SENIOR ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT
(An Unclassified, At-Will Position)

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under direction, performs a variety of difficult and complex technical accounting duties involved in performing responsible financial record keeping and reporting duties in support of assigned accounting system, function, or program area, which may involve confidential and sensitive materials; answers questions and provides information and assistance to the other staff and the general public; and may provide lead direction within area of assignment.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced journey level class in the Accounting Assistant series. Positions at this level are distinguished from other classes within the series by the level of responsibility assumed and the complexity of duties assigned. Employees perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to classes within this series. Employees at this level may be assigned specialized functions and are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to assigned area of responsibility.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Performs a variety of difficult and complex technical accounting duties in support of assigned accounting system, function, or program area.
• Coordinates and processes information to ensure completion of assigned projects or duties within specified timelines; monitors compliance with laws, rules and regulations related to area of assignment and related fiscal activities.
• Interprets and applies appropriate accounting rules and regulations; ensures work performed complies with established standards and principles.
• Prepares, maintains, and/or verifies a variety of complex and comprehensive accounting, financial, and statistical records, ledgers, logs, and files; gathers, assembles, tabulates, enters, checks, verifies, balances, adjusts, records, and files financial data; codes data according to prescribed accounting procedures; reviews information to ensure accurate reporting; resolves discrepancies; establishes and maintains various files and records.
• Prepares a variety of comprehensive financial, accounting, and statistical statements, analyses, documents, and reports; assists other staff in the preparation of reports and recommendations including to gather, organize, and analyze data; prepares difficult financial, accounting, budgetary, and statistical studies and reports.
• Balances and reconciles various statements and accounts; analyzes accounts to determine accuracy of records; researches, compiles, and prepares reports for higher level staff as requested.
• Utilizes various computer programs and applications; enters and maintains data; generates reports from a database or in-house system; creates spreadsheets and generates reports using spreadsheet software; creates documents using word processing software.
• Answers questions and provides information and assistance to other staff and the general public in a courteous manner; interprets and explains City ordinance or administrative policies; provides information within the area of assignment; resolves complaints in an efficient and timely manner.
• Provides back up support for other accounting functions as required; provides assistance in performing other accounting related duties to meet deadlines; participates in special projects as assigned.
• As assigned, trains employees in their areas of work including proper methods, procedures, and techniques; verifies the work of assigned employees for accuracy, proper work methods, techniques, and compliance with applicable standards and specifications.
• Performs related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Operations, services, and activities of assigned accounting system, function, or program area.
• Technical accounting principles and practices used in difficult and complex financial record keeping and reporting.
• Procedures, policies, rules, and practices affecting the development, maintenance, and control of fiscal record keeping systems.
• Governmental accounting principles and procedures and municipal accounting system requirements and procedures.
• Principles and practices of budget development and administration including methods and techniques of budget preparation and control.
• Principles and practices used establishing and maintaining files and information retrieval systems, including those used in the maintenance of confidential and sensitive materials.
• Methods and techniques of coding, verifying, balancing, and reconciling accounting records.
• Account auditing principles and practices.
• Mathematical principles.
• Principles and practices of data collection and accounting, financial, statistical, and administrative research and report preparation.
• Business letter writing.
• Correct English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Methods and techniques of effective customer service.
• Office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations.

Ability to:

• Perform a full range of difficult and complex technical accounting duties involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
• Understand the organization, operation, and services of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Understand, interpret, apply, and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Understand, interpret, apply, and ensure compliance with administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Plan and organize work to meet changing priorities and deadlines.
• Perform a variety of accounting, fiscal, and statistical record keeping duties including to maintain a variety of complex records and files.
• Prepare clear and concise accounting, financial, statistical, and administrative reports.
• Review financial records, reports, and related documents, identify discrepancies, and resolve problems related to assigned are of responsibility.
• Participate in budget development and administration.
• Perform mathematical calculations with speed and accuracy.
• Type and enter data at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.
• Work cooperatively with other departments, City officials, and outside agencies.
• Effectively represent the City to outside individuals and agencies to accomplish the goals and objectives of the unit.
• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by college level course work in accounting or a related field.

Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible technical accounting experience preferably related to area of assignment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Standard office setting. CONTINUOUS working indoors, dust from paperwork. Work schedule is 9/80 with alternating Fridays off in a biweekly period. Work environment is both formal and informal, team oriented, having variable tasks, pace and pressure. Work is performed indoors in office and in meeting rooms.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in an office setting and operate office equipment. CONTINUOUS sitting, upward and downward flexion of neck; fine finger dexterity and light to moderate finger pressure to manipulate keyboard, equipment controls and other office equipment; pinch grasp to manipulate writing utensils. FREQUENT side-to-side turning of neck, walking, standing, bending and stooping, pushing/pulling, twisting at waist, moderate wrist torque to twist equipment knobs and dials; lifting objects weighing up to 20 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 yards. OCCASIONAL squatting, kneeling, reach above and at shoulder height, moderate grasp to manipulate reference books and manuals; lifting objects weighing 20-3 5 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 feet.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents and to operate equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Date: August 2002
Johnson & Associates