Job Details

Plans, organizes, directs, controls and manages the financial activities of the County involving multiple, diverse departments, revenues, grants and funds. This requires strong administrative skills, the ability to interact effectively with other department administrators, effective public presentation skills, and success in developing strategies to achieve better management of available resources.

An employee in this classification is responsible for the operations of the County's Finance Department. This position serves as the County Accountant per ORS 210.100-210.230. Work is performed under the direction of a three-member Board of County Commissioners. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring a unified financial picture for the County. The incumbent provides direction and management over the associated financial and fiduciary responsibilities of revenue, grant and fund accounting, fixed assets, budgeting, internal accounting controls, debt management, business analysis and reporting, and supervision of Finance Department professional and technical staff. Work reviews are based primarily on the assessment and accomplishment of established annual goals and independent audits.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

(Illustrative Only. Any single position in this classification will not necessarily involve all the listed duties below and other positions will involve duties which are not listed. These duties represent the essential functions needed of persons in this classification.)

1. Confers, aids, and makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners and all levels of County management on complex financial, accounting or auditing situations and problems.
2. Develops recommendations and implements revisions to the accounting and budget systems including internal accounting controls.
3. Serves as County Budget Officer. Compiles annual County budget from departmental proposals and ensures budget complies with generally accepted accounting principles and state requirements; attends all budget committee meetings, presents county budget overview and responds to technical questions. Supervises the preparation of the final budget for budget adoption.
4. Maintains budgetary control over all departments; analysis of department financial statements; supervises the preparation of all monthly financial, cost and statistical data and reports for county departments.
5. Plans, organizes, coordinates and directs the operation of the central accounting system in regards to expenditures in a manner consistent with established accounting principles and practices.
6. Directs timely scheduling and preparation of annual audit and financial statements.
7. Performs professional accounting, auditing or systems work of unusual difficulty and importance as circumstances and projects require.
8. Makes recommendations on financing of various proposed projects, and supervises debt management; determines the amount of funding required for debt service during each fiscal year.
9. Develops a comprehensive multi-year fixed assets and capital program budget, including well-defined asset replacement projections.
10. Responsible for the financial and fiduciary responsibilities for grant accounting and assorted county funds.
11. Trains, directs and supervises subordinate employees, including assigning and reviewing work, scheduling and approving time off, training, evaluating performance, taking necessary disciplinary actions, and making hiring and termination decision.
12. Reviews, evaluates and develops departmental policies, procedures and work methods.
13. Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervisory responsibilities include oversight for all finance office personnel and other programs assigned by the Board of County Commissioners.

Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of governmental accounting and budgeting; state and federal regulations pertaining to accounting, and budgeting, including relevant and current GASB standards; analytical methods and techniques applicable to the study of administrative problems and processes; the application of data processing in governmental accounting; principles of supervision and personnel practices. Extensive knowledge of the structure of and underlying principles of government finance.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

A Bachelor's degree (prefer a degree in accounting, finance, or related field), at least eight years of experience in governmental accounting, including at least five years of management level experience involving public financial presentation skills, or any combination of experience and training which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and ability to perform the above-described duties. Prefer experience with local governmental financial programs comparable in size and complexity to Josephine County.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or government regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customer, and the public. Ability to respond courteously and tactfully, as well as establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and officials, outside officials and agencies, and the public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commission, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry. Extensive knowledge of the structure of and underlying principles of government finance.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and/or concrete variables.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Ability to establish and maintain fiscal records; plan, organize and direct the work of others to meet mandatory deadlines; interpret, explain and implement regulations pertaining to accounting and budgeting; formulate and install accounting and budgeting methods, procedures, forms and records; identify, define and analyze financial and operational problems, and make sound recommendations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees including Department Heads; advise the Board of Commissioners on accounting and fiscal matters; compose clear and concise statistical and written reports; communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; make professional public presentations of financial data.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

CPA, CPFO preferred.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

Those employed in this position may be subject to pre-employment drug testing and a background investigation, including but not limited to criminal background investigation. Conviction of a crime will not necessarily disqualify an individual for this classification.