County of Alameda

DESCRIPTION

Under general supervision, to provide accounting and financial support of County departments and agencies; to reconcile, maintain, monitor and control major groupings of funds, budget units, or revenue and expenditure accounts; and to do related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This is bridge class between the clerical accounting series including Accounting Specialist I and Accounting Technician and the professional-level of Accountant. This class is distinguished from the lower level Accounting Specialist I in that the former works with and is expected to show proficiency in multiple accounting systems and performs work involving county-wide financial processes and/or processes that have significant financial impact on the County. Employees are assigned the most complex, difficult, and/or specialized accounting, financial and/or budgetary work requiring analysis and evaluation of financial records to ensure accuracy and the interpretation of financial guidelines to ensure that fiscal operations are in compliance.

This class is distinguished from Accountant series by latter’s knowledge of and skill in applying generally accepted accounting principles and practices and requirement for preparing analytical, narrative, statistical, and accounting reports. The professional level classes normally involve independent decision-making, development or oversight of a program or function, the more limited availability or nature of supervision received and a greater scope and complexity of activities, regulations and guidelines.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

NOTE:The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Analyzes and evaluates the more complex financial/statistical data to provide information on department, division, or fund expenditures and revenues in order to assist with budget or financial statement preparation, ensure compliance with governmental reporting regulations or for management decisions regarding budget or fiscal issues. Regularly accounts for transactions in independent cost accounting system and reconciles with the Auditor’s Alcolink Financial System.
2. Coordinates, reconciles, compiles, and corrects complex accounting errors or discrepancies in financial information in order to maintain accurate balances for accounting periods; controls system access while analyzing and reconciling financial data in financial system.
3. Communicates verbally and in writing with fund recipients, departments, and other agencies in order to resolve discrepancies and exchange or relate information regarding contract budgeting compliance, financial record corrections, and inter-department/agency appropriations or expenditures.
4. Monitors monthly time studies for calculating costs for special program claims and completes summaries at end of quarter. Audits time study forms for completeness, accuracy and conformity to State and Federal rules and regulations. Gather data from a variety of systems to generate time study ratios between programs. Analyze, modify or redesign, if needed, a wide variety of forms for online time study system; maintain database; help develop and implement online reporting.
5. Reviews a variety of documents related to the operations of the unit for conformance to program regulations and procedures; using established guidelines, analyzes and evaluates revenues or expenditures of a department or budget unit to determine the maximum allowable reimbursement or claim
6. Reviews and prepares budget and board letters for multiple state and federal grants. Requests to establish accounts in Alcolink and prepares all financial reports.
7. Reviews claims for payment for completeness, accuracy, and conformance to program requirements; monitors payment status, researches errors and makes required adjustments.
8. Participates in the development, modification, implementation and maintenance of automated financial tracking and recordkeeping systems to improve the efficiency of accounting practices and maintain the integrity of the information generated.
9. Coordinates processing requisitions greater than $5,000, coordinates settlement claims, and coordinates maintaining the County’s vendor file.
10. Coordinates and maintains the County’s management benefits claims including medical, dental, and vision claims.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either I
Experience:

The equivalent of one year of experience as an Accounting Specialist I in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

OR II
Education:

Equivalent to completion of two years of college (90 quarter units or 60 semester units) from an accredited college or university in a bookkeeping or accounting curriculum. (Additional experience as outlined below may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.)
AND

Experience:

Equivalent to two years of full-time bookkeeping experience at a level equivalent to the Accounting Specialist I classification and which has included some combination of document review and processing, administrative or financial recordkeeping and/or office management.

License:

Specified positions may require possession of a valid California driver's license.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the "Examples of Duties" section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

• Practices and techniques of automated accounting and financial record keeping and report preparation.
• Accounting principles and bookkeeping practices
• Principles and practices of auditing and reconciling a variety of financial and accounting documents and records
• Computer applications related to the work, including spreadsheet and data base applications
• Procedures, terminology and forms related to the functional area to which assigned.
• Techniques used to reconcile subsidiary accounts, to control accounts, and to maintain books through trial balance
• Basic budgeting and cost accounting practices and procedures.
• Microsoft Excel and Access Database.

Ability to:

• Audit and reconcile financial, accounting and budgetary documents and records; maintain journals and reports.
• Read, interpret and apply rules, regulations, policies and procedures involved in fiscal recordkeeping and accounting functions
• Compile fiscal and financial data.
• Learn accounting structure, financial guidelines, systems, and procedures of the department, fiscal program or agency.
• Learn basic budgeting and funding regulations, practices, and procedures.
• Interpret, explain and apply regulations and procedures in varying situations.
• Organize and prioritize work and meet critical deadlines.
• Maintain accurate records and files.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

CLASS SPEC HISTORY

RE:po 12/14/05 Clerical Study
Newspec: 1316.doc
CSC Date: 5/24/2006

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees) 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.