Accountant (Full-Time)

Full-Time / Non-Exempt / AFSCME Represented

Salary Range:  $23.66 - $30.28 per hour - Plus 6% City paid PERS

BENEFITS

The City of Sherwood offers the following benefits programs: paid time off (vacation); paid sick leave; paid holidays; group health insurance for employees and their dependents; flexible spending accounts; group life insurance; short and long term disability insurance; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS); 457 deferred compensation plan; optional direct deposit; credit union membership; and a discounted Sherwood YMCA membership.

SUMMARY AND REQUIREMENTS

The City of Sherwood is currently recruiting for an Accountant to perform a full range of routine and complex departmental accounting and record-keeping functions.  Accountants provide responsible professional and technical assistance in the administration and implementation of the City’s financial, auditing, and accounting programs. 

Essential duties include: preparing journal entries and reconciling general ledger and subsidiary accounts; preparing monthly financial reports, including distributing monthly revenue and expenditure reports to departments; analyzing and reconciling expenditure and revenue accounts, including the reconciliation of bank statements to the general ledger and capital projects; reconciling postings from accounts payable, cash receipts, and accounts receivable to the general ledger; preparing journal entries; applying general and governmental accounting/auditing principles and procedures, laws and regulations affecting the financial operations of municipal government; auditing assigned financial records for accuracy and proper classification of financial transactions; assisting in the coordination of the annual external audit; preparing entries to maintain the fixed asset ledger; entering new and updated data into the accounting system, including all capital purchases, fixed asset transfers and deletions; monitoring expenditures to ensure compliance with adopted budget and contracts; monitoring grant, IGA, and lease agreements for proper classification and compliance; developing complex computerized spreadsheets for various reports; and providing accounting assistance to other departments and employees.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS: Broad knowledge of the principles, methods and practices of fund accounting, cost accounting, financial reporting, internal controls and auditing procedures.  Experience with sophisticated fund accounting software. Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, business administration, or a closely related field, and two (2) years of responsible professional public accounting experience, or any satisfactory combination of training and experience which would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the above duties.

DESIRABLE SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS: Broad knowledge and experience in government accounting in a customer service environment, particularly in a municipality.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESSES

To apply, submit a completed City Application, Resume, cover letter, and responses to the supplemental questions below, to the Human Resource Department on or before the closing date. Application materials must be received by the Human Resources Department by 5 pm on the closing date, to be considered.  Electronic and faxed copies are accepted with a signature. Application materials will be used to select the top candidates. Those selected for further consideration will be invited to complete a technical test and participate in an oral interview. Prior to hiring, the successful candidate may be asked to complete a satisfactory pre-employment criminal history background check.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS

Please limit your answers to no more than a half-page per question.

The following questions are applicable to typical general purpose government units, such as City, County and State.

1.  What is a “fund”, and can you name several types of funds most widely used in governmental accounting?

2.  What are the main accounting characteristics of enterprise funds that are different from other governmental type funds?

3.  What are the three sections in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR); and what are the three components of basic financial statements?

The following question is applicable to general purpose governmental units within the state of Oregon.

4.  Describe the budget process leading up to budget adoption as well as the process for changing the budget after adoption.

CITY APPLICATION

A City Application can be found online at www.sherwoodoregon.gov or may be requested by mail by calling Human Resources at (503) 625-4201.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE

It is the policy of the City of Sherwood to grant hiring and promotion preference to qualified veterans and disabled veterans in accordance with ORS 408.230, at each stage of the application and interview process.  To claim veterans’ preference in promotion, please complete the Veterans’ Preference form provided with the City Application packet, and submit it with the required documentation at the time of application. 

NOTIFICATION

Applicants that are not selected will be notified by phone, email, or letter once the position has been filled.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or physical disability. The City of Sherwood provides access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation, contact the Human Resource Department at (503) 625-4201.