Financial Analyst - Accounts Payable

Salary : $5,428.80 - $7,222.80 Monthly
Location : Oak Harbor, WA
Job Type: Full time
Job Number: 24012
Department: Finance
Division: Finance
Opening Date: 03/29/2024
Closing Date: 4/26/2024 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: NON-UNION
Join our City of Oak Harbor team to help build a legacy of commitment to excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion in our vibrant waterfront community.
Description
First Review of Applications is April 12, 2024
Position Closes April 26, 2024
Under the direction of a Finance Manager, performs a variety of professional analytical and accounting functions, with a focus on Accounts Payables and customer service. As a specialist in these areas, handle processing all City payments, provide customer-focused services to troubleshoot employee and department problems, and resolve concerns with vendors and billing customers. Prepare all Accounts Payable runs, and month-end, quarterly, and annual reports; assist with the preparation of items for the City's Annual Financial Report and annual audit; perform other finance functions as assigned.
Essential Job Functions
Work activities involve multiple skills and may include any or all of the following depending on area of assignment, department needs, emergency services, special projects, and seasonal factors:

1. Customer Service - Make customer services a priority by establishing and maintaining effective and cooperative working relationships with City officials, department heads, co-workers, supervisors, and the general public using good judgement to handle customer complaints, respond to inquiries and resolve concerns in a positive and timely manner using tact and courtesy, sometimes under stressful situations.
2. Process Accounts Payable - Maintain schedule of Accounts Payable check runs for management and City Council approval. Prepare, enter, and process high-volume of invoices, check processing, ACH payment processing, scanning, reconciling statements, cross-training, indexing, account coding, invoice filing, issue resolutions, and respond to vendor and department inquiries.
3. Daily Operations - Assist with daily operations, problem resolution, vendor management, adhering to established internal and State Auditor prescribed controls, reconciliations, and contribute to process improvement to further automate the process. Maintain the AP inbox both electronically and physically, processing or distributing invoices and statements in a timely manner. Work with department directors and employees to implement and maintain day-to-day routines and priorities.
4. Streamlining the AP Process - Research and develop methods and processes to streamline the invoicing process by gaining access to account portals for vendors, switching to paperless billing, generally reducing mailed invoices and statements, and investigating the ERPs ability to import data and improve processes, for example. Strive to improve processes by leveraging technology when available. Hold meetings with departments to gain user input and to teach them AP methods.
5. Standard Operating Procedures - Develop and maintain current SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) with step-by-step instructions for critical functions; test those SOP's by having an accountant run the activity/function periodically to ensure that the SOP's are accurate and adequate.
6. Policies - Assist the Finance Director and staff with the development of the City's Accounts Payable policies, procedures, and programs.
7. Validation - Validate requests; ensure proper approvals are included, amounts are correct, coding is appropriate, supporting documentation is complete, and expenses are in compliance with GASB, BARS, City of Oak Harbor policies, and other relevant rules and regulations.
8. File Organization - Maintain and organize files, both paper (where necessary) and electronic. Maintain retention schedule and archives for Accounts Payable documentation and associated reports.
9. Chart of Accounts - Become expert in the City's chart of accounts and knowledgeable with the BARS GAAP manual maintained by the Washington State Auditor.
10. Accounting/ERP System - Be the City's expert on Accounts Payable features/functions in the City's electronic accounting/ERP System. Acquire advanced knowledge on related aspects of the system (e.g., General Ledger, Project/Grants Accounting, Purchase Orders, etc.). Assist in training as needed.
11. Financial Resource - Serve as a resource to other finance and departmental administrative staff.
12. Reconciliations - Prepares monthly bank reconciliations.
13. Journal Entries - Collect, prepare, post and retain monthly journal entries.
14. Year-end Closing - Accrue payables to the appropriate year and prepare necessary financial reports and notes.
15. Annual Audit - Facilitates and coordinates the completion of the annual audit with the State Auditor's Office
16. Tax Information - Request and maintain W-9 information for vendors and issue year-end 1099. Determine the necessity of Washington sales/use tax for out-of-state purchases. Verify correct sales tax for independent contractors.
17. Reports - Accurately maintain and submit Accounts Payable runs, and month-end, quarterly, and annual reports.
18. Procurement - Coordinate with the City's Purchasing Office on the City's procurement processes, including the City's procurement policy, purchase requisitions, and purchase orders.
19. Accounts Payable Analysis - Responsible for analysis, reporting, data requests, analyzing data results, distributing metrics, and special projects for the Accounts Payable function.
20. Financial Analysis - Develop or work with existing analytical tools to find the deeper meaning behind the financials using various techniques including trend, cost-benefit, vertical, horizonal, liquidity, sensitivity and scenario, variance, valuation, and project analysis.
21. Performance Analysis - Develop or work with existing analytical tools to find the deeper meaning in non-financial quantitative data and qualitative information geared toward City-wide and departmental organizational and process improvement and providing additional context to the results of financial analysis.
22. Policy Analysis - Including defining the policy issue, determining the evaluation criteria, identifying alternative policies, evaluating alternative policies using both quantitative and qualitative data, and recommending the preferred policy.
23. Vendor Analysis and Upkeep - Ensure a copy of all W-9's are complete and on file for all vendors for one-time purchases that do not have a Statewide Vendor Number to be able to complete payment processing. Ensure vendor information in system matches invoice and update W9 as needed for business changes such as name or address updates. Ensure segregation of duties is maintained in updating vendors in ERP.
24. Lead projects and analysis that deliver data-informed recommendations to support organizational initiatives and strategic decision-making.
25. Coordinate, interpret and implement federal, state, county and local laws, policies and procedures as necessary.
26. Assist with department-wide financial management as needed.
27. Perform other duties as assigned.

