ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST

Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is an urban hub bursting with energy. Milwaukee provides a casual sophistication – big city appeal without the big city hassles. We are accessible and affordable, and our residents are welcoming. Milwaukee has evolved through the years, bringing together its unsurpassed old-world charm with a breathtaking Art Museum, top-flight arts and cultural attractions, professional sports, lakefront festivals, recreational opportunities, and great restaurants.

The City of Milwaukee is proud to employ a diverse workforce that is committed to providing exemplary service to the City’s residents. If you have a passion for being a part of an inclusive team of public servants, please consider the following opportunity. 

Under the direction of the Grants Fiscal Manager, the Accounting Specialist monitors the financial activities of grants by conducting on-site fiscal reviews of recipient organizations.

Accounting and Reporting

• Perform daily grant accounting functions to ensure timeliness and accuracy in financial data.
• Maintain accounting controls to ensure that grant activities are in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements.
• Enforce accounting policies and procedures for the grants to ensure compliance with the City’s guidelines and Federal and State requirements. 
• Monitor receipt of grant revenue and process deposits of the funds in a timely manner.
• Monitor, analyze, and reconcile grant transactions to ensure timeliness, accuracy, consistency, and completeness of financial data.
• Prepare or review required financial reports, reimbursement requests, and/or drawdowns for the grants. 
• Process audit confirmations relating to sub-award grant expenditures.
• Perform year-end closing activities and prepare supporting schedules necessary to complete the City’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and Single Audit Report. 

Audit and Review 

• Perform assigned on-site fiscal review of organizations that receive grant funds from the City and make recommendations for improvement.
• Follow up with review findings and recommendations until resolved and compliant with the grant requirements.
• Perform desk review of audit reports of the sub-grantees who expend $750,000 in annual Federal grant funds, determine whether the audits are acceptable under OMB requirements, and issue management’s decisions on findings that impact the City’s awards.
• Follow up on audit findings to ensure timely and appropriate resolution.
• Collect and review cost allocation plans from sub-grantees in compliance with the uniform grant guidance.
• Perform preliminary review of organizations initially receiving funds from the City to determine if the entity’s recordkeeping system, administrative polices, and internal controls are adequate.
• Provide guidance to sub-grantees and accounting support staff as needed.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

Please be advised that new employees are required to have received either both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine prior to their employment start date or have an approved religious or medical accommodation prior to their employment start date. You can find further information relative to the City’s Covid-19 Vaccination Policy here. 

• The Accounting Specialist must have the ability to travel to various organizations to perform on-site fiscal reviews.

1. Bachelor’s degree in accounting from an accredited college or university.
2. Two years of professional accounting experience.   

Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

NOTICE: Please do not attach your academic transcripts to your employment application. The hiring department will verify candidates’ education as part of the background screening process prior to extending any job offers.

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.

Technical

• Knowledge of principles and practices concerning grant administration and audits, including knowledge of GAAP and OMB requirements, City of Milwaukee guidelines, and Federal and State requirements.
• Knowledge of business and management principles needed to develop and coordinate the grant budget.
• Knowledge of auditing techniques and procedures.
• Ability to read, understand, and interpret contracts, budgets, financial statements, accounting policies and procedures, corporate documents, and audit reports.
• Ability to proficiently use spreadsheets, databases, word processing software, and statistical programs.
• Ability to organize work to effectively and efficiently use resources to accomplish multiple tasks according to deadlines.
• Skill in conducting research, analyzing complex issues, and formulating recommendations.
• Ability to work well independently and function as part of a team.

Communication and Interpersonal 

• Effective verbal communications skills, including the ability to present data and findings in a concise and clear manner before various audiences.
• Effective written communication skills, including the ability to credibly write reports, business correspondence, emails, and procedures manuals so they can be understood by individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to practice active listening by giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, and asking questions as appropriate.
• Ability to lead and work cooperatively with team members, grant partners and participants, departmental representatives, and City officials.
• Ability to work cooperatively and fairly with people whose backgrounds may differ from one's own.
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work to achieve objectives within deadlines.

Judgment and Responsibility 

• Ability to initiate and complete projects in a timely manner with limited supervision.
• Ability to perform under pressure, to manage multiple priorities, and to work within tight time constraints.
• Ability to maintain composure during stressful situations.
• Ability to effectively analyze and resolve issues and as well as to exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify problems and make sound decisions, including situations where only limited information is available.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to apply ethics and exercise the importance of independence.
• Honesty, integrity, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

The current salary range (Pay Range 2GX) is $52,498-$73,504 annually, and the resident incentive salary range for City of Milwaukee residents is $54,073-$75,709 annually. Appointment above the minimum is possible based upon level of experience and other qualifications and is subject to approval.

The City of Milwaukee provides a comprehensive benefit program that includes the following: 

• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• Health and Dental Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Comprehensive Wellness Program
• Onsite Clinic Services
• Onsite Employee Assistance Program
• Alternative Work Schedules
• Long Term Disability Insurance 
• Group Life Insurance
• Tuition Benefits
• Paid Vacation
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave and other paid leave 
• Flexible Spending Arrangement
• Commuter Value Pass  

For full details of the benefits offered by the City of Milwaukee, please visit https://city.milwaukee.gov/der/benefits.

THE SELECTION PROCESS will be job related and will consist of one or more of the following: education and experience evaluation; written, oral, or performance tests, or other assessment methods. The Department of Employee Relations reserves the right to call only the most qualified candidates to oral and performance examinations. Oral examinations may include written exercises. Selection process component weights will be determined by further analysis of the job.

INITIAL FILING DATE- The examination will be held as soon as practical after the deadline listed above. Receipt of applications may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the needs of the City have been met. Qualified applicants will be notified of the date, time, and place of the examination. Unless otherwise required by law, the City of Milwaukee will not provide alternative test administration. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the job selection process at the time and place designated by the City of Milwaukee.

• APPLICATION and further information may be accessed by visiting https://www.jobapscloud.com/MIL/.
• Applications and transcripts should be submitted no later than the deadline listed above.
• If you would like assistance completing an application, please contact the Department of Employee Relations at (414) 286-3751 or staffinginfo@milwaukee.gov.
• The Department of Employee Relations is located at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St., Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202

EEO 202

The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.