Sr. Accountant

About Harris County Housing & Community Development:

Harris County Housing & Community Development provides life-enhancing projects and programs to residents of Harris County. Our services include spurring community investment through the provision of homebuying programs, partnering with community members and housing developers to build diverse housing options that uplift communities and offer other assistance that support community building. The position requires the performance of a wide variety of daily accounting duties and analyses associated with subrecipient contracts/agreements.

Accountant Overview:

The senior accountant is responsible for the accounting related to multiple component units of Harris County (i.e., Local Governmental Corporations (LGCs) and 501c3, non-profits). The position is responsible for ongoing daily accounting, treasury management, reviewing financial data, budgeting, financial reporting and making forecasting observations and communicating the fiscal matters to the treasurer, entity boards, and program directors. The senior accountant must also work routinely with external and internal auditors in the production of Annual Financial Statement audits, single audit as well as special grant reports. The position oversees the production of construction progress reports, budget vs actual reports, and other special project reports. The senior accountant is responsible for performing complex accounting for tax increment funds, leases, land acquisitions, real estate development projects, conduit bond programs and grant contracts.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Works closely with LGC board chair, the treasurer, senior accounting manager, program division heads, and staff in providing complex financial accounting, budgeting, treasury management activities, and financial reporting for each board meeting.

• Responsible for the production of financial agenda items for each board meeting which includes: monthly financial reports, quarterly investment reports, the annual investment policy, monthly treasurer's reports, special project reports, budget versus actuals reports, and annual budgets.

• Oversees the financial accounting aspects of debt, conduit debt, lease transactions, community land trust accounting, construction projects, real estate development projects and capital projects and grant accounting to ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local funding requirements and organizational policies.

• Assists in the development of accurate and realistic budgets for each entity and works closely with program managers to provide financial insights and support decision-making related to revenue and expenditure patterns and cycles.

• Must work routinely with, and supply information to, internal and external auditors during the annual audit of each entity's financial statements, or with federal or state grant monitors conducting site visits for ensuring compliance with grant terms and conditions.

• Assists the senior accounting manager by overseeing, preparing, and processing inter-fund and intergovernmental receivables, payables, and other accounting entries, incoming and outgoing wires, ACH transactions, warrants, and draws while maintaining a working relationship with the entity's banking institutions and affiliates in the management of cash and debt service requirements.

• Monitors grant and operations budgets throughout the project life cycle, identifying and addressing any variances or discrepancies.

• Conducts financial analysis related to all financial entities and provides insight to senior management and contributes to strategic financial planning.

• Directs, prepares, and recommends accounting transactions and performs a variety of accounting, reporting, project, and compliance monitoring activities.

• Works within Intuit Enterprises Suite, DoorLoop leasing software, and PeopleSoft while establishing and maintaining various in-house workbook files and logs supplemental to the department’s accounting systems.

• Establishes and maintains various in-house spreadsheets and logs supplemental to the department’s accounting systems.

• Participates in departmental special projects.

• Other duties as assigned.

• This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position.

• Management may, at its discretion, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer  https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.  This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or a closely related field such as Finance or Business Administration from an accredited college or university

Experience

• Five (5) years of professional accounting experience

• Two (2) years' experience in full cycle financial reporting and reconciliation

Licensure:

• Valid Driver's License (Texas upon hire)

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong analytical skills with an ability to focus on the details, strong organizational and time management skills, good communication skills, and the ability to write clearly

• Advanced skills in Excel workbooks and worksheets and complex financial/accounting related software, e.g., Quickbooks, PeopleSoft

• Strong knowledge and proficiency in accounting principles related to payables, receivables, revenues, governmental, grants, and fund accounting

• Strong knowledge and ability to research and understand GASB Statements

• Ability to work efficiently under pressure and establish, maintain, and demonstrate to others the use of accounting tools

• Ability to access, interpret, consolidate and prepare budgets, financial reports, and other financial information

• Ability to interpret federal, state and local regulations and compliance literature pertaining to a variety of programs and maintain compliance

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Preferred Experience

• Knowledge of accounting utilized within governmental, non-profit, or public agencies, or with sophisticated accounting software within medium to large-sized entities

Position Type, and Typical Hours of Work:

• Full-Time | Grant-funded

• Monday - Friday | 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Work Environment:

• The job is performed in a professional office environment. No special safety precautions are required.

Physical Demands:

• The work is primarily sedentary with occasional required travel to training events or
  meetings.

• Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

• Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.  Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.