JOB SUMMARY:

The purpose of this position is to assist the Finance Director in managing, directing, and supervising the activities of the Finance Department and performing highly complex professional level accounting analysis. This includes accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll processing, as well as accounting workflows for all other revenues (taxes, permits, fines, and fees). 

The Accountant I/Senior Accountant performs professional-level municipal fund accounting, financial reporting and compliance duties to support the City’s financial infrastructure. Under the general direction of the Finance Director, this position maintains general ledger integrity, enforces internal control tracking, oversees bank fraud prevention, and administers payroll and specialized state tax reporting. At the senior level, the position serves as a principal technical resource on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) pronouncement, while supervising accounting staff and assisting with complex elements of the annual budget, federal/state grants, specialized loan programs, and the annual financial report.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Duties include, but are not limited to, the following functional areas:

General Ledger and Financial Reporting

• Prepare, review, and log complex journal entries to ensure balancing across municipal funds, general ledgers, and balance sheets.
• Extract and synthesize transaction data to construct spreadsheets supporting the Financial Director in generating Month-End and Monthly Financial Statements.
• Compute and compile critical year-end accrual, receivable, and payable lists at Fiscal Year (FY) end.
• Produce ongoing monthly cash flow reports and financial forecasting models to project revenue requirements.
• (Senior Level) Assist with completing the annual financial report and draft necessary note disclosures in strict compliance with GAAP and GASB standards.

Banking, Cash Management and Fraud Prevention

• Reconcile daily cash receipts, bank deposits, and daily cash reporting; coordinate securely with cashiers, accounts receivable (AR), and departments to process deposits.
• Manage daily banking fraud prevention protocols by executing Positive Pay uploads for accounts payable (AP) and payroll (PR).
• Monitor, trace, and correct Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) checks and Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs); apply returned checks to customer accounts.
• Review and approve remote bank deposits, coordinate secure specialized bank runs, and fulfill cashier change or specialty check requests. 

Tax, Payroll, and Regulatory Compliance

• Compile, format, and submit the State Gas Sales Tax Report and the local Excise Tax Report according to statutory deadlines.
• Set up, review, and submit standard loan documentation and draw requests monthly to the Gas Authority.
• Process quarterly payroll tax filings and compile mandatory Department of Labor (DOL) and Unemployment Insurance (UI) documentation. 
• Respond to federal and state government agencies, providing requested financial data and completing annual municipal surveys. 

Internal Controls, AP/AR & Procurement Liaison

• Disburse approved City funds, review bills for transactional quality control, and enforce strict cashiering and cash-handling policies.
• Maintain the central city vendor database, ensuring complete collection and verification of mandatory W-9 and E-Verify compliance documents and annual 1099s
• Partner with the Utility Billing department to process prompt, accurate refunds on discontinued utility accounts.
• Prepare and issue monthly invoices to the County for shared airport expenses and receptionist resource allocations.
• Conduct internal tracking audits, including checking the secure storage of remote deposits, verifying credit card receipts, and balancing armored carrier logs.

Budget and Audit Coordination 

• Assist the Finance Director and City Administrator during the annual budget preparation by inputting historical department data, building estimates, and enforcing calendar thresholds.
• Draft and aid with preparation of official budget amendments for review by the Finance Director and approval by the City Administrator and City Council.
• (Senior) Collaborate with department heads to formulate estimates for capital improvement projects and present projections to leadership.
• (Senior) Serve as a key interface with external auditors; package transaction samples, build requested auditor workpapers, and assist with the implementation of auditor recommendations to alter internal city practices.

Contracts, Grants, and System Management

• Assist department heads with the development, dissemination, and evaluation of Requests for Proposals/Requests for Qualifications; oversees other direct and indirect procurement/sourcing channels including but not limited to direct procurement, Georgia Procurement Registry, marketplaces, government and public bidding portals, etc.
• Review, analyze, and maintain service contracts and general contract administration.
• (Senior) Collaborate with the Information Technology Department (ITD) to troubleshoot, optimize, and maintain the municipal financial ERP module.
• (Senior) and analyze federal and state grant revenues and loans, monitoring payments and expenditures for compliance with strict government regulations

Staff Supervision and Training

• Supervise assigned Financial Department staff across functional areas including Payroll, purchasing accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
• (Senior) Develop and implement technical training for City department personnel regarding internal AR/AP policies and compliance with GASB requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Financial & Operational Knowledge

Accounting Standards: Solid operational knowledge of standard accounting practices, municipal bookkeeping, cash management, and compliance with GASB, GAAP, and internal controls.

