Accountant IV - Austin Financial Services

Job Description:

Accountant IV - Austin Financial Services

Description

JOIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TEAM

At the City of Austin, we are more than just an employer-we are a vibrant community dedicated to shaping one of the nation's most dynamic and innovative cities. Our guiding principles-Empathy, Ethics, Excellence, Engagement, and Equity - anchor our approach in delivering services that significantly impact the lives of Austin residents. Joining the City of Austin means embarking on a purposeful career, contributing to the community, and being part of a forward-thinking organization that values every employee.

What Makes the City of Austin Special?

• Make a Difference: Join a team driving meaningful change in one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation.
  
• Diverse and Inclusive Workplace: Work in an environment where every voice is valued, and Innovation thrives.
  
• Competitive Benefits: Enjoy a comprehensive compensation package that includes generous leave, work-life balance programs, and extensive benefits.
  
• Retirement Security: Plan for the future with the City of Austin Employees' Retirement System.
  
• Sustainable Transportation Options: Commute easily with access to public transit and bike-friendly infrastructure.
  
• Focus on Wellness: Stay healthy through wellness programs, on-site fitness centers, and mental health support.
  
• Career Growth: Advance your skills and expertise with professional development and leadership opportunities.
  
• Modern Workspaces: Work in innovative and sustainable environments designed to foster collaboration and inspiration.
  

By joining us, you become part of a community that values its people and is committed to making Austin the most thriving and resilient city in the country.

Who We Are:
Our department provides a variety of financial services and programs. Austin Financial Services (AFS) serves residents, vendors, and City departments.

Our mission is to serve as a trusted steward of public resources with integrity and accountability to ensure a fiscally sound city.

Our staff supports a wide variety of financial processes, including preparing the annual budget and annual fiscal report, procurement processes, franchise agreements, real estate transactions, and overseeing the City’s investment portfolio and debt management.

As an internal support function within the larger City organization, AFS is proud to serve and act as a leader in financial management to its partner departments.

Job Description:

Accountant IV - Austin Financial Services

Purpose:

Coordinate and provide financial information to management by reviewing, preparing, researching, and analyzing complex financial transactions/financial statements and reports and/or coordinating and/or leading activities of employees who prepare and balance financial transactions and general ledger accounts

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:

• Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
  
• Provides coordination and oversees the collections of revenue and/or processing of customer payments; analysis, and clearing of delinquent accounts; notifying customers of insufficient payments; calculating/assessing delinquent fines/fees, etc.
  
• Prepares complex financial statements for external reporting or financial reports by preparing and/or overseeing the preparation of complex balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and reports; collecting, analyzing, and summarizing general ledger account information and trends; applying advanced skills
  
• and knowledge of accounting and reporting requirements of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, GAAP.
  
• Prepares audit work papers for annual external audit or special audit by preparing, reviewing, and/or overseeing the preparation of complex supporting work papers for assigned area(s), providing explanations of City policy and procedures and responding to auditor questions and requests for information in a timely and accurate manner.
  
• Carries out complex projects by researching new accounting standards and related reporting/ information requirements, organizing/summarizing research results, and presenting recommendations to management for timely implementation in the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
  
• Maintains accounting ledgers by posting/reviewing and/or approving the posting of account transactions; ensuring transactions are processed in accordance with GAAP, City policy, applicable laws and regulations, and sound business practices.
  
• Leads reconciliation of general ledger and/or bank accounts and resolves account discrepancies by reconciling and/or reviewing the reconciliation of statements and transactions and investigating documentation, issuing stop payments, payments, or adjustments, and by facilitating discrepancy resolutions for other accounting staff members.
  
• Assists departments and other internal or external customers by drafting procedural, financial, and/or other information and guidance with automated or manual accounting systems.
  
• Provides guidance and direction through the review of asset, liability, inventory, and/or capital accounting entries as prepared by internal/ external department staff and provides City-wide accounting software training or proctors Continuing Professional Education (CPE) classes.
  
• Assesses internal accounting controls for effectiveness; presents procedural recommendations to management; maintains financial security by documenting the established internal accounting controls.
  

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:

Provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed. Knowledge of professional records and information management theory, best practices, principles, standards, technologies, and requirements.

• Advanced knowledge of internal control systems.
  
• Advanced knowledge of financial reporting in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, GAAP.
  
• Advanced knowledge of financial reporting concepts and preferred business practices.
  
• Knowledge of manual and automated financial systems.
  
• Knowledge of the preparation process of complex financial statements and reports in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
  
• Skill in classifying complex fiscal data and compiling fund level statements and reports
  
• Skill in effective verbal and written communications.
  
• Skill in managing and processing large volumes of financial transaction data.
  
