Accounting Manager 1 – General Ledger & Project Costing

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking an experienced Accounting Manager to support the General Ledger and Project Costing team (GL/PC team) and the Payroll team in the Leadership and Administration Division (LAD).  

The Accounting Manager 1 will support and manage a staff of three to five accounting professionals; support maintenance and reconciliation of the General Ledger and Project Costing modules in Peoplesoft 9.2 (PS9.2); review and approve journal entries, allocations, payroll submission, and procedures/processes. This position will support audits for their area and be the subject matter expert as it relates to HSD’s general ledger and reconciliations, including payroll entries. The manager will hire and train new staff as needed. The manager will establish standard Peoplesoft monthly reporting and oversee the month-end and annual closing processes, including accuracy of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards for the department. 

LAD is building an accounting and finance team that exemplifies stewardship of public funds with integrity, efficiency, and excellence. 

The Accounting Manager is responsible for monitoring the General Ledger and Project Costing modules in Peoplesoft 9.2 and working with City-wide Accounting on closing and reporting issues. The Accounting Manager will be managing three to five accounting professionals, including the department’s Payroll Accountant, and overseeing the accuracy of the general ledger, balance sheet accounts, and project costing system. This position will also assist the accounting and finance/budget teams with questions regarding the system. The incumbent will need to be experienced in GAAP, governmental accounting concepts, and be able to apply these skills to develop or edit standard written operating protocols where desk procedures and standards in the process do not exist. The Accounting Manager must be able to work independently, with limited supervision, and provide technical assistance for other staff across the department. 

This position must also be able to evaluate allocations and review accounting information and reports for accuracy. Judgment is required when planning and directing complex accounting entries and reports, resolving errors or problems, reordering priorities to meet deliverable deadlines, and writing or revising standard operating practices. 

Job duties may include: 

• Review, modify, and analyze data and queries in the financial system (PS9.2).
• Manage staff of three professional accountants at current staffing level, manage team structure and task assignments. Hire, train and develop new staff.
• Review monthly balance sheet account reconciliations and document results to support month-end and annual closing processes, as well as to support the Quarterly Fiscal Monitoring conducted by City-wide Accounting.
• Support in the reconciliation and preparation of the department’s Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and the Schedule of State Financial Assistance.
• Review and analyze reporting requirements to City-wide Accounting, act as the liaison for project costing and general ledger to City-wide and to the Budget team to facilitate questions.
• Establish written processes and procedures for department General Ledger and Project Costing areas with help from direct reports. 
• Monitor and approve journal entries to ensure compliance with city policy and procedures.  
• Assist other Accounting and Budget managers with monitoring financial information across various lines of departmental business and strategizing solutions to issues as they arise.
• Communicate with state auditor during audit regarding information requests and analyses as they relate to General Ledger and Project Costing.
• Prepare financial reports for HSD’s centralized finance team. Perform year end procedures for General Ledger and Project Costing.
• Communicate and enforce policies and procedures to HSD staff related to GAAP and accounting practices.  
• Perform other accounting duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Baccalaureate degree in Accounting or a closely related field.
• Minimum of four years accounting experience for a large firm or government agency with a focus on grant management.
• Minimum of 3 years supervisory or team leader experience.
• Minimum of 3 years experience with large and complex financial systems such as PeopleSoft, Oracle, Salesforce, Net Suite.

OR: An equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the ability to perform the work required. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• CPA preferred
• Familiarity with state and federal grant reporting requirements (SEFA/SSFA)
• Comprehensive understanding of accounting principles and GASB/GAAP procedures
• Understanding of governmental accounting and business practices
• Demonstrated proficiency with standard computer software including Microsoft Office (i.e. Outlook, Word, and Excel)
• Familiarity and experience with grant accounting 
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong analytical thinking, problem solving and researching skills, including analyzing alternative decisions 
• Knowledge of results-based accountability and results-based facilitation
• Skilled working with diverse groups
• Enjoy providing excellent customer service and establishing effective working relationships
• Thrive working as part of a team and with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds
• High level of customer service skills
• 1 year experience working with financial data and trend analysis
• 1 year experience implementing internal controls for general ledger and accounting systems

The full salary range for this position is:  $50.08 - $75.12 Hourly

Your application will not be reviewed if these items are missing or incomplete. 

Hiring Process

Qualified candidates must submit the following to be considered:

1. Completed NEOGOV online application.
2. Current résumé indicating relevant experience and education. 
3. Cover letter describing how your skills and experience align with the stated job responsibilities and qualifications.

Salary : $50 - $75