ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) is a not-for-profit, community-owned water utility, overseen by elected officials and citizen appointees from Reno, Sparks and Washoe County. TMWA has a highly skilled workforce who ensure the around-the-clock treatment, delivery and availability of high-quality drinking water for more than 400,000 residents of the Truckee Meadows.

We are looking to hire an Accountant to join our Finance department at either the Staff, Senior, or Principal Level.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Under general direction of the Financial Controller, the Staff Accountant will provide professional level technical accounting support to the department. The incumbent ensures the integrity of financial transactions and financial reporting as well as compliance with all accounting rules, statutes and pertinent SEC regulations.

The Staff Accountant will perform analysis and assist with daily tasks in the areas of accounts payable, payroll and general ledger accounting to ensure that these functions are performed in strict adherence with applicable policies and procedures and in accordance with sound financial management principles and practices. This role will utilize strong accounting knowledge, time management skills and effective problem solving to ensure success.

This position contributes to the success of the organization by providing proactive accounting and support to various operating departments, especially in cost accounting, and certain operational analysis. The Staff Accountant will collaborate and participate in the preparation of financial statements and notes to the financial statements. The incumbent must demonstrate a strong desire to learn and possess a high level of accounting acumen along with the ability to comply with Nevada Revised Statutes, pertinent SEC regulations, and numerous accounting standards promulgated by the FASB and the GASB.

The Staff Accountant prepares monthly accounting journal entries, reconciliations and financial statements with guidance from management. At this level, recurring tasks such as monthly, quarterly or annual analyses or schedules, should be prepared with moderate oversight. New tasks should be performed with initial direction and frequent oversight during the duration.

The Senior Accountant differs from the Staff Accountant in that the incumbents perform significantly more complex professional accounting work with minimal oversight. The Senior Accountant is recognized as having the experience, certifications and responsibility for making final technical decisions and or has influence on the overall outcome of a project or task. Incumbents at the Senior level should be able to identify areas of improvement within accounting processes and internal controls and work with management to develop remedies.

The Principal Accountant differs from the Senior Accountant in that the incumbents perform significantly complex professional accounting work with no active oversight. The Principal Accountant is recognized in the work group as having the highest authority in a group. The Principal Accountant is able to identify projects and tasks that need to be performed as situations arise without initial direction from management. Incumbents should be able to identify areas of improvement within accounting processes and internal controls and develop remedies independently to be presented to management. Accountants at the Principal level oversee implementation of projects and are hands on until completion and regularly serve as a project manager.

Progression from one position title, level or designation is not automatic nor guaranteed and is based in business need.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists with the maintenance of the general ledger including processing and classifying accounting and financial transactions and preparing original and adjusting general ledger and subsidiary ledger journal entries. Analyzing and balancing accounts to detailed schedules and subsidiary ledgers to ensure accurate financial statement information. Reconciles accounts, prepares appropriate journal entries for review and balances with liability accounts as necessary.

• Monthly compilation of employee healthcare benefits and other benefit analyses as required.

• Prepares grant reimbursement requests and documentation for review.

• Prepares and possesses ownership of assigned account reconciliations and account analyses each period, quarter, and year end in an accurate and timely manner.

• Ensures timely and accurate posting of payroll to the financial accounting system. As well as payroll backup.

• Oversees the fixed asset process from entering new assets, capitalizing completed projects, running depreciation, reconciling subledger to General Ledger and Operation’s City Works, and preparing quarterly schedules for financial review.

• Provides detailed and complex operational analysis when required.

• Assists in development and verification of monthly financial statements.

• Works with Financial Controller and CFO to ensure compliance with statutory requirements as well as financial reporting requirements.

• Prepares financial schedules for annual financial statement audit and works directly and independently with auditors during audit fieldwork.

• Works with Finance team and other operating departments to develop and improve operating work flow processes and review compliance with internal controls.

• Carries out scheduled and ad-hoc reporting and analysis as required by business units, corporate management, and others as needed.

