Finance Assistant

This position requires flexibility in job assignments. While each employee has a primary responsibility, they may be expected to perform other duties as needed.

About the role

Under the direction of the Deputy Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the Finance Assistant performs a broad range of administrative tasks supporting the CFO, including handling routine and confidential correspondence, scheduling meetings, and document management. This position also supports the entire Finance department with specific accounting duties such as processing accounts receivables, weekly cash receipts, and assisting with financial audits. The Finance Assistant provides administrative support for the San Diego Transit Corporation (SDTC) employee pension plan, including payment processing and preparing meeting minutes.

Responsibilities

• Routes for CFO approval and signature all relevant documents including contracts and checks under their authority.
• Drafts, types, edits, and proofreads correspondence, reports, contracts, forms, and a variety of other documents for the CFO.
• Assists with the creation and maintenance of streamlined document flow within the finance department and corresponding departments.
• Assists the CFO in coordinating the organization’s Performance Incentive Program (PIP) goals and consolidating departmental goal achievement results.
• Ensures correspondence and report deadlines are met and all distributed information is accurate and complete.
• Attends, clerks, and records minutes for Budget Development Committee (BDC), SDTC Pension Investment Committee, MTS Executive Committee (EC), and Board meetings.
• Attends monthly Pension Board meetings for visibility of upcoming pensioner distributions.
• Schedules meetings and prepares meeting venues with necessary equipment and documents.
• Reviews organizational travel expense reports to ensure compliance with agency policies.
• Maintains monthly updates to the travel authorization report for CEO and CFO visibility on agency travel.
• Processes SDTC Pension Plan payment request forms for Trustee payment.
• Reviews SDTC Pension Plan bank statements and assists in consolidating Plan financial statements.
• Assists in pension-related functions such as meeting participation, pension retirement calculations, and Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) requests.
• Maintains the Finance Procedures Manual.
• Participates as a Finance representative in Request for Proposal (RFP) evaluations and negotiations.
• Updates Finance Forms annually and uploads them to the MTS Intranet.

Accounting Responsibilities

• Processes all organizational Account Receivable (AR) invoices in SAP.
• Assists with monitoring the AR aging report to ensure timely customer payments and makes collection calls outside of invoice terms.
• Processes all invoice-related cash receipts in both SAP and Sage accounting systems.
• Serves as an agency Purchase Card (P-Card) holder.
• Tracks all non-fare marketing revenue receipts monthly to ensure alignment with contractual terms.
• Serves as the Petty Cash custodian for MTS.
• Adds and maintains new vendors in SAP.
• Reviews and validates compliance on various Finance-related contracts, including SDTC Pension contracts.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of or ability to learn MTS policies and regulations.
• Ability to read, understand, and apply MTS policies, regulations, and union labor contracts.
• Ability to write letters, memoranda, and reports using clear, concise, and grammatically correct English.
• Ability to speak clearly, distinctly, and effectively in person-to-person or small group situations using tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to coordinate and initiate actions necessary to implement decisions and delegate responsibilities to appropriate personnel.
• Ability to establish and maintain priorities to complete assignments by deadlines without detailed instructions.
• Skill in verifying the accuracy and completeness of forms and reports.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel; ability to learn and use other software as required.
• Ability to complete a variety of administrative and executive task support for the CFO and finance team in a timely, accurate manner with minimal supervision.
• Ability to perform all accounts receivable functions and other financial administrative tasks as assigned by the Controller.
• Ability to work independently, using initiative to evaluate and analyze existing practices to develop new or revised procedures for increased productivity.
• Ability to understand finance-related terms.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to walk, stoop, sit, bend, reach for overhead files, and occasionally lift up to 15 pounds.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle and perform tasks involving manual dexterity, such as using a computer and 10-key.
• Work may require more than 8 hours per day or an irregular work week to perform essential duties.
• Duties are primarily performed in an office environment but may require travel to external locations and agencies.

Experience, Education, and Certifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Two years of administrative experience required.
• Previous experience supporting an executive-level figure and/or entry-level finance/accounting experience preferred.
• Must possess and maintain a valid California Driver License or be able to utilize alternative transportation for job-related essential functions.

Additional Requirements

• Must satisfactorily pass all applicable post-offer examinations, including a pre-employment physical, comprehensive criminal background and credit check, and pre-employment drug test as required by MTS Board Policy.

Pay

This position is in salary grade #6, with a minimum of $61,516 and a maximum of $87,353. Salary offers are based on factors such as knowledge, skills, abilities, relevant experience, internal equity, budget constraints, and market factors. Salary grades are typically adjusted annually to remain market competitive.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family.
• Paid time off and retirement plans.
• Wellness programs.
• Up to 13 employer-paid holidays per year, including 3 floating holidays.
• Free transit pass for you and your family.
• On-site gym and gym membership reimbursement.
• Walk, run, and bike event reimbursement.
• Employer-paid bereavement leave and jury duty.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility.
• Company-paid training and professional development opportunities.