Accountant III

The Finance area consists of Accounts Receivable, Student Finance & Cashier Services, General Accounting, Accounts Payable, and Procurement. These departments report to four managers, The University Controller, the Director of Student Financial Services, and the Director of Procurement Services. These managers report to the Associate Vice President of Financial Services The incumbent will be an Accountant III within the University Accounting unit.

This position focuses primarily on university-wide activity and Auxiliaries activities, with an emphasis on preparation and filing of various tax returns, government reporting as well as other regulatory agency reporting. In addition, this position will be heavy-handed in the preparation and coordination of the year-end close. Performs advanced professional accounting work involving the application of accounting principles and practices to the resolution of a wide variety of complex accounting problems. Serves as a high-level individual contributor providing expertise and lead-work direction to other professional and/or technical staff.

Responsibilities

Prepare, analyze, and interpret financial reports, statements, and records.

• Conduct extensive financial data compilation, querying and drilling on large volumes of financial data; and use integrated financial systems and/or other types of records management systems.

• Review financial data, reports and statements

• Identify and analyze errors (e.g. FIRMS)

• Take corrective action

• Prepare complex financial statements, reports, and financial transactions (e.g. University day-to-day transactions such IFTs, campus - JE requests, fixed asset capitalization, and Auxiliaries activities).

• Analyze account balances and reconcile balances to external dataA.

• Complete assigned reconciliations accurately

• Reconciliations are consistently completed by the provided deadline

• Reconciling items are generally resolved within 30 days; 60 days for more complex issues

• Monitor and report on balances on a Legal and GAAP basis.

• Responsible for the accurate compilation and preparation of various filings such as:

• NCAA reporting

• UBIT Reporting

• Possessory Reporting

• Foreign Source Reporting

• 1042 Report file

• Tax 990s schedules

• Sales tax

• Respond to internal and external inquiries in compliance with University policy.

Provide training, guidance and assistance to other employees and lead work direction to other professional and/or technical staff as assigned.

• Train and assist staff with their assignments and review their work.

• Review journal entries for completeness, accuracy, compliance and ensure there is adequate support for the entry.

• Review reconciliations for completeness, accuracy, timeliness and status of reconciliation items.

• Prepare written review notes with written responses from staff to the review notes; ensure all reconciliations have been completed by the established due date.

• Provide technical advice and consultation to campus administrators.

• Respond to a variety of inquiries from all organizational levels and provide guidance and support as needed.

Assure the proper recording and documentation of financial transactions and contribute to audit process; examine documents for conformance to established policies and procedures and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)

• Interpret financial reports and statements and identify problem areas.

• Assure assigned accounting reporting systems and procedures are in compliance with established administrative policies and procedures and acceptable accounting standards.

• Ensure activity is appropriate to fund usage; see operating agreements, regulatory agency or governing authority for guidance.

• Represent the University to external organizations on specific issues.

• Prepare audit schedules, financial reports and perform other duties as required by both internal and external audits.

• Key accountant in the GASB implementations and other large-scale projects.

• Ensure the accuracy of Lease Accelerator/EZ Lease application to conform to GAAP Lease Reporting Compliance.

Identify actual or potential problems and recommend corrective action.

• Recommend and implement changes to the documentation and maintenance of business processes, standards and procedures.

• Compute and estimate the effect of proposed changes on operating programs or accounting operations.

• Document and maintain business processes, standards and procedures.

• Analyze accounting control procedures and recommend changes or modifications.

Other Duties as Assigned.

• Perform special tasks as assigned.

• Provide initial troubleshooting of financial systems problems and participate in the design and installation of financial systems upgrades and required testing and verification of results (i.e., system upgrades, testing and implementation of new functionality).

• Attend training as required by assigned duties.

• Represent the General Accounting Office on specific issues.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience:

Equivalent to five years of progressively responsible professional accounting experience.

Education:

Equivalent to a bachelor's degree with a major in accounting, business administration, finance or a closely related field OR a combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge and abilities.

Preferred Skills and Knowledge

Extensive knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); office methods and procedures; statistical and mathematical presentation of data; advanced proficiency with current word processing and spreadsheet software programs, web browsers, query tools, integrated financial systems and/or other types of records management systems. General knowledge of governmental accounting and internal control methods and related laws, rules, and regulations. Working knowledge of federal student financial aid annual reporting requirements, and quarterly grant reporting requirements.

Ability to prepare complex financial statements and reports; understand and interpret laws and rules; communicate effectively with others inside and outside the unit, including conveying complex and technical professional accounting information to non-Accountants.

Condition(s) of Employment

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including LiveScan, as appropriate), that may include, but is not limited to: criminal records check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certificates, credit history, professional references and/or verification of work history is required for employment. Cal State East Bay will issue a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Unsatisfactory results may also affect the continued employment of current Cal State East Bay employees who were conditionally offered the position.

All background checks are conducted through the university's third-party vendor, Accurate. LiveScan is conducted through the University Police Department.

EEO Statement

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Cal State East Bay does not discriminate on the basis of any protected categories: age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability, gender, immigration status, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran's status. The University is committed to the principles of diversity in employment and to creating a stimulating learning environment for its diverse student body.

Other Information

All California State University campuses, including Cal State East Bay, are smoke and tobacco-free. For more information, please visit our website here.

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Cal State East Bay Annual Campus Security Report is available here.

Sponsorship

Cal State East Bay is not a sponsoring agency for Staff or Management positions and we are not an E-Verify employer.

Mandated Reporter

The incumbent in this position may be considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and will be required to comply with requirements set forth in the CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Advertised: May 06 2024 Pacific Daylight Time

Applications close: Sep 06 2024 Pacific Daylight Time