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Reports to: School District Financial Advisor
Division: Administrative Services

Our ideal candidate
You are a proactive, solutions-oriented professional who takes the initiative to elevate the leadership and services this office provides to our districts. You are a detailed-oriented and accurate finance professional with excellent communication skills. You have the ability to maintain focus and attention to detail in a business office environment with frequent interruptions. You earn the trust of colleagues and inspire others through your positive attitude and professional expertise. You are a creative problem-solver, highly responsible, and take full ownership of your assigned responsibilities. You understand politically sensitive issues and handle yourself in a diplomatic and confidential manner. You conduct research, communicate effectively, and use a high degree of professional judgment to solve problems and collaborate with others in that pursuit. You mentor and train others in an ongoing effort to advance the organization. You advise, train, and collaborate with others in an ongoing effort to advance the organization. You lead by example and foster a team environment. You are committed to excellence in providing the best service possible.

General description
This individual oversees general ledger activity, accounts payable production, financial system management, and training for more than 20 external agencies, including the county education office, school districts, charter schools, and community colleges. The position also acts as a liaison between our districts and federal, state, county, and local agencies. Therefore, the consequence of error is high. This position supervises day-to-day finance operations and performs a wide range of research, planning, and analytical, interpretive and advisory tasks, as required, to provide financial services to external agencies. This individual works closely with the payroll systems supervisor to ensure seamless operations between the payroll and finance modules of the financial system.

This position requires the ability to understand unique district configurations within a complex, multi-module, fully integrated software system. It also requires using multiple solutions, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, and being flexible in meeting the needs of individual district setups.

Specific duties and responsibilities

• Plan, schedule, and supervise day-to-day financial activities in the department and manage workload to meet deadlines
• Supervise, train, and evaluate financial services staff
• Advise internal staff and external agencies in all areas of accounting and assist in processing accounts payable, accounts receivable, budget revisions, journal entries, cash loans and transfers, accruals, general accounting, and year-end close processing
• Establish and implement internal procedures for financial services, revaluate and refine processes and procedures to enhance the overall operation of the department
• Oversee functional operations, development, testing and maintenance of data systems
• Propose new programming specifications and test system upgrades to ensure integrity of data in functionality in finance and related modules
• Analyze system-generated reports for completeness, compliance and accuracy for the purpose of determining necessary system changes and modifications
• Develop training materials and present workshops on financial accounting topics including accounts receivable, accounts payable, Commercial Warrant Claims manual updates, deposits, fixed assets, requisitions, warehouse-stores-inventory, 1099 tax reporting, yearend close, and other topics
• Prepare a variety of reports, financial statements, correspondence, and external communications related to financial services
• Analyze and interpret proposed and adopted legislation related to financial governance and reporting for operational impact and compliance
• Monitor cash daily, review and analyze districts’ cash flow, including temporary loans, and monitor cash solvency
• Explain and apply laws, rules, and regulations applicable to school business activities
• Organize, summarize, and express complex concepts or issues in concise terms to a variety of people with varying levels of experience and understanding; advise and train school business personnel on financial accounting techniques, policies and procedures, including the use of the financial system software
• Research and resolve help desk tickets related to the financial systems software, which requires an in-depth understanding of financial accounting concepts, techniques, regulations and policies; monitor and communicate the progress of the software changes and enhancements
• Oversee month-end close process, reconciliation of cash in district and county funds, auditing and posting journal entries, reconciling and disbursing state apportionments
• Oversee year-end close process, assist districts with accruals, property tax reconciliation, and verify beginning fund and cash balances for each district
• Assist districts with financial system software setup maintenance, including: workflow, vendors, chart of accounts, organization and department records
• Oversee activities and services related to external school finance departments for centralized accounts payable production, budget revisions, journal entries, cash loans and transfers, year-end processing, and countywide system software settings for a variety organizations with unique work flows and permissions
• Work with the county auditor-controller’s office to maintain districts’ bond interest and redemption funds including distribution and monitoring of annual budgets, posting of principal and interest to bond funds, and preparation of bonding capacity calculations
• Help districts with 1099-Misc tax reporting, vendor setup and maintenance, IRS guidelines and policies.
• Coordinate the opening and closing of district funds at the county treasury
• Maintain and update the Commercial Warrant Claims manual, and monitor district compliance
• Supervise and assist in compiling data for the preparation of state financial reports, and maintain complex records, spreadsheets, reports, data, and review and make recommendations
• Participate in planning department goals and objectives, provide sustained leadership and coordination in all areas of responsibility
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements
Education: A bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance, or related field. An associate’s degree may be accepted along with additional applicable, and progressively responsible experience

Experience: Progressively responsible experience in the areas of business, finance, accounting, and auditing; in-depth experience working with financial software.

Knowledge and skills:

• Knowledge of internal controls, accounting, and business practices, specifically in the areas of general ledger and accounts payable processing
• Knowledge of financial audit and review processes
• Ability to research and apply complex technical accounting and legal guidance
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Generally Accepted Audit Standards (GAAS), and Governmental Accounting Standards (GAS)
• Well-developed English language, written communication, and presentation skills
• Ability to convey personal and technical information to all levels of staff, manage and review performance, and solve complex problems
• Knowledge of California School Accounting Manual (CSAM) procedures, governmental accounting, and auditing.

Abilities

• Use a multi-module, highly complex, fully integrated software system
• Analyze financial data and prepare clear, complete and concise financial records and reports
• Independently establish, schedule, and sequence financial accounting activities to meet all deadlines
• Prepare account adjustments and custom reports using PC based spreadsheets and relational databases
• Facilitate upgrades to software modules affecting financial data and calculations to ending balances
• Conduct technical research and prepare complex arithmetic computations
• Present information clearly and in an organized manner
• Supervise and lead staff in a manner that encourages efficiency and teamwork
• Analyze situations and adopt effective solutions
• Work in an office setting engaged in work of a primarily sedentary nature
• Have sufficient ambulatory ability to use common office equipment and retrieve documents
• Have hand-eye-arm coordination to use a computer keyboard and 10-key at an advanced rate
• Have visual acuity to recognize letters and numbers
• Have auditory ability to carry on conversations in person and over the phone
• Perform all aspects of the position.

Licenses and certificates
Valid California driver’s license

Working conditions
Work is performed indoors with minimal exposure to health and safety considerations.

Salary range 94

Series
Fiscal/Business

Approved by the Personnel Commission: May 25, 2017