Job Description
CONTROLLER
SUMMARY: Manages, coordinates, and supervises the County School Service Fund; maintains reviews and analyzes accounting records; provides internal finance control; maintains accounting, general ledger, financial statements, and distribution records; selects, trains, and evaluates support staff; and performs all other related duties.
ACTIVITIES:
40% ACCOUNTING AND FISCAL SERVICES
Coordinates and supervises the maintenance and control of all accounting functions including grant fiscal services, accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, financial statements and distribution, and chart of accounts; coordinates financial control and provides internal and external auditing for accounts payable and payroll warrants implements state school cost accounting practices; reconciles revolving cash account and petty cash accounts; monitors budgets for proper classification and authorization; coordinates, monitors, and completes financial reports; analyzes system generated reports and makes corrections as necessary; performs financial analysis of management reports; analyzes financial information needs and develops appropriate reporting systems; ensures proper and timely revenue and expense recognition; projects cash flow and resolves cash shortages; reconciles tax revenue, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and fund balances from prior year; prepares opening and closing journal entries; and coordinates and ensures an independent audit of financial records and provides appropriate contracts for compliance portion of audit.
25% TECHNICAL AND PROCEDURAL ASSISTANCE
Responds to inquiries from districts relating to new funding, auditing, GASB pronouncements, fiscal compliance and reporting requirements, and related accounting functions; interpret and analyze policies and regulations and the impact potential and new legislation; provides in-service training to internal and district staff on financial matters, contracts, and financial administration; assists program managers with financial matters and reviews contracts; provides districts with source documents for daily transactions; assists districts with cash flow analysis and year-end processes; serves as liaison with regulatory agencies; and provides financial assistance to program personnel.
20% SPECIAL PROJECTS
Conducts internal control and business studies or reviews; responds to state and federal audit requirements; prepares state and federal reports to contractors regarding California Sales and Use Tax; designs and evaluates effectiveness of existing financial operations and systems for the County Office of Education and school districts; and reviews and applies computer software packages to meet departmental needs.
10% SUPERVISION
Selects, trains, and evaluates support staff; develops in-service training programs and staff meeting presentations.
5% RELATED ACTIVITIES
Establishes priorities, goals and objectives; and performs all other related duties.
DECISION-MAKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING: Makes staff selection, work design, and evaluation decisions; determines proper accounting and financial treatment of financial problems; determines appropriate information for financial statements and reports; makes decisions concerning proper application of receipts of funds and payments; and advises a variety of officials, customers, vendors, program managers, and others on fund management problems. Participates in forecasting trends and long-term planning for major unit of Office; implements long-term plans in division; requires some independence and autonomy in decision-making within framework of broadly stated policy guidelines, precedents, specialized knowledge and prior research; situations are varied and frequently highly complex; and makes program decisions that have major impact across Office branches.
REQUIRED MINIMUM SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Ability to manage a complex accounting function in a large organization; knowledge of generally accepted accounting and financial principles, techniques, controls and services at an advanced level; ability to understand state, federal and other pertinent regulations, requirements, and laws as they apply to accounting and financial matters; ability to research and problem-solve; and skill in developing and presenting recommendations. Advanced skill in communicating in critical situations, orally and in writing with business, education, and community leaders; mastery skill in financial and statistical analysis and control; mastery skill in creative and adaptive program planning design, implementation, maintenance, and evaluation; advanced skill in managing personnel through subordinate professional, management, or supervisory staff; and advanced skill in adapting style in divergent situations with groups on a frequent basis.
REQUIRED MINIMUM TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND LICENSING: Master's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting or a related field; possession of a certificate as a Certified Public Accountant issued by the State of California is preferred; and a valid California driver's license.
REQUIRED MINIMUM PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE: Four years of job-related work experience with demonstrated competence.
REQUIRED INTERACTION (NON-AUTHORITY): Contacts are usually unstructured, and are primarily with high-level individuals inside and outside the organization, such as customers, vendors, independent auditors, program managers, district business managers, superintendents, and state and federal officials; and contacts require decision-making and problem-solving where office-wide cross-divisional concerns are at stake.
SUPERVISION: Directly supervises management and other support staff.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
ENVIRONMENT: Indoor, office setting.
PHYSICAL ABILITIES: Hearing and speaking to exchange information in person and on the telephone; seeing to read, prepare and proofread documents, perform assigned duties; sitting for extended periods of time; dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and other office equipment; kneeling, bending at the waist, and reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally as needed; lifting light objects.
Revised: July 28, 1989; February 15, 2007
Personnel Commission Approval:
Board of Education Approval: December 7, 1988