Financial Specialist I

About the role

This position performs a wide variety of professional financial and accounting functions in support of the JDRDC Business Areas. The role utilizes the SAP FOCUS automated system for processing financial transactions for all JDRDC funds, including General, Title, Grant, and Gift Funds. The position works under the general supervision of the Financial Specialist III.

Responsibilities

• Ascertain sufficient funds are available and use correct coding elements.
• Prepare and process a variety of financial documents in SAP FOCUS, including encumbrances, change orders, payment vouchers, cash receipts, journal entries, budget entries, and invoices.
• Perform detailed reconciliations per department policy (ATB-20).
• Assist in the preparation of annual operating budgets and appropriate justifications.
• Monitor WPFO budgets and billings.
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of financial records, identify errors, and prepare correcting entries.
• Maintain electronic ledgers and spreadsheets of budget and expenditure records.
• Assist in audits.
• Prepare and analyze budget and expenditure reports using SAP FOCUS and the Agency's internal expenditure approval system.
• Maintain complete and well-organized digital and hard-copy documentation of all financial actions.
• Train other personnel on finance and accounting processes and duties.
• Oversee daily accounts payable and accounts receivable work, as well as grant administration for the JDRDC.
• Develop and prepare accounts payable and receivable activities, including creation of encumbrances (e.g., funds reservations, purchase orders), payments (e.g., purchase order, P-Card, check request), billing (e.g., invoicing), deposits (e.g., revenue), purchase card custodianship, and monitoring, tracking, reconciliation, and reporting of the budget and budgetary transactions.
• Manage the federal and state grant development process and prepare grant financial reports under supervision.
• Interact with staff, vendors, and other agency contacts to respond to inquiries.
• Assist the Financial Specialist III with budget process activities, including third quarter, year-end, and carryover projections and submissions.
• Prepare financial statements and reports and review for accuracy.
• Oversee the processing of budget, procurement, and/or payment documents.
• Analyze cost, revenue, and operating expenses.
• Maintain special revenue/account funds.
• Develop, prepare, and justify the budget for a small agency or assist with budget development for a large agency.

Requirements

• Knowledge of accounting theories, bookkeeping, public budgeting, and grant administration.
• General knowledge of laws, ordinances, and regulations governing municipal finance.
• Ability to interpret automated financial reports and financial policies and procedures.
• Ability to analyze revenue and expenses and make projections.
• Ability to complete budget documents in accordance with the Department of Management and Budget.

Qualifications

Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in accounting; or
• A bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field supplemented by at least 6 credit hours of basic accounting principles and concepts.

Alternatively, four years of increasingly complex technical administrative experience in the assigned functional area, comparable to experience at the Administrative Assistant IV level or higher, may qualify individuals for this role.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least two to less than three years of experience with accounts payable and purchasing.
• At least one year of experience with grants and grant reporting.
• Experience creating and presenting reports.
• Experience with financial management and accounting.
• At least one year of experience presenting reports to senior-level staff.
• At least one year of experience working with financial modules of enterprise resource systems (ERP) and databases.
• Intermediate to advanced experience using Microsoft Excel.
• Beginner to advanced experience using Microsoft Word.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to communicate with others.
• Ability to lift up to 15 pounds.
• Job is generally sedentary but requires visual acuity to read data on a computer monitor and operate keyboard-driven equipment.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

This position is considered essential personnel for continuity of operations and may require response during inclement weather or emergency situations. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check, Child Protective Services Registry check, and credit check.