Accounting Assistant IV

Summary of Duties Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is recruiting for an Accounting Assistant IV for our Fiscal Division.
Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is Thurston County’s local health jurisdiction and human services department and is responsible for protecting the health and promoting the well-being of all people who live, work, and play in Thurston County.
We value diversity and strive to foster a sense of belonging, honoring the unique experiences, cultures, skills, backgrounds, identities, and perspectives of our employees and community.
As an agency actively working to address health equity, we aspire for everyone to have the opportunity to attain their highest level of health, regardless of their individual circumstances.
As an Accounting Assistant IV, you are the highest level within the Accounting Assistant series.
You will perform advanced technical accounting support work and may act in the capacity of lead worker to lower-level accounting assistants and/or are responsible for complex accounting work.
This position offers a great deal of autonomy and requires the ability to think critically and make independent judgments based on budgeting and accounting principles.
A commitment to continuous improvement is fundamental.
Some of the essential job functions include, but are not limited to the following: Perform accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger adjustment activities.
Develop recommendations for procedural or policy changes in the accounting unit.
Oversee fiscal requirements of assigned grants and contracts to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements and prepare all necessary invoices and reports as needed.
Audit accounts payable (A/P), accounts receivable (A/R), and general ledger entries and document to ensure accuracy, propriety, proper account coding, adequate explanations, and other applicable information in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.
May prepare and present training sessions for department staff to support proper completion and documentation of purchasing, travel, reimbursements, and payroll.
Perform independent research projects as assigned and prepare various schedules and reports for financial statements requiring the knowledge of governmental accounting principles.
Monitor assigned funds and prepare quarterly and annual reports to show the status of the fund using County formats and/or guidelines, including making projections of revenue and expenditures.
Assist with the development of the department budget for assigned funds.
Participate in fiscal year-end close activities, which include, but is not limited to, accruals, accountability reports, preparation of Schedule of Federal Awards, etc.
Cross train with colleagues.
Participate in quarterly team huddles.
May participate in subrecipient monitoring activities.
Perform other work as required or assigned, including, but not limited to, a 24/7 response during public health emergency situations and disease outbreak investigations.
The ideal candidate has the following Knowledge of: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), State of Washington Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS), and Thurston County Financial Policies and Procedures Financial terminology Grant and contract management Contemporary accounting systems and software tools such as Excel, Word, and Outlook Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) 2 CFR 200 Skills in: Identifying complex accounting issues and developing solutions to resolve those issues Organizing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating financial data Organizing data into appropriate usable format and preparing correspondence and documents from oral and written instructions Reading and comprehending legal and non-legal documents What we offer our employees: Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensuring that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individual’s lifestyle.
Plan for Your Future: As a member of our team, you enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family.
Please visit our 2024 Thurston County Employee Benefit Plans website for more information.
Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn a minimum of 12 paid vacation days per year in addition to 11 paid holidays and 2 floating holidays.
Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County-paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry.
We also encourage staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
Flexible Work Schedules: Options some employees may take advantage of are alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
(Requires supervisor approval.
) See under Benefits later in this job description for detailed information about the many other benefits the County offers.
Why you’ll love it here Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington’s South Puget Sound Region.
Perched between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more.
The region is also home to the state capital city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmers markets, kids’ activities, history, and art events.
Discover more about life in Thurston County at Experienceolympia.
com.
Qualifications High School Diploma or G.
E.
D.
and two years of college level accounting courses.
Two years of general accounting experience, plus one year of grant accounting experience.
Additional experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.
Ability to utilize a personal computer and related software packages to perform word processing, analysis, information retrieval and tracking.
Ability to communicate with co-workers as well as the general public.
Desired Skills Respect and Organizational Culture: Create an environment where employees and partners can safely express needs or concerns and where employees can make and correct mistakes.
Effectively interact with sensitivity while working with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, and lifestyles.
Thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization maintaining a positive work environment.
Communication: Serve the public in a timely, complete, accurate, and professional manner while ensuring that written and verbal communication is clearly understood by others.
Maintain cultural competency to support diverse perspectives in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of the community.
Strong oral communication for networking and interpersonal relationships.
Excellent written communication including the ability to craft correspondence, reports, and articles or web postings with minimal grammatical and syntax errors.
Goal Setting and Accomplishment: Use strategic thinking and planning for goal setting and evaluation.
Effectively plan, organize, and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure.
Create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling confidentiality, professional values, and ethics with honesty and integrity.
Operate with a high degree of flexibility, initiative, attention to detail, and commitment.
Delegate and use persuasion and negotiating skills for shared responsibility and acceptance of change.
Other Position Related Information Questions about this recruitment? The contact person for this recruitment is: Vickie Larkin: vickie.
larkin@co.
thurston.
wa.
us or (360) 867-2505 This position is: Represented by a Union Eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Eligible for benefits Contingent on the ability to pass a criminal background check Items required for consideration: Application Resume Cover letter Supplemental Questions PLEASE NOTE: The candidate selected for this position is required to show proof of the following immunizations by their agreed upon start date: Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap/TD)