2A20

PAY RANGE: N31

ACCOUNTING DIRECTOR

GENERAL DEFINITION

This is administrative work managing the City's centralized accounting, verification, monitoring and payroll operations in accordance with established guidelines for governmental accounting and financial reporting. The employee in this class oversees the control of both subsidiary and general ledger accounts and the development and provision of reports reflecting the financial position of the municipality. Work is performed under the general direction of the Chief Accounting Officer.

ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)

· Only one position in the City's central finance agency will be allocated to this class.

· The position must direct all functions of the Accounting Division.

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (Illustrative Only)

Anticipates operational and agency needs; sets priorities and deadlines; provides resources; optimizes use of personnel; modernizes processes and otherwise increases efficiency; coordinates work within and among Accounting Division subunits; assures conformity with professional and institutional standards and guidelines for municipal accounting, auditing and reporting; deals with high level officials to resolve accounting and reporting issues; reviews the propriety of major transactions; plans and directs training for new employees.

Establishes and implements policy and directives for City-wide accounting transactions including payments, financial documents, and purchase orders and determines that documents are properly recorded in compliance with accepted accounting standards and practices; sets the City's policy for deciding whether to close out prior year documents/ledgers and establishes schedules for when documents should arrive in the accounting bureau from departments; establishes deadlines for submission of financial documents.

Directs, through the Assistant Accounting Director, the following:

Overall operations of the general accounting staff which includes posting transactions to appropriation and general ledgers, preparing periodic reports of the status of budget and revenue accounts and in accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board and City Charter requirements, preparing and disseminating the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) that demonstrates the financial position of the municipal government; ensures that internal controls over management of funds are maintained.

Financial verification staff engaged in verifying documentation of municipal accounting transactions by collecting and matching purchase orders, contracts, encumbrances and payment vouchers against vendor's invoices; ensures that transactions are processed based only upon proper review and approval and in a timely manner.

Initiation and implementation of new, updated or revised GASB pronouncements and City accounting procedures, including maintenance of the City’s Standard Accounting Procedures (SAPs).

Operations of the central grant accounting unit; insures that City-wide grant related financial activity is recorded and reported in accordance with federal and state legislation.

Monitoring of accounts for independent and delegate agencies; insures that such agencies conform to or adopt municipal accounting standards.

Processing of City payrolls and supporting records; insures that Civil Service regulations, Administrative Board Rules and labor contract changes are implemented; directs the processing of health and welfare benefits.

Maintenance of the city’s financial accounting and payroll technology systems, to ensure proper implementation of all accounting policies and procedures, accurate reporting of financial data, and efficient and accurate production of payroll activities.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE OF:

· the current standards, guidelines and requirements for governmental accounting as set forth in various Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) statements

· the principles, standards and practices of the accounting profession

· managerial theory and practice

· financial statements and reports used in municipal accounting

· the uses and applications of computer systems to accounting, fiscal reporting and preparation of payroll

· the principles and techniques of accounting as they refer to municipal bond indebtedness and bond sales

ABILITY TO:

· direct the work of a large staff of managerial, professional, technical and clerical personnel

· administer a large centralized municipal accounting program

· resolve complex technical accounting problems and issues encountered in municipal accounting

· enlist the cooperation of officials to implement policy and procedural changes

· present ideas effectively both orally and in writing

· establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, citywide officials, and the public

· exercise judgment and discretion in applying and interpreting policies and procedures consistent with overall policy and objectives.

· implement citywide accounting policy

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum acceptable training and experience standards which will be used to accept or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 1/15.)

EDUCATION:

Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university, with major course work in accounting.

AND

Option 1: Finance Department

GENERAL EXPERIENCE:

Eight years of accounting experience, five years of which have been in a supervisory capacity.

AND

SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:

One year of managerial accounting experience as Accounting Assistant Director in the City's central finance agency.

OR

Option 2: City Controller’s Office

AND

GENERAL EXPERIENCE:

Eight years of auditing experience, five years of which have been in a supervisory capacity.

AND

SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:

Three years as an Audit Director in the City’s central auditing agency.

Option 3: Other Governmental Accounting Experience

AND

GENERAL EXPERIENCE:

Fourteen years of post bachelor’s degree accounting or auditing experience for a government agency or for an accounting firm providing accounting or auditing services to a government agency, which has included seven years of progressively responsible managerial experience.

Any equivalent combination of experience determined to be acceptable to the Office of Human Resources which has included the bachelor’s with major coursework in accounting and the specific experience described above.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL STANDARDS

Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

Class Established:

CSC - 5/96

Ad. Board - 5/96

Spec. Revision:

CSC- 11/14

Ad. Board – 1/15

Latest Spec. Revision:

CSC – 8/18

Ad. Board – 9/18