Principal Accountant - City Of Gardendale

TARGET CLOSE DATE
04/01/2024
Note: This job posting may close before, or be extended beyond, the listed Target Close Date based on the employment needs of the Merit System.
Grade 27
The pay range for the listed pay grade varies depending on the employing agency. Click HERE and then select the desired agency to view the pay range for that employer.
Principal Accountants provide strategic direction and oversee the daily financial operations for a department or small to medium jurisdiction. In doing so, Principal Accountants may perform or oversee the performance of a variety of duties, including, but are not limited to, the maintenance of accounts payable (AP), accounts receivable (AR), banking, general ledger (GL), grant, and/or budgetary accounts, while ensuring compliance to federal, state, and local guidelines and laws (e.g., Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)). In doing so, Principal Accountants may produce and substantiate financial statements and oversee the internal and external audit of financial records. Work is performed in an office setting and may involve the direct supervision of others, including Accounting Assistants, Accountants, and Senior Accountants.
TYPICAL JOB DUTIES:

• Sets objectives for and oversees the AP process for a department or jurisdiction.
• Sets objectives for and oversees the AR process for a department or jurisdiction.
• Oversees internal and external audits of financial records, including acting as the point of communication, distributing audit-related tasks, and implementing changes identified during the audit.
• Oversees the maintenance of banking records and informs decisions regarding what banks to utilize.
• Prepares, monitors, and administers departmental or organizational budget by reviewing spending trends, expenditure reports, analyzing financial data and ensuring expenditures are within annual budgetary limits.
• Provides strategic direction for the department and oversees the daily financial operations to ensure compliance to federal, state, and local guidelines and laws (e.g., Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)).
• Performs the financial closing process at the end of an accounting period (i.e., monthly, quarterly, yearly).
• Oversees the maintenance of the GL by reviewing and approving subordinate's journal entries, auditing the GL for accuracy and completeness, creating journal entries and GL adjustments, and reconciling the GL to other financial records.
• Researches and prepares grant proposals then oversees grant funds, including creating policies to administer the grant, maintaining grant financial records, and producing grant reports.
• Procures and/or manages inventory (i.e., supplies and equipment) to ensure the products and services are available to meet the operational needs of each department.
• Facilitates the new contract approval process and enters contract parameters into accounting software once approved.
• Engages in activities designed to ensure professional development, awareness of developments in the field, and knowledge of relevant practices, rules, laws, policies, and/or guidelines.
• Oversees the maintenance and reporting of confidential governmental financial records, ensuring compliance to federal, state, and local guidelines and laws (e.g., Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)).
• Supervises staff by assigning and distributing work, directing staff in their job duties, monitoring progress of work, providing feedback and/or training.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Option A:

• At least a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience performing accounting functions such as preparing general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial statements, payroll, or budgets.
• Experience reviewing and/or reconciling financial accounts (e.g., bank statements and activity, cash transactions, general ledger accounts).
• Experience with periodic financial reporting (e.g., balance sheets, income statements, transaction process reports, daily cash reports).
• Experience assigning and reviewing the financial work of others (e.g., verifying financial data for accuracy).

Option B:

• At least a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Senior Accountant in the Merit System.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Preferred qualifications are experiences, education, and/or other job-related qualifications considered to be highly desirable by Merit System agencies. The preferred qualifications may be used by the hiring agency to identify applicants to invite to participate in subsequent selection processes.

• None.

CRITICAL KNOWLEDGES:

• Knowledge of accounting software programs to perform the tasks associated with the position, such as reviewing data, monitoring payroll, reviewing accounts payable and accounts receivable, tracking inventory, creating reports, reviewing financial statements, and other similar functions as required by the job.
• Knowledge of accrual accounting principles and terminology.
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles and terminology, such as debit, credit, journal entry, general ledger, trial balance, cash flows, income statement, and balance sheet.
• Knowledge of bookkeeping methods (e.g, basic double entry, journal entries, ledger balances).
• Knowledge of budgetary principles and procedures, and encumbrances/expenditures such as revenues, expenditures, and appropriations involved in establishing and maintaining budgets.
• Knowledge of collecting, cleaning, classifying and analyzing expenditure data.
• Knowledge of fund accounting principles and techniques.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and their application.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) and auditor transaction testing techniques.
• Knowledge of Governmental Accounting Standards Board regulations and standards.
• Knowledge of principles involved in the management of staff/personnel.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is conducted almost exclusively indoors in an office setting. Work involves use of standard office equipment, such as computer, phone, copier, etc.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Job is primarily sedentary involving sitting for long periods of time, but may involve occasional walking or standing for brief periods.
DISCLAIMER: This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of the job duties, responsibilities, or skills and abilities required to do the job and may be changed at the discretion of the Personnel Board at any time.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
Persons requiring special conditions to accommodate a disability when completing the application should contact the Personnel Board at 205-279-3500, Option 1, prior to the target close date.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The Personnel Board of Jefferson County (Personnel Board) provides a public personnel system based on merit principles. The Personnel Board strives for the constant improvement of the public service by employing and developing the best-qualified persons available. The Personnel Board provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, creed, religion, political beliefs, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or genetics.
Employment decisions are made by the Merit System agency where the position exists. Each Merit System agency administers its own equal employment opportunity programs in compliance with applicable state and/or federal laws and regulations.
ATTENTION Merit System Employees: Do not apply through this site.
If you are a current Merit System employee, please click HERE to log into
the internal career site.