Transit Accounting Manager #2203-201100-01

The City of Charlotte is the largest municipality in North Carolina and the 17th largest city in the United States, with a total population of more than 872,498 citizens. A major commerce center, Charlotte hosts several of the nation’s largest banks and technology companies.

Also known as the Queen City, Charlotte is home to the Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte Hornets and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. We work hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play. Join us in helping to keep our City thriving, ensuring upward mobility and advancement in the workplace.

Under general direction, this position plays a major role in planning and directing the fiscal management and accounting functions of the organization.  Coordinates the production of reliable financial reports and completion of federal and state statutory reports.  Ensures that adequate internal controls are in place for safeguarding the organization’s assets and the timely and accurate recording of financial transactions.

Employees performing this job function may perform some or all of these duties. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment of the position.

• Demonstrates strong leadership and management competencies including integrity, accountability, communication skills, and commitment to teamwork and excellence in responsibilities such as selecting, mentoring, coaching, supervising, motivating, developing, training and evaluating the performance of assigned staff.
• Oversees the overall planning and management of the general and grants accounting systems; assists the Transit Chief Financial Officer with the design and implementation of proper internal accounting and compliance controls.
• Manages the monthly and annual system closeouts.
• Manages the preparation of complex monthly and annual financial reports, statements, and analyses and their associated schedules for internal and external purposes.  Works with and coordinates activities with independent auditors in the production of financial reports.
• Manages record keeping for the CATS’s grants, fixed assets, and capital projects.
• Reviews contract and professional services invoices for proper documentation.
• Develops accounting procedures, manuals, handbooks and training materials.
• Ensures the accuracy of the financial accounting records to facilitate a timely reporting of financial condition to management. Maintains CATS trial balance daily and/or weekly.
• Ensures the accurate recording and documentation of all financial transactions and assists in controlling agency cash flow
• Maintains and oversees the use of an extensive internal chart of accounts; devises account and object identification codes; develops and maintains cost allocation models.
• Reviews monthly and year-end general journal entries, analyses and schedules.
• Works and coordinates with CATS staff and other departments to implement, manage and maintain a fully-integrated accounting system to track, record and report various financial transactions.
• Conducts research and prepares special reports on financial matters.  Assists in the preparation of annual National Transit Database Report (Section 15) and Federal Transit Administration Financial Status Reports.
• Participates in the development and/or revision of accounting procedures and systems to meet management’s needs, state requirements and federal regulation relating to grants, fixed assets and capital projects.
• Oversees the accounting for contracts and grants; reviews and provides opinion of contract and grant financial requirements; oversees the maintenance of procedures for allocating direct and indirect costs to programs; assists in altering the accounting system to accommodate legislative or programmatic changes.
• Oversees the development and maintenance of a capital asset system that meets GAAP and FTA requirements; ensures the proper and timely conduct of physical count of capital assets.
• Works with the Transit Chief Financial Officer to establish the proper disposition of material.
• Works in collaboration with the Transit Chief Financial Officer to analyze and model the financial impact of the union contract for use in negotiations; coordinates actuarial studies as needed.
• Ensures that the automated accounting system is kept updated with the data processing capabilities required to properly and efficiently record and store the Company’s financial transactions; makes provisions for users of the accounting system and software programs to be properly trained.
• Serves as liaison to external auditors during the year-end audit process; coordinates the preparation of audit schedules and annual CAFR for CATS; assists in program audits and triennial reviews.
• Prepares monthly financial schedules that are incorporated into the Performance Measurement Dashboard.
• Performs other related duties as required.

• Extensive knowledge of the principles, theories, and practices of accounting, auditing and financial management.
• Extensive knowledge of governmental finance and fund accounting.
• Extensive knowledge of automated accounting systems.
• Knowledge of personal computers and related software applications.
• Skilled in the use of mathematical concepts.
• Ability to draw logical conclusions from an analysis of complex accounting data and financial statements.
• Skilled in the operation of adding machines, calculations, and office equipment used in conjunction with accounting work.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to organize and manage a general accounting system.
• Ability to select, coach, supervise, motivate, train, develop, and evaluate the performance of staff through demonstration of managerial and leadership competencies, including integrity, accountability, communication skills, and commitment to teamwork and excellence.
• Ability to coordinate various diverse functions.
• Ability to interpret and apply professional accounting principles, knowledge, skills, to the maintenance of financial and cost accounting records.
• Ability to perform detail work involving written or numeric data and to make arithmetical calculations rapidly and accurately.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate accounting procedure and plan, organize, recommend and/or implement work flow procedures.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of staff, customers, coworkers, contracted personnel, and those doing business with CATS.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle; must possess and maintain proof of a valid North Carolina Driver’s License; must possess an acceptable driving record.

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting or a closely related field and five (5) years of experience as a professional accountant or auditor; preferable with a governmental entity or industry in a highly computerized environment. Qualifying experience must include at least three (3) years of supervising professional accounting employees, developing and interpreting accounting procedures and preparing management level financial reports requiring in-depth research and analysis of accounting records of financial systems.  Two (2) additional years of experiences as a professional accountant or auditor above the minimum required, may be substituted for one (1) year of the required education. C.P.A. preferred.  Experience in MUNIS is helpful.

The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Effective October 1, 2021 the City of Charlotte and Charlotte Area Transit System requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such, will consider reasonable accommodations as required by law.

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You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby where we have workstations available. Our office is located at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.

Anyone seeking an accommodation to apply for a job may call (704) 336-2285 for assistance or you may email questions to CityHrJobPostingsNotify@ci.charlotte.nc.us.

The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to all employees.

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The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.