Accountant

Position Description

The City of Tacoma is recruiting for the city-wide classification of Accountant. This Civil Service list will be used to fill Accountant vacancies as they occur, for up to one year.
Accountants perform a variety of routine professional accounting duties related to funds, assets and grant accounting, payroll, budgets, treasury or special projects accounting; analyze a variety of financial documents for completeness and accuracy as well as prepare and process financial documents related to the accounting process of the assigned department or function; prepare reports and analysis as required.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain detailed records and logs related to the assigned department and/or fund
• Review financial documents for accuracy and completeness and account coding
• Maintain general ledgers and sub-ledgers; prepare journal entries; reconcile accounts, and capital projects
• Prepare and analyze monthly, quarterly and annual financial and statistical statements Prepare narrative reports to explain variances
• Develop cash projections and trends for revenues, expenses and capital outlay
• Perform routine duties for the biennial budget preparation process of one or more City departments
• Monitor and analyze financial transactions affecting budget, cash balances, billing, production, profit and loss, revenues and expenses and/or expenditures and other accounting data
• Perform routine analysis of costs, fund balances, financial statements, budget worksheets, fiscal impact, financial trends and other data
• Assure compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for municipal enterprises and governments, city ordinances and policies, local, state and federal laws
• Prepare grant reimbursement requests and tax filings as required
• Perform routine fiscal and program analyses and make appropriate recommendations to supervisors

City of Tacoma Benefits
The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision benefits for the whole family; paid holidays and personal time off; participation in Tacoma's Employees' Retirement System and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities. For information on the City of Tacoma's benefit package feel free to explore City of Tacoma Benefits.

City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Tacoma's diversity is its greatest asset. Tacoma embraces its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic character. Communities of color and immigrant communities are fundamental to Tacoma's entrepreneurial spirit, workforce, and long-term success. In Tacoma, equity and empowerment are top priorities, meaning that all Tacoma residents must have equitable opportunities to reach their full potential and share in the benefits of community progress. One of our goals is for the City of Tacoma workforce to reflect the community it serves. We actively work to eliminate racial and other disparities and welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skill sets and experiences. Our goal is for Tacoma to be an inclusive and equitable place to live, work, and play.

Qualifications

• Equivalent combination of education and experience to: bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, public or business administration or closely-related field
• Experience may substitute for up to two (2) years of education

LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS AND OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS:
There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position. Depending upon assignment a WA driver's license may be required.

Knowledge & Skills

• Generally accepted accounting principles and practices for governmental, enterprise and regulatory accounting.
• State, federal and local rules and regulations related to assigned department.
• Ability to processing and interpret data related to routine accounting procedures.
• Modern office practices, procedures and equipment.
• Client server business application systems and Microsoft Office software applications.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary.
• Technical aspects of field of specialty.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to understand technical financial documents.
• Establish and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Adaptive and flexible to change and strong work ethic.

Selection Process & Supplemental Information

Interested individuals should apply online and attach a resume and cover letter that includes major responsibilities and accomplishments related to this position. Applications received without all the requested materials may not move forward in the selection process. If applicable, scan and attach your DD-214 proof of military discharge form.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to take an online assessment which includes but is not limited to Microsoft Suite 2016 (Excel, Word, Outlook) basic and intermediate simulations, along with accountant skill-based questions, as the required Experience & Training (E&T) test. Applicants must receive a passing score (70% or better) to be placed on the eligible list for interview and hiring consideration. The eligibility list established for this recruitment is generally good for one year. Applicants selected for interviews may be required to complete a work problem or an additional office skills assessment prior to their interview.

Appointment is subject to passing a background check. This position is covered by a Labor Agreement between the City of Tacoma and IBEW Local 483. New employees must successfully complete a nine-month probationary period prior to obtaining permanent status in this classification.

Communication from the City of Tacoma:
We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from cityoftacoma.org and/or governmentjobs.com must be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.

The online application system requires you to enter a substantial amount of information. Be prepared to spend an hour or more entering the required information. In order for your application materials to be considered, all information must be submitted by the closing date and time listed on this job announcement.

For assistance with the NEOGOV application process, questions regarding this job announcement, or if you are experiencing complications while applying, please contact the Human Resources office at 253-591-5400 by 4:00 pm of the closing date of the job announcement. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes. (For technical difficulties using the NeoGov system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 am and 5:00 pm Pacific Time.)

The City of Tacoma is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants meeting minimum qualifications will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status or genetic information.

The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives.

Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents.

Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type.

Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees.

Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income.

Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 502-8200.

Other Employment Information

Direct Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit.

Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule.

Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 5/22/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

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• City of Tacoma

• 253-591-5400

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