What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Accountant position at Chicago Public Schools?
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 320,000 students in 500 schools and employing over 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans : academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.
The Office of the Controller is responsible for the financial operations of Chicago Public Schools, including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Internal Accounts, and Corporate Accounting. Under the general direction of the Controller, the Accounts Payable team provides timely, accurate, and relevant financial reporting.
Job Summary :
Reporting to the Director, Accounts Payable, and oversight from the Accounts Payable Manager, a Senior Accountant, Accounts Payable is responsible to provide advanced oversight of the District’s P-Card and employee reimbursement payments as well as entering, monitoring and analyzing invoice and purchase order data, AP Accrual review, and other accounting functions. This is a full-time exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.
This position will be held accountable for the following responsibilities :
- Trouble-shoot any EDI issues with our P-Card vendors
- Lead efforts to increase the volume of P-Card transactions and the number of P-Card vendors
- Identify and resolve technical issues that may arise on our nightly interfaces and partner with IT for escalated issues
- Develop and maintain KPI's of District's P-Card Program
- Serve as a key CPS liaison to our banking partner
- Lead efforts to increase the volume of P-Card transactions and the number of P-Card vendors
- Respond to vendor and CPS department / school inquiries on P-Card or employee-related transaction processing issues
- Serve as the CPS liaison to P-Card vendors and perform monthly and annual reconciliations of P-Card purchases, payments, and rebates due to CPS
- Assist with training staff on related P-Card processes
- Assist with the year-end AP Accrual Process.
- Develop and contribute to the P-Card invoice and purchase order aging report on a monthly and annual basis and ensure the timeliness of the report distribution
- Contribute to the development of monthly and annual vendor payment information to be posted online and via Freedom of Information Act requests
- Develop and reconcile current monthly P-Card activity on statement against accounts payable activity to ensure all activity is properly recorded or reconciled.
- Reconcile nightly remittance files against bank to ensure all transactions are submitted and processed at bank
- Request new POS cards upon proper approval and set up in both bank and Oracle
- Set up and de-activate POS cards at bank
- Assist CPS in the Shared Services structure implementation and work with internal and external stakeholders to help streamline processes and increase purchasing efficiency
- Proactively identifies problems and develops resolutions through business process improvements
- Perform accounting duties to properly allocate revenues and expenses to the correct and appropriate general ledger, units, funds, accounts, programs, and grants during the fiscal year.
- Assist in the implementation of financial systems, controls, and procedures that will streamline processes and operations of the Finance and Accounts Payable Department.
- Assist with the preparation of the Annual Financial Report (AFR).
- Other duties as assigned.
In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, this position must possess the following qualifications :
Education Required :
Experience Required
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :
Conditions of Employment
As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to :
