Accounting Specialist

General Definition of Work

Under general supervision of the Finance Director, the Accounting Specialist performs accounting, payroll, treasury, administrative duties and functions of variable complexity in maintaining the fiscal records and systems of the City. Assumes the duties of the Finance Director in his/her absence.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

• Provides general management assistance and recommendations to the Director of Finance and acts as Director of Finance in their absence.
• Performs administration in receiving, receipting, accounting for and custody of City cash; keeps detailed account of all monies received by the City; prepares quarterly treasurer reports.
• Processes accounts payable and purchasing transactions by reviewing invoices and requests for payment and entering them into the accounting system for payment; reconciles vendor statements; prepares purchase orders, vendor checks, and accounts payable reports; maintains vendor records; and communicates with Department Heads, City staff and vendors regarding past due invoices, discrepancies, and missing paperwork.
• Implements, maintains, and processes payroll transactions, including salaries, benefits, garnishments, taxes, and other deductions.
• Reviews payroll updates including new hires, terminations, and changes to pay rates; prepares and maintains accurate records and reports of payroll transactions; ensures compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, wage, and hour laws and best practices.
• Maintains and reviews financial records by preparing journal entries, monthly bank statement reconciliations, and quarterly treasurer's reports and investment reports; monitors sales tax collections and delinquent accounts in the State Setoff program; prepares monthly financial reports for all departments.
• Submits and monitors receivables in the Setoff program.
• Prepares various billings to outside agencies.
• Submits payment for Court fees to the State.
• Assists Finance Director in budget preparation. .
• Acts as a primary back up to the Customer Service Associate by understanding how to collect payments and enter them into the accounting system, how to reconcile the previous business day, and how to create the bank deposits.
• Acts as a primary back up to the Billing Specialist by understanding how to set up new water service, the billing process, how to prepare accounts receivable invoices, and how to prepare sales tax for payment.
• Reviews work completed by the Billing Specialist which includes reviewing sales tax collected for payment to the state, reviewing water protection fees collected for payment to state, reviewing ACH files for customer payments that are submitted to the bank for collection.
• Assists the Finance director with a variety of special projects as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of office procedures, general clerical duties, record maintenance, word processing; working knowledge of bookkeeping and mathematics; skill in the use of computers, calculators, adding machines, multi-function printers, and other office equipment; extensive skill in Microsoft Office and ability to learn practical application of the Internet and other software to the position; ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information; strong public relations, organization, verbal and written communication skills; ability to establish successful working relationships with entities, employees, City officials, businesses and the public, and use good professional judgment, honesty, and integrity in decision making; ability to understand and anticipate problems, to concentrate on tasks in the presence of distractions, to type with speed and accuracy, and to interpret written instructions, reports, manuals, billing statements, and correspondence; ability to demonstrate leadership, management, and technical skills through effective collaboration, team resources, progressive decision making, and personal responsibility; ability to be committed to the mission, vision, and strategic direction of the City of Bonner Springs; ability to obey and comply with all City ordinances and policies.

Education and Experience

• Associates degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Business Administration or a related field with emphasis in accounting. Bachelors degree preferred.
• Three (3) years of accounting experience including maintenance of financial and accounting records and reports with knowledge of fund accounting techniques, concepts, practices and procedures preferred, or an equivalent level of experience. Supervisory experience preferred.

Physical Requirements

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires speaking or hearing and using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, sitting, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms and lifting; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines and observing general surroundings and activities; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Special Requirements

• National Incident Management System Training: IS700.