Description

JOB TITLE:  Accounting Specialist
DEPARTMENT:  Administration
REPORTS TO:  Finance Director
FLSA: Non-exempt
GRADE:    19
STARTING RANGE:           $24.19 – $32.67 per hour DOQ                                    

JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Finance Director, performs professional-level accounting, financial administration, and analytical support for the City of Santa Fe. Responsible for the accurate and timely processing, recording, reconciliation, and reporting of financial transactions for City funds and activities.

The Accounting Specialist performs accounting and analytical assignments involving accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchasing, capital assets, debt and leases, grants, budget support, financial reporting, and audit preparation. The position utilizes the City's enterprise resource planning (ERP) and financial management systems, Microsoft 365 applications, advanced Microsoft Excel functions, electronic workflow and document-management systems, and other financial technologies to improve the accuracy, efficiency, transparency, and internal control of the City's financial operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounting and Financial Operations

• Performs day-to-day accounting functions for the City's governmental and proprietary funds as assigned, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchasing, deposits, disbursements, and general ledger activities.
• Enters, reviews, and maintains purchase orders, invoices, payments, reimbursements, journal entries, and other financial transactions in accordance with City policies and established internal controls.
• Reviews financial transactions for appropriate authorization, documentation, account coding, accuracy, and compliance with applicable purchasing and financial policies.
• Investigates and resolves discrepancies among the City's ERP system, bank records, departmental records, supporting documentation, and other financial information.
• Assists with month-end and year-end closing procedures and ensures transactions are recorded in the appropriate accounting period.
• Maintains accurate and complete electronic accounting records and supporting documentation and prepares accounting schedules and information for management and financial reporting purposes.

Financial Technology, Reconciliation, and Analysis

• Uses the City's ERP and financial management systems to enter, review, research, reconcile, analyze, and report financial information.
• Demonstrates advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and related financial technology, including formulas and functions, lookups, pivot tables, data validation, conditional formatting, charts, data analysis, and development of automated or semi-automated financial workbooks.
• Imports, organizes, compares, validates, summarizes, and analyzes financial information from multiple sources to identify errors, inconsistencies, trends, and unusual transactions.
• Develops and maintains reconciliations, financial schedules, recurring reports, dashboards, analytical tools, and other management resources.
• Identifies opportunities to improve accounting processes through technology, electronic workflows, automation, improved data management, and reduction of unnecessary manual or duplicate processes while maintaining appropriate internal controls.

Capital Assets, Debt, Leases, and Other Financial Records

• Maintains or assists with accounting records and schedules related to City capital assets, debt, leases, and other long-term financial obligations.
• Records transactions and maintains supporting schedules and documentation necessary for financial reporting and audit purposes.
• Assists with capital asset additions, deletions, transfers, disposals, reconciliations, and annual physical inventory.
• Assists the Finance Director with maintaining insurance schedules and supporting documentation for City property and liability coverage.

Budget, Grants, Financial Reporting, and Audit

• Assists the Finance Director with preparation and maintenance of the City's annual budget and related financial schedules.
• Assists with monthly, quarterly, annual, and other financial reports, including the City's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) or other required financial reporting.
• Assists with project and grant accounting and reporting, including tracking expenditures, revenues, reimbursements, and supporting documentation.
• Prepares schedules, researches transactions, maintains supporting documentation, and responds to information requests associated with internal and external audits.
• Identifies significant discrepancies, unusual transactions, trends, or potential control issues and brings them to the Finance Director's attention.

Internal Controls, Compliance, and Departmental Support

• Performs assigned duties in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, applicable laws and regulations, City policies, administrative procedures, and established internal controls.
• Assists with maintaining appropriate segregation of duties, financial procedures, electronic payment controls, and other safeguards over City financial resources.
• Maintains confidentiality and appropriate security over financial, payroll, personnel, and other sensitive information.
  Maintains awareness of cybersecurity and fraud risks involving financial systems, electronic payments, phishing, fraudulent invoices, and related financial activities and reports suspected irregularities or control weaknesses.
• Responds professionally and timely to financial inquiries from employees, departments, vendors, auditors, elected officials, and the public.
• Researches financial records and communicates financial information clearly while maintaining appropriate confidentiality.
• Assists with financial system implementations, software upgrades, data conversions, process-improvement initiatives, and other special projects as assigned by the Finance Director.
• Attends City Council, board, committee, or other meetings as requested.
  Performs other duties as assigned.

OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The position requires extended periods of sitting and working at a computer or other electronic device. The employee may be required to work after normal business hours to meet official deadlines, assist with financial reporting or system-related issues, or present information at City Council or other meetings.

The position may occasionally require lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling office supplies, records, equipment, or other materials weighing up to 25 pounds and occasional stooping, squatting, kneeling, bending, reaching, climbing, or stretching.

The position is primarily performed in an office environment but may involve occasional exposure to normal office, electrical, mechanical, storage, or records-management conditions. Appropriate safety precautions shall be followed.

Requirements

REQUIRED EDUCATION, DEGREES, CERTIFICATES, AND LICENSES

High School Diploma or GED required.

Associate degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or a related field preferred. Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, public administration, or a related field is preferred.

Additional education, training, certifications, or relevant professional development may be considered alongside experience.

EXPERIENCE, TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS

• Experience in governmental accounting, accounts payable, payroll, general ledger accounting, financial administration, or a related field; municipal or other governmental accounting experience is desired.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications and advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to use formulas, functions, lookups, pivot tables, data-validation tools, and other analytical techniques to develop and maintain accurate financial workbooks, reconciliations, and reports.
• Experience with or ability to effectively use ERP, accounting, financial management, payroll, purchasing, electronic payment, document-management, and related business information systems.
• Ability to analyze significant volumes of financial data and identify errors, trends, inconsistencies, and unusual transactions.
• Ability to research financial transactions from original source documentation through the accounting system and related financial records.
• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to maintain accuracy while managing multiple assignments and established deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, exercise appropriate judgment, and recognize when matters should be escalated to the Finance Director.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive financial, payroll, personnel, and other protected information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to establish effective working relationships with City employees, department heads, vendors, auditors, elected officials, and members of the public.
• Ability and willingness to learn new financial systems, technology, accounting practices, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to identify and implement appropriate uses of technology and automation to improve efficiency while maintaining effective financial controls.

The City of Santa Fe is an equal opportunity employer.