Associated Functions:

1. Attend various continuing education meetings and seminars, and workshops.
2. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Performance Requirements (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities):
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Analyze, evaluate and summarize complex and technical financial and management records for accuracy and conformance to procedures, rules and regulations.
• Draft clear and concise reports and correspondence regarding findings.
• Be able to develop and maintain good relationships/trust with employees at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to manage conflicts between vendors, internal customers, and/or other team members is essential.
• Exercise sound and ethical judgment in the decision-making process and ask for the intervention of a direct supervisor when appropriate.
• Maintain confidentiality of information.
• The position requires a high degree of organizational skills, procedural discipline, and follow-through.
• Experience and demonstratable proficiency with computers, Enterprise Resource Planning systems, Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Organize and manage multiple priorities to achieve maximum efficiency and to meet deadlines.
• Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.
• Ability to work collaboratively to secure integrated work products.
• Highly self-motivated individual with independent time management skills.
• Basic knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), general accounting standard board statement (GASB), and the fundamental theories in accounting and finance.
• Written skills, oral communications skills and ability to compose complex correspondence and reports as well as ability to research, organize and compile data into meaningful reports.
• Strong mathematic and analytical skills.
• Ability to solve problems and provide a decision and/or recommendation and to communicate complex information orally and writing.
• Ability to work under the pressure of multiple projects and deadline situations.
• Ability to perform work activities neatly and accurately.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.
• The ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Qualifications & Requirements
An equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential job functions may be considered.

• Associate's Degree or equivalent in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Public Administration or related discipline.
• Two (2) years of technical finance, accounting, or analytical experience, with customer service and problem-solving responsibilities.
• Proficient computer operation skills and experience with a variety of software programs including Microsoft products, database, customized and menu-driven programs.
• Valid driver's license or otherwise establish the ability to perform the job in an equally efficient manner without driving.
• Must pass driver's abstract and background check to include credit check to be bonded.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Government experience preferred.

Working Environment & Physical Demands
The physical demands and characteristics of the work environment described here are representative of those occurring in the performance of the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Work is performed in an office environment and requires the ability to sit, stand, and use a computer for extended periods of time; eye/hand coordination and fine manipulation skills to operate computers and office equipment; as well as a normal range of hearing and visual acuity.
Safety Statement:
We expect employees to ensure compliance with all applicable safety practices and policies, including those established by OSHA/DOSH regulations and the City's Accident Prevention Program (APP). This includes, but is not limited to, actively identifying, and correcting potential hazards that may affect employee and public safety, including those identified by co-workers. Leading by example to promote a positive culture of workplace safety through everyday action, emphasizing safe completion of work throughout all aspects of developing and carrying out work plans.
The City of Oak Harbor is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability or any other status protected by law.
The City of Oak Harbor offers a generous benefit package to our employees that include:
Vacation and Sick Leave Accrual
Sick leave accrual is 8 hours per month.
Full-time employees receive vacation accrual on the following schedule.
Years of Service Vacation Accrual Rate

• 0 to 5 years - 8 hours/month
• 6 to 10 years - 10 hours/month
• 11 to 15 years - 13.33 hours/month
• 16 to 20 years - 15 hours/month
• 21 plus years - 16.66 hours/ month

The vacation accrual rate for a part-time employee shall be pro-rated as a percentage of the full-time rate.
Holiday Pay
The City provides eleven (11) paid holidays per year plus two (2) floating holiday of your choice (total of thirteen (13) days).
Medical Insurance
A choice from three options is provided through the Association of Washington Cities (AWC).

• Kaiser $200 Deductible Health Plan,
• Regence High Deductible Health Plan (with a City funded HSA)
• Regence HealthFirst 250 Health Plan.

The City pays 100% of the premium for a full time, regular employee (32 hours or more) and 80% of the premium for spouse and dependent children.
Part time employees who work 20 hours or more per week are eligible for full benefits but must pay for spouse and dependents coverage.
Vision Insurance
Vision Service Plan -The City provides a paid family vision plan which covers a yearly exam per person and a portion of vision hardware (frames, lenses and contac...