Controller

About the role

This position works under the general guidance and direction of the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer to formulate, implement and enforce accounting policies, procedures, internal controls and ensure the integrity of the city's financial operations. The Controller works independently to develop and provide accurate and timely financial reports for both internal and external users in accordance with GAAP and professional standards. The position under the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer's direction is responsible for preparation of documents used in the City's annual external audit, preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), and other financial reporting. This position is given wide latitude in performing the responsibilities and exercising independent professional judgment.

Responsibilities

• Prepares the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and the summary schedules with the assistance of staff
• Coordinates the conduct of the annual independent audit of the City's financial records between the City's staff and the independent auditor and resolves auditor's requisitions
• Plans and executes preparation of the annual comprehensive financial report as required by Government Accounting Standards Board and bondholder covenants, involving all year-end procedures for closing funds in preparation to complete the financial statements
• May delegate selected funds to other finance department staff for preparation; retains overall responsibility and imposes will on the final product
• Responsible for all accountants, overseeing and assisting with their workloads, including training, cross-training and providing necessary support to all accountants within the Finance Department under direction of the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
• Provides day-to-day supervision of the accounting clerks, including involvement in the hiring process, providing employee coaching and feedback, assigning of day-to-day and significant duties, input on disciplining and terminating employment; exercising independent judgment to direct others' work and having the authority to take corrective action; utilizing people skills to communicate, motivate and direct or oversee staff
• Assists the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer in the development of the City's budget, including building and maintaining the personnel budget database, compiling and analyzing financial data, creating reports for publication, and assisting in developing budget instructions and formats
• Conducts detailed financial analysis of budgeted and actual citywide or departmental costs and revenues on behalf of city departments and/or other budget staff, including complex cash reconciliation for multi-fund/multibank accounts, creates interfund and transfer charges, creates budget worksheets (such as the budget digest) and financial information reports for the service level reports
• Produces the salary projection report
• Responsible for overseeing all bookkeeping and any audits under the direction of the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
• Assists departments with budget preparation, analysis, and composition
• Analyzes user and operational needs and business requirements in order to develop or modify budget and finance systems
• Trains and supports Finance Department staff and assists departments with budget questions and data entry
• Develops and processes annual Census Reports
• Monitors and provides oversight of Transit Grant Tracking
• Provides grant management for the development of the SEFA Schedule
• Develops ad-hoc COGNOS Reports for analytical purposes
• Develops Extended Reports for specific report generation
• Receives, analyzes and processes complex or specialized financial transactions
• Ensures compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, completeness and accuracy
• Verifies appropriate accounts affected by transactions processed to insure credit or charging and summarizes transactions and disposition for reporting and control purposes
• Assists with banking functions including ordering bank supplies, and processing ACH wires and payments
• May reconcile investment general ledger accounts to the investment system, reconcile interest income and interest receivable on investments quarterly
• Responsible for performing budgeted transfers and interfund charge transactions, as well as special journal entry transactions as necessary
• Assists the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer in the management of the fixed asset accounting module, including recording of asset additions and deletions
• Ensures appropriate depreciation is applied and updates the database for input into the City's financial records and annual reports
• Provides general assistance with all functions and responsibilities within the Finance Department
• Performs program administration duties related to the purchase card program
• Researches current accounts, previous balances, source documents and related materials to develop specified information not readily available from standard reports
• Represents the Finance Department at City Council meetings when the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer is not available or upon request from the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
• Performs complex accounting functions in connection with budget preparation, purchasing activities, payroll analysis and grants management
• Processes and pre-audits accounting documents and transactions in conformance with established procedures and controls
• Reviews, prepares, reconciles and supervises the preparation of complex financial reports
• Reviews, reconciles and audits accounting records of receipts, disbursements and encumbrances to ensure fiscal accuracy and control
• May supervise subordinate staff by delegating, planning, directing and assigning accounting work, including training, coaching, and evaluating staff performance
• Performs fiscal year-end closing activities
• Analyzes, recommends new or updated fiscal policies, procedures and internal controls and re-aligns business practices to improve operations
• Maintains current knowledge of applicable ordinances, rules, regulations, policies and standards
• Presents and explains reports to financial and non-financial managers, co-workers, and clients
• May coordinate, define, develop and maintain financial data extracts, reports and interfaces
• Participates in the identification of functional processing and reporting requirements, end-user testing and documentation, implementation support for financial processing and reporting systems
• Participates in the identification, creation and maintenance of accounting codes and structures to ensure accurate recording, reporting and control in financial systems
• Develops and produces AFAR schedules and works with the Auditor for completion
• Develops and revises methods and procedures to establish and ensure system integrity and internal controls
• Performs special projects and other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Accounting, Business, or Financial Management is required
• Master's Degree preferred
• Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Government Financial Manager, or Certified Management Accountant is required
• Five years' experience in public accounting or ten (10) years in governmental accounting preferred
• Two years' personnel management experience is preferred
• An equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the position may be considered

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of modern principles and practices of municipal finance, accounting, budgeting, purchasing, internal control and investment
• Knowledge of standards for governmental accounting and generally accepted accounting principles
• Knowledge of municipal purchasing practices, laws and codes
• Knowledge of program analysis and forecasting
• Knowledge of pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes and regulations
• Knowledge of accounting codes and terminology; state and federal accounting statutes and their application to work processes, policies, and requirements
• Knowledge of requirements and processing limitations of automated financial information systems
• Knowledge of municipal budgeting practices
• Knowledge of municipal investment principles and practices
• Knowledge of operation of standard office equipment and a personal computer and job-related software applications
• Ability to exercise independent initiative and judgment in applying accounting procedures and agency standards to transaction processing
• Ability to use sophisticated financial and analytic software applications; use advanced computer skills in Microsoft Office products and specifically Excel
• Ability to analyze, interpret, summarize, and present administrative and technical information and data in an effective manner
• Ability to demonstrate strong customer service principles including issue resolution
• Ability to maintain a collaborative and cooperative working relationship with elected and appointed officials, other City employees, and the public
• Ability to communicate effectively in the English language at a level necessary for efficient job performance
• Ability to complete assignments in a timely fashion
• Ability to understand and comply with all rules, policies and regulations
• Ability to maintain a professional demeanor at all times
• Ability to perform all duties in accordance with City policies and procedures with regard for personal safety and that of other employees and the public