Qualifications:
- Minimum of three years of professional experience in a business-related field combined with one of the following:
- Baccalaureate degree from an accredited four–year college or university with a concentration in a business-related curriculum (accounting, finance, or business administration, etc.), including a minimum of 9 semester hours in accounting or
- Baccalaureate degree in a non-related concentration with a minimum of 24 semester hours of business-related courses, 18 hours of which must be in the courses Accounting Principles and Procedures and Business Management Concepts and Practices or
- Graduate degree in a business-related field, or
- A Certified Public Accountant licensed in North Carolina
- Must maintain Continuing Professional Education (CPE) required by the State Board of Education for School Finance Officer Certification
Nature of Work:
Under general supervision, performs supervisory and responsible professional accounting work in overseeing the school system's general accounting programs and maintaining general accounts and the general ledger. The employee is responsible for compiling data for various reports required by oversight agencies and assisting outside auditors. This position is responsible for financial operations without the Chief Financial Officer. The Assistant Finance Director directly supervises the activities of program administrators for accounting, school accounting, and accounts payable.
Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities:
- Assigns, directs, and supervises a staff of accounting technicians in the maintenance of general accounts and the general ledger; sales tax reporting; assistance in 1099 reporting, bank reconciliation, and accounts receivables; coordinates the application of established policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable fiscal laws and regulations, and to foster efficient and accurate delivery of services; reviews subordinates' work, and assists and advises staff as necessary, resolving problems as non- routine situations arise.
- Administers or makes recommendations for routine personnel matters affecting subordinates, including recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training, assigning, scheduling, granting leave, appraising and disciplining, etc., submitting such records and reports as required by Schools' management.
- Maintains general accounts and the general ledger system, reviewing records to ensure adherence to accepted standard accounting practices and principles and established School system policies and procedures; prepares trial balances and corrects errors and resolves discrepancies, as necessary.
- Monitors the cash needs of the accounts payable and payroll departments by the ordering of cash from State and Federal sources accordingly.
- Maintains compliance with State and Federal cash management procedures and deadlines.
- Compiles various financial data and records for use in the preparation of reports and records as required for submission to local, state and federal oversight agencies.
- Downloads and reviews monthly reports from the Department of Public Instruction.
- Monitors balance sheets for all funds throughout the year.
- Performs transactions and system procedures related to fiscal year-end close and new fiscal year creation.
- Assists outside auditors in audits of School system programs and accounts, preparing reports and retrieving records as requested.
- Attends seminars, conferences, workshops, classes, lectures, etc., as appropriate, to enhance and maintain knowledge of trends and developments in the field of accounting and auditing; reviews professional journals, attends association and professional meetings, and otherwise maintains contacts with professionals to facilitate the exchange of information.
- Coordinates and updates the publication of financial procedures and processes.
- Performs periodic analysis of allotments of state and federal funds and budgets in conjunction with the Payroll Manager. Makes any refunds and adjustments necessary to ensure proper expenditure of allotments. Oversees financial system security authorizations for new employees.
- Oversees financial operations in the absence of the Chief Financial Officer.
- Performs other related work as required.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of accounting.
- Knowledge of applied fiscal laws and regulations and school system policies and procedures concerning fiscal operations.
- Knowledge of the procedures required to maintain the general ledger and prepare trial balances.
- Knowledge of the ethical guidelines applicable to the position as outlined by professional organizations and/or federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations.
- Knowledge of the current literature, trends, and developments in the field of accounting and auditing.
- Ability to maintain standard accounting and control measures for the School System.
- Ability to maintain complete and accurate records and to develop meaningful reports from those records.
- Ability to operate standard office machines and popular computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, and file maintenance programs.
- Ability to effectively express ideas orally and in writing.
- Ability to exercise considerable independent judgment and initiative in planning and directing an extensive fiscal control system.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Physical Requirements:
- This work requires the frequent exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force.
- Work regularly requires speaking or hearing, frequently requires walking and sitting and occasionally requires standing, using hands for manual dexterity or to handle or feel, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms and lifting.
- Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).