Accounting Manager

Job Title

The City of Paramount offers secure quality of life to its residents and a business-friendly attitude that has created a growing retail and services sector, with a thriving Downtown.

Paramount's government is a stable, innovative, and financially conservative organization, and the City has continually invested in its infrastructure and emphasized code enforcement and assistance programs to help residents and businesses upgrade and maintain their properties. For these reasons, the City has a distinctive appearance that appeals to current and potential residents.

For its employees, Paramount offers a family-friendly organization that places emphasis on lifework balance and flexibility. City leadership highly values the input and impact of each employee. Rather than work from the top-down, Paramount chooses collaboration, fostering a professional, respectful, and fulfilling work environment.

The City of Paramount is operated by six departments : Administrative Services; Planning and Building; Public Safety; Public Works; Community Services, and Finance. With an operating budget of $50.4M, City population of 52,000, and covering 4.8 square miles, the City of Paramount is dedicated to providing fiscally responsible services that maintain a vibrant community that is Safe, Healthy, and Attractive! We value respect and ethical behaviors, adaptability, service excellence, and accountability. The City promotes innovation through teamwork, and providing effective, inclusive, and transparent public information and engagement.

The position plans, manages, oversees, coordinates, and reviews the work of staff performing difficult and complex professional accounting duties in the analysis, preparation and maintenance of financial, budgeting, and accounting records and reports to ensure regulatory compliance with governmental accounting standards; performs complex accounting analyses; provides highly responsible support to the Finance Director and / or Assistant Finance Director in areas of expertise; and performs related work as required.

The Finance Department is responsible for the fiscal affairs and overall financial management of the City providing timely, accurate and relevant budgetary and financial information. Operational responsibilities include but are not limited to payroll processing, accounts payable, preparation and management of the City budget, maintaining the general ledger, and overseeing accounts receivable financial reporting.

Essential responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following :

• Supervise and direct the work of subordinate personnel engaged in accounting, finance, and related activities; plan, organize and coordinate staff assignments; participate in the recruitment and selection of new employees; develop employee schedules; assign staff duties and review work for compliance with established standards, requirements and procedures; monitor employee performance and initiate transfers, reassignments and / or disciplinary actions as required.
• Participates in the development and implementation of departmental goals, objectives, policies and priorities.
• Supervises and coordinates financial activities of the City and Successor Agency including accounting, budgeting, data processing, payroll, accounts payable, purchasing, revenue collection, risk management, and treasury functions.
• Supervises, trains and evaluates clerical accounting staff in the areas of accounts payable, business licensing, cashiering, and payroll; plans, schedules and assigns related activities.
• Oversees the preparation of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, State Reports, Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule, interim and public financial statements, related work papers, and various other financial analyses and reports for the City, and for Federal, State, or other outside agencies.
• Assists in the preparation of operating and capital budgets; prepares and monitors the assigned department's budget; forecasts City revenue, expenditures, and fund balances; researches and analyzes City budget transactions and completes special projects.
• Develops, implements, and maintains the accounting and budgetary systems; recommends changes to keep systems current and in compliance with accounting regulations and procedures; prepares journal entries and maintains general and subsidiary accounting ledgers; allocates cash investments and interest; and reviews and approves accounting transactions.
• Coordinates the auditors' annual audits; conducts internal audits; may analyze and audit transactions for City programs and activities and prepare related reports.
• Researches and prepares correspondence, projects and reports related to departmental and City policies, activities and issues; provides information and presents reports to City departments and officials, outside agencies and the general public.
• Assists departments monitors and prepares cost reports for Special District, State and Federal grants; reviews and audits grant contracts and other documents to ensure grant compliance.
• Conducts fixed asset inventory of City department assets and maintains all records related to fixed asset schedules, including infrastructure assets.
• May prepare accounts receivable billings, annual and quarterly payroll tax returns, and bank reconciliations, and maintain appropriate records.
• Performs the duties of the Director of Finance in his / her absence.
• Performs various related duties as required.
• Plan and conduct staff meetings; attend a variety of meetings, seminars and conferences related to assigned activities.
• Act in the absence of the Director and / or Assistant Director if assigned.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Any combination of education, training, and work experience that demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform in the position may be qualifying. A typical combination is as follows :

Three (3) years recent full-time paid experience performing increasingly responsible accounting / finance work, with two (2) years in a supervisory capacity. Candidates must possess advanced skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, finance, business administration is required.

Valid Class C California Driver License and acceptable driving record.

Public sector finance experience including Comprehensive Annual Financial Reporting, budget preparation, current Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certificate, and / or knowledge ERP system.

Principles and procedures of accounting, auditing, and budgeting.

Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and GAAP requirements.

Labor laws and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and applications.

Applicable laws, regulations, and standards governing governmental accounting and fiscal operations.

Internal control systems and financial reporting requirements.

Principles and techniques of organizational and personnel management.

Proper use and maintenance of standard office machinery / equipment and technology.

Correct English usage, including grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary.

Effectively utilize modern office equipment, including personal computers and standard business software such as the Microsoft Office Suite.

Operate a variety of office equipment, including a calculator, copier, computer and assigned software.

Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing slightly skilled movements such as data entry and to safeguard ergonomic best practices.

Ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, typically involving lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling, sitting, and / or walking.

Ability to maneuver and steer equipment and machinery requiring simple, but continuous adjustments, such as the operation of an automobile.

Ability to assign, review, plan and coordinate the work of other employees.

Ability to provide instruction, guidance and development of staff.

Ability to recommend the transfer, promotion, salary increase, discipline, or discharge of staff.

Ability to assess the work of employees and write performance appraisals.

Ability to analyze problems that arise in the areas under supervision and recommend solutions.

Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide.

Ability to calculate decimals, ratios, percentages and fractions.

Ability to interpret descriptive statistical reports.

Ability to exercise independent judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information and to make recommendations to the Director.

Ability to decide the time, place and sequence of operations within an organizational framework, as well as the ability to oversee their execution; ability to analyze and categorize data and information using established criteria, in order to determine consequences and to identify and select alternatives.

Ability to utilize a variety of advisory data and information, such as financial statements, technical operating manuals, procedures, guidelines, ordinances, and accounting methods.

Ability to communicate effectively with coworkers, consultants, vendors, and the general public, both verbally and in writing.

Ability to manage and direct a group of workers, including the ability to provide counseling and mediation; ability to persuade, convince, train and motivate others.

Ability to advise and provide interpretation to others how to apply policies, procedures and standards to specific situations.

Ability to interact with staff, co-workers, managers, and directors with professionalism.

Ability to work in an office environment.

Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment :

Work is primarily performed in outdoor and indoor work environments and requires : vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone; frequent standing and walking; finger dexterity to access