Taxes & Budgets: Practical knowledge of budgetary coding, municipal line items, and state tax program data tracking (LOST, SPLOST, and TSPLOST).

Compliance Regulations: Knowledge of applicable state and federal guidelines governing municipal revenue collection, public utility reporting, and regional debt tracking.

Local Operations: Clear understanding of City purchasing, personnel policies, and revenue processing procedures. 

Operational Skills & Capabilities

Technical Applications: Skill and fluency in using accounting databases, ERP networks, standard office software (Microsoft Word), and advanced Excel functions (pivot tables, data tables, formulas).

Data Processing: Skill in organizing financial files, auditing dense transactional data for absolute completeness, and preparing accurate analytical spreadsheets.

Supervisory Skill: Skill in assigning, reviewing, and checking the daily work of transactional processing staff (AP, AR, and Payroll). 

Relational, Ethical, & Communication Abilities

Professional Relations: Ability to deal courteously, tactfully, and professionally with fellow employees, city officials, and the public.

Ethics & Confidentiality: Ability to maintain absolute data confidentiality, high ethical standards (both on and off duty), and strictly follow the established chain of command.

Stress & Adaptability: Ability to prioritize work accurately under constant deadlines, frequent public interruptions, and fast-paced operational environments.

Language Proficiency: Ability to read, write, and speak fluent English. 

SUPERVISORY CONTROL:

Supervisory Control: The Finance Director assigns work via general parameters and schedules. The supervisor reviews final work for adherence to municipal policy, compliance, and procedural accuracy.

Supervisory Oversight: Provides day-to-day operational assignment, data verification, and transactional review for Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Payroll functions.

Scope and Effect: The purpose of this position is to execute total operational accuracy over financial entries. Errors in coding, cash entry, data processing, or tax filings could cause immediate financial losses, regulatory penalties, and a negative public image for the City. 

SCOPE AND EFFECT: : The purpose of this position is to execute total operational accuracy over financial entries. Errors in coding, cash entry, data processing, or tax filings could cause immediate financial losses, regulatory penalties, and a negative public image for the City. 

This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive.  It is intended to identify the essential functions and requirements of this job.  Incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification.  Any essential function or requirement of this class will be evaluated as necessary should an incumbent/applicant be unable to perform the function or requirement due to a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Reasonable accommodation for the specific disability will be made for the incumbent/applicant when possible.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: (Accountant I) Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field AND one to three (1-3) years of progressively responsible accounting or bookkeeping experience, preferably within a local government setting. (Senior)Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field AND five plus (5+) years of progressively municipal government financial management experience, including a proven track record of supervising finance operations and coordinating large-scale external audits.

Legal Status: Must be a citizen of the United States or hold legal permanent work status.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

Environment: Works inside a busy administrative office environment under constant timelines and frequent interruptions, with a high degree of contact with employees and the public. Exposed to standard office dust, cleaning fumes, and moderate noise levels from office equipment. Some travel may be required to maintain training and certification requirements.

Physical Requirements: Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, reach, talk, and hear in a normal audio range (including distinguishing phone/radio conversations and sound pattern changes). Must have the physical strength to lift, carry, label, and box record storage containers weighing up to 20 pounds.

Vision & Attendance: Requires close vision, color vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment to audit financial ledgers. Regular, predictable, consistent, and timely attendance is an absolute condition of employment.

Background Checks: Must have never been convicted of a felony, pass a rigorous criminal background check, pass a standard credit check, and maintain the continuous ability to be legally bonded.

Testing & Flexibility: Must pass all mandatory municipal drug testing screens. Flexible ability to work occasional evenings, weekends, or holidays as required to meet strict municipal closing deadlines.