Accounting Systems Analyst

About the role

An Accounting Systems Analyst through continuous audit and user consultation identifies and defines transactional, business process, and accounting system issues; analyzes and translates departmental requirements into specifications based on an understanding of PeopleSoft and SAP accounting systems; performs testing, and maintenance tasks; and serves as a technical resource to accounting and business office staff at both the District Office and colleges.

Responsibilities

• Routinely audits transactional data, reports, accounting system functionalities, and inter-system integration to ensure effective operational outcomes.
• Identifies opportunities for improving business processes and insuring compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies, including GAAP.
• Consults with accounting system users to identify and define operational needs and objectives, current operational procedures, problems, input and output requirements, and levels of systems access.
• Analyzes the feasibility of and develops requirements/specifications for new systems/modules and enhancements to existing systems in areas such as general accounting, accounts receivable/payable, specially funded, student accounts, enterprise accounting and ensures that the system design fits the needs of the users.
• Documents business processes and system changes; develops and distributes communications to colleges, student, and other stake holders regarding policy, process, and procedural changes.
• Acts as liaison between process owners and IT systems and programming staff engaged in analyzing, designing, coding, implementing, maintaining, and modifying technology components of accounting information technology systems and applications.
• Performs testing for system projects from development to production and recommends changes in configurations to resolve errors and address user needs.
• Recruits, trains, and guides user-testers from various business areas to complete quality testing of new features and changes to existing accounting system modules.
• Provides technical training, mentoring, and coaching to professional and technical staff of matters related to usage of PeopleSoft and SAP systems functionality.
• Maintains effective and cooperative working relationships with process owners, technical team members, and users.
• Writes instructions, procedures, and manuals associated with the implementation and maintenance of payroll/retirement systems.
• Writes reports and correspondence containing descriptive, analytical, and evaluative content including specifications, findings, conclusions, and recommendations for accounting systems.
• Acts as a liaison with auditors engaged in regulatory, contractual, and operational audits of District accounting operations.
• May be assigned to project teams doing business process analysis in all functional areas under the direction of Vice Chancellor/Chief Financial Officer.
• May perform professional level work in the absence of assigned personnel and during peak workload periods.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree from a recognized college or university, preferable with a major in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or a related field AND three years of recent, full-time, paid, professional-level experience in an accounting position which included responsibility for business process analysis, design, and modification in an ERP environment such as SAP and PeopleSoft.
• OR A master's degree from recognized college or university with a major in accounting, business process management, or a related field AND one year of recent, full-time, paid, professional-level experience in an accounting position which included responsibility for business process analysis, design, and modification in an ERP environment such as SAP and PeopleSoft.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of: Business principles, practices, systems, and procedures of accounting including as general accounting, accounts receivable/payable, specially funded, student accounts, enterprise accounting
• Tools and approaches used in business process analysis and management
• Goals and objectives of the District and Division of Finance as they relate to accounting operations
• Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations related to accounting and financial systems and reporting of the District, including GAAP
• Board Rules as they related to accounting transactions of the District
• Characteristics and capabilities of state-of-the-art technology related to accounting and financial management administration including PeopleSoft and SAP accounting systems/modules
• Capabilities of computer applications, systems, and hardware used in accounting operations
• Principles and methods of systems developing operational process specifications and documentation
• Principles of work simplification and modification
• Principles of training and coaching
• Ability To Identify operational problems, assemble and analyze facts, draw sound conclusions, and recommend solutions to accounting and financial system problems
• Articulate technical specifications for the development and improvement of business processes and related technology systems
• Interpret and apply applicable rules, laws, and procedures to accounting operations
• Document operational processes, functions, and procedures involving PeopleSoft and SAP accounting systems modules
• Perform testing tasks related to PeopleSoft and SAP accounting systems modules
• Effectively utilize computer equipment and software in the performance of duties
• Express concepts clearly and concisely both orally and in writing
• Write clear and comprehensive reports, documentation, instructions, and training materials
• Interpret and apply applicable rules, laws, and procedures to accounting and financial management operations
• Work effectively and independently on assigned projects
• Plan and execute work to meet critical schedules and deadlines
• Work effectively and cooperatively with a diverse pool of administrators, functional and technical team members, and users

Skills

• Business principles, practices, systems, and procedures of accounting including as general accounting, accounts receivable/payable, specially funded, student accounts, enterprise accounting
• Tools and approaches used in business process analysis and management
• Goals and objectives of the District and Division of Finance as they relate to accounting operations
• Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations related to accounting and financial systems and reporting of the District, including GAAP
• Board Rules as they related to accounting transactions of the District
• Characteristics and capabilities of state-of-the-art technology related to accounting and financial management administration including PeopleSoft and SAP accounting systems/modules
• Capabilities of computer applications, systems, and hardware used in accounting operations
• Principles and methods of systems developing operational process specifications and documentation
• Principles of work simplification and modification
• Principles of training and coaching
• Ability To Identify operational problems, assemble and analyze facts, draw sound conclusions, and recommend solutions to accounting and financial system problems
• Articulate technical specifications for the development and improvement of business processes and related technology systems
• Interpret and apply applicable rules, laws, and procedures to accounting operations
• Document operational processes, functions, and procedures involving PeopleSoft and SAP accounting systems modules
• Perform testing tasks related to PeopleSoft and SAP accounting systems modules
• Effectively utilize computer equipment and software in the performance of duties
• Express concepts clearly and concisely both orally and in writing
• Write clear and comprehensive reports, documentation, instructions, and training materials
• Interpret and apply applicable rules, laws, and procedures to accounting and financial management operations
• Work effectively and independently on assigned projects
• Plan and execute work to meet critical schedules and deadlines
• Work effectively and cooperatively with a diverse pool of administrators, functional and technical team members, and users

Benefits

• Medical and dental insurance and vision care plans are provided for employees and their dependents.
• A $50,000 life insurance policy is provided free of charge for each employee.
• New employees receive 12 full-pay days and 88 half-pay days of illness leave.
• 19 paid holidays per year.
• Vacation days accrue annually beginning at 10 days and increasing incrementally to 24 days depending on years of service with the District.
• Vacation days for management and confidential positions begin at 15, 20, or 24 days.
• Other paid time off includes: bereavement leave, personal necessity leave, court subpoena, and jury duty.
• Employees become members of the Public Employees Retirement System.
• Employees are also covered by Social Security.
• Employee Assistance Program