Accountant

Job Title: Accountant                                                                  
Wage/ Status: Non-Exempt 
Reports to: Municipal Finance Manager  
HR Revised: July 2023
Department: Finance

*Salary Range: $53,366 - $62,616 per year

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General Job Summary: 
Under the direct supervision of the Finance Director and the Municipal Finance Manager, this position performs various payroll administration, accounts payable and receivable, and accounting functions in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and established policies and procedures.

Essential Qualifications:

Education/Certification: 

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Experience:

• Two (2) or more years of accounting experience. 
• Ability to complete a criminal background check, with acceptable results, as determined by the Town of Westlake. Fingerprinting may be necessary due to possible interactions on the Westlake Academy campus.
• Must be legally able to work in the United States. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Five (5) years of accounting, finance, and/or payroll experience.
• Governmental and/or academic accounting experience.
• Certified Government Financial Officer (CGFO). 
• Certified Texas School Business Specialist (CTSBS).
• Experience with STW and Vision software.
• Experience with PowerSchool eFinancePlus software.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of accounting and basic office practices and procedures, including Forms W-2, W-4, 941, W-9, and 1099 IRS regulations and reporting. 
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and practices of accounting, bookkeeping, and basic payroll practices and procedures to include applicable Internal Revenue Service’s regulations and reporting. 
• Skill to reconcile accounts and develop approaches and techniques to resolve problems and troubleshoot variances.
• Skill with Microsoft Excel (intermediate or advanced), including the ability to set up spreadsheets, calculate, and tabulate data. 
• Ability to compile, maintain, and file all reports, records, and other documents required, including auditable records.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate accounting problems and recommend improved procedures.
• Demonstrate a high level of integrity, dependability, and a results-oriented work ethic.
• Ability to effectively multi-task. 
• Demonstrate a high degree of professionalism, especially when speaking/working with others. 
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, decisiveness, and creativity in various situations. 
• Ability to identify and implement process improvements. 
• Ability to demonstrate a collaborative and flexible style, especially during times of change. 

Performance Responsibilities: 

General Expectations for All Employees:
For our Westlake team to serve our customers (internal and external) with superior services that are accessible, efficient, cost effective, and transparent, we hold these expectations for all employees: 

• Learn and demonstrate an understanding of how team, department, and Town (municipal & academic) goals are interconnected. 
• Contribute to a positive work culture and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to assess personal work performance and/or the work performance of the team. 
• Contribute to the development of others and/or the overall organization. 
• Ability and willingness to work in a collaborative environment to demonstrate team skills, and to perform a fair share of team responsibilities. 
• Ability to continuously learn and develop through a mix of internal and external training opportunities, and when applicable, encourage and/or mentor teammates to do the same. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Biweekly payroll processing for the municipality, including time and attendance records review and necessary employee updates. Act as backup for Academy Accountant in their absence, or as volume necessitates. 
• Monthly, quarterly, and year-end reporting to the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Municipal Retirement Systems, Teacher Retirement System of Texas, and other agencies.
• Provide payroll-related documentation when required by the Town & Academy’s auditor.
• Work closely with Human Resources on benefits administration to ensure accurate deductions and applicable remittances.
• Prepares journal entries for posting to the general ledger.
• Reconciles monthly balance sheet accounts related to the remittance of benefits, deductions, and employee pay.
• Biweekly accounts payable processing for the municipality, including invoice entry and review, managing the approval workflow, and check runs.
• Prepare daily deposits, as needed, for the municipality, including journal entries and appropriate cash handling. Act as backup for Academy Accountant in their absence. 
• Responsible for annual 1099 reporting and form distribution to vendors. 
• Maintains current and accurate accounting records to assist in various reporting, including audit papers, unclaimed property, and financial reporting. 
• Continually reviews accounting controls and processes; suggests improvements and assists the implementation of changes to systems and processes.
• Maintains strict confidentiality of all accounting, payroll, benefit, and other sensitive information.
• Participate in training to ensure constant compliance and best practices for payroll, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
• Create and maintain internal training documentation, including desktop manuals and end user materials.

Other Duties:
Performs other duties and special projects, as required.

Evaluation:
The performance of this job will be evaluated at least monthly for the first six (6) months and then annually by the Municipal Finance Manager.

Supervisory Responsibility: 
None

Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Tools/Equipment:     
Standard office equipment including personal computer and peripherals. Requires the ability to maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception for making observations, operating assigned equipment, and communicating with others.

Posture: 
Prolonged sitting, occasional standing, kneeling/squatting, bending/stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting.

Motion:
Repetitive hand motion; frequent keyboarding and use of a mouse; regular walking, grasping/squeezing, wrist flexion/extension and reaching.

Lifting: 
Occasional light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds).

Environment:
Work inside, may work outside.

Mental Demands:
Work with frequent interruptions; maintain emotional control under stress; may work prolonged or irregular hours.

Disclaimer: 
This position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to this job.

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