• Skill in analyzing and interpreting financial records.
  
• Skill in utilizing personal computer.
  
• Skill in designing and maintaining complex spreadsheets and data bases utilizing word processing software.
  
• Ability to prepare accurate and complex financial reports and statements.
  
• Ability to resolve problems or situations requiring the exercise of good judgement.
  
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other City employees and the public
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field related to accounting, twenty-four (24) college semester hours in accounting plus four (4) years of accounting experience.
  
• One (1) year of experience as lead or supervisor.
  
• A Master's degree in Accounting or Business Administration may substitute for one (1) year of accounting experience.
  
• A CPA may substitute for the required four-year degree
  

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• None
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Microsoft access skills required
  
• Knowledge of preferred business practices, accounting practices and concepts.
  
• Knowledge of grant and or FEMA reporting.
  
• Experience in analyzing and interpreting large volumes of data.
  
• Advanced excel skills (familiar with pivot tables, VLOOKUP’s, filtering, complex functions, etc.)
  
• Experience with governmental accounting and GASB standards.
  
• Ability to travel to more than one work location
  

Notes to Candidate:

Position Overview:

The Accountant IV for the Grant team will assist with grant reporting requirements related to COVID -19, including American Rescue Plan (ARPA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) public assistance (PA). This position will assemble the annual ARPA Recovery Plan and enter information in the Treasury portal quarterly. This position will interact with departments to gather and review grant expenditures prior to submission to the federal government for reimbursement. This position will also assemble the annual statements for the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) using Excel, Word, and Adobe.

Pay Range:

$80,490.00 - $102,200.00

Hours:

Monday - Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Telework opportunities may be available after an initial training period. Work schedules are implemented to meet the requirements of the department and are subject to change based on business needs.

Staff eligible to telework must be in the office for at least 40% of their scheduled work week.

Location:

124 West 8th Street (Municipal Building), Austin, Texas 78701

Application Details:

• A detailed, complete COA employment application is required. It helps us to better evaluate your qualifications and will be used to determine your salary if you are selected for this position.
  
• Please be sure to detail on the application all previous employment that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications.
  
• For each position, please describe your specific experience as it relates to the minimum and preferred qualifications.
  
• A cover letter is required. In the cover letter candidates should describe, in concise detail, their interest in this position and highlight any prior experience that is relevant to this position.
  
• A résumé is also required but will not substitute for a complete COA employment application. Resumes are not accepted in place of a completed online application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the detailed and relevant work experience, which would qualify them for the position.
  
• When completing the City of Austin employment application, the work experience listed must include a month, year, and a verifiable Supervisor or Human Resources phone number.
  
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
  
• Each individual who submits an Application as provided in the Municipal Civil Service Rules and meets the Minimum Qualifications for a Competitive Position shall be considered a Candidate for that Position. Employees, in Good Standing, who are candidates within the Department or division that the Position resides in and who meet the Minimum and Preferred Qualifications (if any) of the Position will be included in the initial interview.
  
• Use of AI is strictly prohibited to respond to the application and during the interview process.
  
• Please be aware that the Job Posting Close Date reflects the final day to apply, but the posting will close at 11:59 PM the day before the date listed. All application steps, including attachments and submission, must be fully completed before that time.
  

Additional Details:

• Austin Financial Services may close this job posting at any time after it has been advertised for seven (7) days, please apply as soon as possible if interested.
  
• This position may require a skills assessment.
  
• If you are identified as a top candidate, verification of your education, which may include High School graduation or GED equivalent, undergraduate and/or graduate degrees, will be required.
  
• This position will require a pre-employment Criminal Background Investigation (CBI).
  
• If you are selected as the top candidate for a position, we may contact your current and former employer.
  
• Please be sure you have listed at least 3 previous supervisors in the application with correct contact information.
  
• If you are identified as a top military candidate or a veteran, you must provide a copy of your DD-214.
  

Travel:

If you are selected for this position and meet the Driver Safety Standards in the City of Austin Driver Safety Program, you may drive when necessary to multiple locations as part of your regular job duties. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting to and from these locations.

90 Day Provision for Additional Vacancy:

When the same or an additional vacancy occurs within a department in the same job title within 90 days after the start date of the top candidate, the hiring department may offer the additional position to another candidate from the same candidate pool.

Important Note to Applicants:
Please be aware that the Job Posting Close Date reflects the final day to apply, but the posting will close at 11:59 PM the day before the date listed. All application steps, including attachments and submission, must be fully completed before that time.

We also recommend that you save or print a copy of the job posting for your records. Once a posting has closed, it will no longer be viewable in the system.

EEO Statement for City of Austin:

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual's AIDS, AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

Closing Date/Time: 2025-10-21