Accountant II

Job Description:

Accountant II

Description

Salary and Benefits

PLEASE NOTE: The starting salary placement depends on qualifications and experience and is anticipated to be in the range of $4,909.00 per month to $6,300.00 per month.

Cal State East Bay offers a broad range of benefits that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement (CalPERS), 401k, 457, 403(b), dependent and health care reimbursement accounts, life insurance, vacation and sick, 14 paid holidays, one personal holiday and tuition fee waiver.

For more information on the benefits program, please visit our benefits website. The CSU Total Compensation Calculator demonstrates the significance of our benefits package.

This position may be eligible to participate in the Cal State East Bay hybrid telecommute program subject to management approval.

Classification

Accountant II, Exempt

About Cal State East Bay

Cal State East Bay's beautiful main campus is located in the Hayward hills with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Situated above the city of Hayward, the campus offers an ideal setting for teaching and learning and yet easy access to the many cities along the bay. The University has a satellite campus in Concord, a professional development center in Oakland and a significant presence online. Founded in 1957, Cal State East Bay is one of 23 universities of the California State University system (CSU). Cal State East Bay is recognized as a regionally engaged and globally oriented university with a strong commitment to academic innovation, student success, engaged and service learning, diversity, and sustainability.

About the Position

The Financial Services department includes General Accounting, Accounts Payable, Student Financial & Cashier Services, Bay Card/University Club Services, Accounts Receivable, and Procurement & Support Services. This role is an Accountant II within the University Accounting unit. Reporting to the General Accounting Manager, the position primarily works within the Accounting & Fiscal Services General Accounting unit but may work on other Fiscal Services areas, including Accounts Payable, Auxiliary Organizations, and additional areas. Responsibilities include collecting, processing, and analyzing accounting transactional data, managing month-end and year-end closing processes, and coordinating auditor requests.

Responsibilities

Assure the proper recording and documentation of financial transactions and contribute to audit process - Examine documents for conformance to established policies and procedures and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP):

• Key accountant in GASB implementations and large scale projects for both campus and auxiliaries
• Prepare financial transactions as assigned such as Journal Entry preparation and review, identifying needed reclassifications and/or transfers
• Legal and GAAP Journal Entries
• Analyze Errors/Warnings from monthly FIRMS reporting to Chancellor’s Office
• Ensure that assigned accounting program activities are carried out in accordance with established policies and procedures and general accounting standards
• Ensure activity is appropriate to fund usage; see operating agreements, regulatory agency or governing authority for guidance
• Monitor and report on balances on a Legal and GAAP basis
• For assigned funds, maintain fund agreements, where required by CSU policy
• Interpret new and existing federal and state regulations relative to assigned area of responsibility
• Provide support for various internal and external audits such as audit sample documentation and schedules

Prepare, analyze, and interpret financial reports, statements, and records:

• Conduct extensive financial data compilation, querying and drilling on large volumes of financial data; and use integrated financial systems and/or other types of records management systems:
  • Review financial data, reports and statements
  • Identify errors
  • Take corrective actions

• Prepare complex financial statements and reports
• Correct and reconcile account balances to external data
• Assigned reconciliations are completed accurately
• Reconciliations are consistently completed by the provided deadline
• Reconciling items are generally resolved within 30 days; 60 days for more complex issues
• Contribution to the year-end process include various tasks:
  • Legal and GAAP Journal Entries
  • SCO State Reporting
  • Audit Schedules
  • Footnotes/Lead sheet preparation
  • Legal-basis financial statements
  • GAAP-basis financial statements

Identify actual or potential problems and recommend corrective action:

• Recommend changes to and assist with the documentation and maintenance of business processes, standards and procedures
• Predict the effects of changes in operating programs or accounting operations
• Document and maintain business processes, standards and procedures
• Analyze accounting control procedures and recommend changes or modifications

Provide training, guidance and assistance to other employees and to provide work direction to other professional and/or technical staff as assigned:

• Provide guidance to the Accountant I and Accounting Technician II - Activities may include review/approval all financial transactions and compliance
• Provide consultative services to campus administrators in resolving accounting problems
• Train end users on use of Data Warehouse and distribution of policies or guidelines in relation to compliance and University financial business processes
• Respond to a variety of inquiries from all organization levels and provide guidance and support as needed

Other Duties as Assigned:

• Perform special tasks as assigned; these tasks will be outlined when assigned but are likely to include process design, testing, development of reconciliations/schedule preparation and documentation
• Provide initial troubleshooting of financial systems problems and participate in the design and installation of financial systems upgrades and required testing and verification of results
• Attend trainings as required by assigned duties

Minimum Qualifications

Experience:

• Equivalent to two (2) years of progressively responsible professional accounting experience

Education:

• Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting, business administration, finance or a closely related field OR a combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge and abilities

Abilities:

• In addition to those of the Accountant I, ability to apply accounting principles to the analysis of complex accounting problems
• Analyze and interpret accounting data
• Prepare clear, accurate financial statements and reports
• Utilize problem-solving techniques in finding solutions to complex accounting problems
• Understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies, and principles
• Make decisions and recommendations regarding accounting activities
• Communicate effectively with others inside and outside the unit, including conveying technical information to non-Accountants

Knowledge:

• Thorough knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Office methods and procedures; statistical and mathematical presentation of data
• Advanced proficiency with current word processing and spreadsheet software programs, web browsers, query tools, integrated financial systems and/or other types of records management systems
• General understanding of internal control methods
• Working knowledge of federal student financial aid annual reporting requirements, and quarterly grant reporting requirements

Preferred Skills and Knowledge

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting
• Experience with Oracle PeopleSoft Application
• Advanced skill level experience in Excel
• Higher level accounting experience
• Experience in general ledger reconciliations
• Experience in providing direction/training
• Strong customer service

Condition(s) of Employment

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including LiveScan, as appropriate), that may include, but is not limited to: criminal records check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certificates, credit history, professional references and/or verification of work history is required for employment. Cal State East Bay will issue a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Unsatisfactory results may also affect the continued employment of current Cal State East Bay employees who were conditionally offered the position.

All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate. LiveScan is conducted through the University Police Department.

EEO Statement

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Cal State East Bay does not discriminate on the basis of any protected categories: age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability, gender, immigration status, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran's status. The University is committed to the principles of diversity in employment and to creating a stimulating learning environment for its diverse student body.

Other Information

All California State University campuses, including Cal State East Bay, are smoke and tobacco-free. For more information, please visit our website here.

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Cal State East Bay Annual Campus Security Report is available here.

Sponsorship

Cal State East Bay is not a sponsoring agency for Staff or Management positions and we are not an E-Verify employer.

Mandated Reporter

The incumbent in this position may be considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and will be required to comply with requirements set forth in the CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Advertised: Oct 16 2024 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: Feb 17 2025 Pacific Standard Time

Closing Date/Time: