post-award, closeout, etc.) to ensure timely expenditures and reimbursement, and regulatory and audit compliance

• Checks data and compares reports or transactions to source documents, or authorizations against transactions to ensure their acceptability for further processing

• Creates accounting codes and structures to ensure accurate recording, reporting, and control in financial systems; Participates in annual audits

• Conducts surveys; Prepares recommendations for revision and participates in development and installation of accounting and fiscal procedures and methods

• Maintains ledger and computer systems required to conduct payroll and financial reporting

• Acts as a liaison between accounting staff, financial staff, information systems staff, and other key departmental staff in order to keep abreast of issues and initiatives that may impact accounting and financial information

• Presents, prepares, and explains to financial and non-financial managers, co-workers, and clients an analysis of the issues, problems, and trends identified; Creates accounting procedures, internal controls, policies, and recommendations for business re-alignment

• Assists in the preparation of the Consolidated Annual Financial Report (CAFR)

• Performs special projects and other duties as assigned

Education

For all Accountants, it is a requirement to have completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course of work in accounting, finance, business administration, statistics, or a closely related field. Such education must include at least twenty-four (24) semester (36 terms) credits of coursework in accounting and statistics (21 hours in accounting and 3 hours in statistics).

Applicants with a Master in Accounting and other appropriate and related courses of study meet the minimum experience required for Accountant II.

Experience

Accountant level II or higher, in addition to the minimum education requirements, more progressive levels of experience are required based on the following:

• Accountant II - at least two (2) years of experience

Equivalency

Equivalent combinations of education and experience that provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be evaluated on an individual basis.