• Occasionally communicates with the billing/remittance contractor on issues such as customer payments received, voided checks, manual credit card transactions, other cash receipt issues and unclaimed property.

• Answers accounting and processing policy questions from vendors and employees.

• Performs related duties and responsibilities as required or requested.

• Records and reconciles Investment activity on a monthly basis.

• Prepares monthly overhead allocations to capital and non-capital projects.

• Records Retention Liaison ensuring finance/accounting department is in compliance.

• Maintains records for two OPEB trusts in Quickbooks, processes disbursement checks, attends quarterly meetings, coordinates annual audits and occasionally works with outside legal counsel.

• Reconciles weekly deposits made by Finance to receipts that are entered into PLL on a monthly basis.

• Manages and accounts for fixed Assets and projects by working with project managers after a project has been completed to breakout the costs into identified components updates ERP system accordingly. Communicates within and outside of the finance department on the status of the projects to ensure proper accounting. Records fixed asset additions, disposals and monthly depreciation.

• Super user of financial systems including an ERP.

• Assists in the implementation of accounting/finance software as well as ERP upgrades.

   

  MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

  Experience

  Two (2) to ten (10) years (depending on the level of accounting work performed) of increasingly responsible experience involving professional financial accounting work in one or more of the following areas: general ledger, payroll, accounts payable, fixed asset accounting, and reconciliation of accounts, month end closing, financial statement preparation and assisting during annual financial audits.

  Staff Level Accountants will generally have two (2) to four (4) years’ experience in performing professional level financial accounting work. Senior Level Accountants will generally have five (4) or more years’ increasingly responsible financial accounting experience. Principal Level Accountants will have greater than nine (9) years’ increasingly responsible financial accounting experience.

  
  Other combinations of education/experience may be considered.

  Education & Training

  A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, or Bachelor’s Degree with related accounting & finance experience is required.

   

  Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing and speaking English.

   

  Conditions of Continued Employment

  CPA is preferred but not required.

  A valid driver’s license and the ability to meet TMWA Dept. of Motor Vehicle report criteria.

   

  KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  Knowledge of:

• Technical and comprehensive knowledge of all functional areas of accounting

• Provisions and pronouncements of accounting standards, including GAAP, Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statements, and SEC regulations.

• Principles, practices and terminology of general, fund and governmental accounting, including financial statement preparation and methods of financial control and reporting.

• Principals and practices of cost accounting.

• Grant accounting/reporting requirements.

• Internal control and audit practices and procedures including Statements of Auditing Standards (SAS).

• Principles and practices of automated financial/accounting systems, data processing, particularly related to the processing of accounting information and interpretation of input and output data.

• Accounts payable and receivables processes

• Credit card and purchasing policies and procedures

• Vendor access and communication channels

• Purchase order closing process

   

   

  Skill/Ability to:

• Proficiency with Excel and accounting software. Basic to intermediate Outlook and MS Office skills required.

• Demonstrate strong quantitative, analytical and critical thinking skills

• Analyze problems and make decisions/recommendations

• Provide guidance and direction to supervised employees in order to achieve departmental objectives

• Demonstrate strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills and the ability to work with all levels of the company and outside customers

• Be creative, flexible, and posses a willingness and ability to drive and guide change

• Recognize the need for innovative or unique approaching to bring about desired results

• Manage multiple projects and situations, ensuring follow-through and meeting of strict deadlines

• Possess uncompromising business ethics

• Be punctual regarding work hours established by TMWA.

  Be mentally and physically alert during working hours.

  TMWA is an equal employment opportunity employer who develops and maintains a work environment that values the dignity of each individual, utilizes human resources to their fullest potential and ensures a high quality workforce which reflects the diversity of the community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.
  
  All decisions affecting any terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, assignment, training, compensation, promotion, salary, disciplinary action and an employee’s caregiving responsibilities, will be made without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, membership in an employee association, or any other protected status or category.