Accountant - Public Works And Utilities

Applications received through Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 4:30 PM will receive priority first review. This position will remain opened until filled but may be closed at any time a qualified candidate is selected.

About the Position
Under the supervision of the Administrative Services Director (Director) the Accountant for Public Works performs professional financial management and accounting activities primarily for the Public Works and Utilities Department (PW&U).

Accountant for Public Works & Utilities, was previously titled as “Financial Manager for Public Works and Utilities.

About the Department
Administrative Services provides leadership in the areas of budgeting, financial reporting, information systems, and is responsible for helping to insure the City's compliance with local, State, and Federal financial management standards.

Financial Services Division fulfills all accounting/treasury functions, which include payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, auditing, investing, budgeting, utility billing, and financial reporting.

About the City
The City of Edmonds is a beautiful community on the Puget Sound waterfront with a population of 42,980 and is the gateway to the Olympic peninsula via the state ferry system. Edmonds provides a full range of services, including contracted fire services, police services a municipal court, a community pool, a regional performing arts facility, public works and utilities, a regional wastewater treatment facility, along with community events and services through our Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department. Six department directors report directly to the Mayor and oversee approximately 256 full–time-equivalent employees.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all
employees in this classification, but only as a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) assigned to this position are expected to perform the responsibilities of the Accountants and may or may not be required to perform all duties listed, and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Responsible for incorporating new developments in management and accounting as assigned, and ensuring processes, policies and practices are interpreted and applied consistently and effectively.
• Responsible for coordinating Public Works Department submittals to Finance for completion of the fixed asset reconciliation.
• Attendance at occasional evening meetings may be required to represent the division or department at City Council meetings.
• Following guidance and policies established by the Finance Department, establishes and maintains project accounting codes and structures to ensure a consistent application of these policies across all Divisions in the Public Works Department.
• Responsible for preparing Public Works Department grant agency invoicing and reimbursements to ensure that grant and contract work is reimbursed to the City in a timely manner. Provides similar services for other departmental grants being managed by the Public Works Department.
• Responsible for developing the information required by the Director to respond to budget questions and accounting inquiries from other department directors, Councilmembers, and citizens.
• Responsible for providing confidential research reports and analysis as requested for the Public Works Department labor negotiating representatives.
• May be required to serve as staff on a variety of internal committees.
• Performs other related duties as assigned that are within the scope of this position classification.
• Provides data and evaluation for updating capital asset records, provide periodic reports to the Public Works Director and Finance Department to ensure assets are accurately recorded in the City’s capital asset system; accurately records and documents capital asset dispositions and trade-ins.
• Responsible for participating in the preparation of the City’s annual budget by assisting Finance Division staff and Public Works Department Division Managers with their budgets; analyzing requested funding levels; preparing assigned portions of the budget document in coordination with the Director and other staff.
• Responsible for providing Public Works Department forecasts and summaries to the Finance Department and the Public Works Director for use in the development of the City’s Capital Improvement Program.
• Prepares and submits accurate and timely Public Works Department Capital Work In Progress status reports as required by the Finance Department.
• Responsible for providing information as requested by the Director in the preparation of the City’s Long- range Financial Plan.
• Responsible for attending and participating in professional group meetings and maintaining awareness of new trends and developments in the fields related to the areas assigned.
• Responsible for preparing ad hoc reports as requested by Public Works Department Divisions, and/or outside agencies as requested by the Director and working on a variety of special projects as assigned by the Director.
• Responsible for working as the key Public Works Department team member in developing the text and data necessary to prepare any revenue bond statements for reports on existing debt as well as for new borrowings.
• Responsible for preparing and maintaining a variety of reports, including preparing and presenting staff reports and other necessary correspondence as requested by the Director.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field AND three years of progressively responsible financial management experience and/or professional accounting that includes experience developing financial reports and recordkeeping, and budget preparation in a medium to large scale municipal or private sector organization, two years budgeting and accounting experience related to municipal utilities.

An equivalent combination of education, training and experience which allows the incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of the position may also be considered

Required Licenses or Certifications:

• A valid CPA license is preferred but not required.
• A criminal background check is required following a verbal offer of employment. Criminal history is not an automatic employment disqualifier. Results are reviewed on a case-by case basis.
• A consumer credit check is required following a verbal offer of employment due to this position’s access to City financial data/information. Negative credit history is not an automatic employment disqualifier. Results are reviewed on a case-by case basis.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $8,025.00 - $10,242.00 per month

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Edmonds, WA 98020: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

• GAAP: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• CPA (Preferred)

Work Location: In person