Accountant Senior

Hamilton County Schools, located in Chattanooga, TN, is working to ensure that all students thrive and experience a future without limits.  We are committed to excellence for every student and are seeking outstanding leaders, teachers, support staff, and district employees who desire to make a difference in the lives of students. With nearly 75 schools, we are confident that you can find your place in Hamilton County. 

Learn more about working for Hamilton County Schools at careers.hcde.org and get to know us and our strategic plan, Opportunity 2030. 

The purpose of this job is to independently conduct general accounting and financial activities, including budget preparation, budget administration, general accounting, financial reporting, maintenance of records, and other financial activities.

• Ensures compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards, and all other applicable codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations.
• Responds to questions from staff accountants, interprets GAAP and other regulations as needed. Provides guidance on special projects as needed.
• Prepares budget documents, charts, and graphs; prepares and maintains budgets by schools; prepares spreadsheets and monitors salary expenses for all system personnel; assists in making budgetary projections; maintains database and history of budget information; downloads information from mainframe system to personal computer database.
• Assembles information needed to prepare annual budget documentation for presentation to School Board, County Commissioners, and the public; prepares revenue analysis needed for budget presentation and other items needed for budget process.
• Creates and maintains revenue database to generate monthly status reports and periodic analytical reports; prepares and maintains spreadsheet log for all revenue; assists in reviewing purchase orders to ensure use of appropriate budget codes and availability of adequate funds.
• Prepares a variety of financial reports; assists with preparation of various state and federal reports, including the Annual Financial Report; prepares monthly School Board financial statements; compiles statistical and administrative data for reports; researches data and makes applicable calculations; distribute s monthly financial reports and explanations to. various individuals, departments, or outside agencies.
• Prepares and makes bank deposits; prepares and reconciles monthly bank reconciliations.
• Prepares various journal vouchers as needed; posts weekly payroll entries and makes all corrections; prepares journal vouchers for voided checks and stop-payment checks.
• Prepares invoices for system; bills schools for various items/services such as warehouse issues, copy supply charges, and vehicle repair charges; maintains billings and balances for out -of-state; calculates, summarizes, and prepares invoices for Food Services Department for fringe benefits, meals, and allocated and indirect charges.
• Prepares spreadsheets and documentation as backup for expenditures.

• Prepares and maintains list of account approvers for internal control purposes.

• Provides training for system users on monthly accounting reports; meets periodically with users to review budget items, accounts, and year-to-date activity.

• Performs a variety of general accounting/bookkeeping functions, such as calculating data, balancing/reconciling spreadsheets/reports, reconciling bank statements, researching financial discrepancies, voiding or stopping payment on checks, correcting data errors, generating reports, or maintaining financial records.

• Follows established procedures for ensuring assigned areas are safe.

• Works collaboratively with administrators, faculty, and staff.

• Attends work regularly and arrives to work on time.

• Maintains confidentiality.
• Adheres to the Teacher Code of Ethics.

• Complies with accounting and financial policies and procedures involving the handling of money and property, as well as other Board Policies.

• Uses computers and other technology to enter and access information related to essential job functions.

• May operate a motor vehicle to conduct various work activities.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/Education/Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or closely related field; supplemented by five (5) years previous experience and/ or training that includes progressively responsible public accounting, governmental accounting, financial analysis, accounting information systems, supervision, and personal computer operations; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills to deal effectively with school personnel, department staff, and persons outside of HCDE such as state auditors.
• Ability to perform mathematical computations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Ability to explain policies and procedures to staff accountants and others as needed.
• Ability to use a variety of software to produce and retrieve financial documents/reports.

Compensation:
Salary is based on a combination of relevant education and experience.
Grade H
Salary Scale