Personnel Commission
CLASS TITLE: Accounting Specialist
DESCRIPTION OF BASIC FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To distribute revenue from Federal, State, and/to local agencies to school districts within Santa Clara County or to COE programs serving school districts, agencies, and communities in other counties in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations; to perform highly responsible technical clerical accounting functions in the maintenance, reporting, report generation, verification and reconciliation of specialized accounting records, reports and/or services, and to perform related duties as assigned.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The job class of Accounting Specialist requires accuracy and insight in general and specific accounting procedures and may be assigned to specialized school finance functions or instructional program areas as needed. Employees in this job classification receive limited supervision within the framework of defined rules and procedures. This job class exercises responsibility for the accurate data collection and processing and completion of technical accounting functions and income generating reports according to established laws, codes, regulations and standards.
TYPICAL DUTIES: The following duties are examples of assignments performed by incumbents in this classification. It is not a totally comprehensive list of duties, nor is it restrictive regarding job assignments.
Prepares and processes journal and budget entries for revenue and expense transactions, interest, taxes, and/or apportionments as well as the appropriate exhibits and correspondence
Performs financial analysis and balancing, report corrections, and year-end closing procedures analyzing revenue and expenditures and preparing year-end accounts payables and accounts receivables for district revenue limits or COE programs
Prepares and/or participates in the development of spreadsheets, journals, purchase orders, supply orders, budgets, revenue limit estimates, apportionments, and/or attendance updates, preparing data for input and utilizing computerized accounting, budgeting, and purchasing systems
Maintains reviews and monitors budgets, purchase orders, change orders, petty cash, invoices, vendor payments, and/or a variety of financial reports
Interprets codes, rules, regulations, and/or instructions, thoroughly reviews financial reports, documents, records, and other related data, researching and resolving identified problems
Serves as a resource to and liaison between Federal and State agencies and school districts or COE programs and community agencies, parents, vendors, and other service providers
Collects, receives, reviews, verifies, researches, and/or corrects financial data, schedules, exhibits, reports, documents and/or entries as needed
May develop and establish contracts with districts, agencies, teachers/instructors, and other vendor related to assigned program or service area
Works with school districts, vendors, parents, and/or external agencies to ensure proper fees and/or amounts on revenue limits
Determines client charges and fees using appropriate schedule or eligibility criteria; prepares related files; and collects, processes, records, and deposits fees
Provides clarification on and responds to a variety of inquiries relating to fees, payment due dates, routine and alternate receipts, payment plans, and student enrollment and withdraw actions
Maintains petty cash accounts, reconciling bank statements, submitting reimbursement forms, and posting expenditures to appropriate accounts
Operates internal accounting information systems, microcomputer hardware and software, including spreadsheet and word processing programs and related systems, creating spreadsheets, and performing routine equipment maintenance as needed
Participates in the development and implementation of COE and State automated financial reporting systems
May oversee instructional program inventories such as assets, supplies, and equipment, maintaining records, monitoring equipment locations, and preparing necessary forms
Trains, assists, and provides advice to COE and district accounting staff as needed
Performs related duties as assigned.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
Possession of:
A valid California Driver's License
A driving record which meets the County office of Education's Insurance requirements.
Knowledge of:
General principles and procedures accounting, auditing, budgeting, bookkeeping, and fiscal record keeping
Principles of internal fiscal controls and policies
Appropriate laws, codes, standards, and fiscal reporting requirements applicable related to education and school districts
Microcomputer operations, software, and hardware used in the performance of accounting, budget analysis, and fiscal reporting responsibilities
Modern Office methods, practices, procedures, and equipment
Proper English usage including, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure.
Ability to:
Make arithmetical calculations quickly and accurately and identify and correct errors in arithmetical calculations made by others
Monitor, audit, reconcile and balance a variety of financial data and transactions
Perform highly responsible and complex accounting, budget, and finance activities related to fund apportionment, revenue limits, and Federal and State education programs
Analyze, interpret, and apply pertinent codes, laws, rules and regulations
Understand and apply internal fiscal controls in the performance of work assignments
Plan, organize, and prioritize work assignments to meet timelines and facilitate workflow
Identify problem areas or situations, evaluate problem causes, and take appropriate action to resolve identified problems
Prepare, compile, analyze, research and/or maintain account balances, complex financial data, summaries, reports, and records
Effectively operate standard office equipment, including but not limited to microcomputers, calculators, typewriters, printers, copiers, and fax machines
Effectively use automated accounting systems as well as spreadsheet and word processing software
Effectively communicate both orally and in written form
Effectively represent the COE in working with external internal/external customers
Establish and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Generally, any combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge and abilities is considered qualifying. A typical method of demonstrating these qualifications would be, possession of an Associates degree from an accredited college or university with coursework in accounting, budgeting, business law or a related field and two years of increasingly responsible experience in maintaining or reviewing financial/statistical records.
Bargaining Unit: Office, Technical, and Business Services (OTBS) Unit
Approved by the Personnel Commission: 08/01/84
Revised: 07/02/85, 10/24/89, 1/91, 6/21/01