Engineering Accountant - TERM

The City of Red Deer - Human Resources; Red Deer; On-site; CAD 82,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Red Deer is seeking an Engineering Accountant for a 14-month term to ensure integrity of financial records and support the budget process for operating and capital budgets.

The role includes leading departmental accounting, providing financial analysis, ensuring PSAB compliance, and mentoring staff across departments. CPA designation and municipal accounting experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• Completion of an undergraduate degree in accounting or finance.
• CPA designation required; equivalent combinations may be considered.
• Four years of accounting duties and financial analysis experience in a large organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate departmental accounting activities, including financial transactions, reconciliations, and year-end processes.
• Provide financial analysis, reporting, and guidance for decision-making and forecasting.
• Support operating and capital budgets, cash flow analysis, and expenditure tracking.
• Ensure compliance with municipal standards, PSAB, asset accounting, and purchasing policies.
• Coordinate grant funding and capital project financial activities and reporting.
• Provide leadership to staff, improve financial processes, and support financial systems.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Financial analysis

Budgeting

Accounting theory

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance

CPA designation

Tools

JDE

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

The Opportunity:

The City of Red Deer is currently recruiting for the right person to fill a 14-month Term position as an Engineering Accountant. This position is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the department’s financial and accounting records, facilitating, and supporting the budget process, monitoring revenues and expenditures for operating and capital budgets. Provides accounting mentorship to section and departmental staff. Provides financial and administrative support including interpreting, reporting, recommending, and overseeing internal controls. A high degree of professional judgement and independence is required in performing these duties while supporting the department and maintaining strong working relationships with other departments, division, and corporate staff. This position requires the ability to manage multiple tasks accurately within tight deadlines and conflicting priorities.

This position also provides accounting support to the staff of the Development & Protective Services departments. As part of Capital Projects for the department, this position may be required to provide the accounting processes needed for the successful delivery of a variety of capital projects from various other City Departments.

Top Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate departmental accounting activities, including financial transactions, account reconciliations, revenue and expenditure reporting, capital project accounting, and year-end processes.
• Provide financial analysis, reporting, and guidance to support operational and strategic decision-making, including contract reviews, variance analysis, development agreements, reserve management, and financial forecasting.
• Support the development, monitoring, and administration of operating and capital budgets, including budget preparation, cash flow analysis, expenditure tracking, and compliance reporting.
• Ensure compliance with municipal, legislative, and accounting standards, including PSAB requirements, tangible capital asset accounting, grant reporting, purchasing policies, and financial controls.
• Coordinate and manage grant funding and capital project financial activities, including grant applications and reporting, capital job setup, project tracking, and monitoring contract expenditures and revenues.
• Provide leadership and expertise to departmental staff by guiding accounting practices, improving financial processes, supporting financial systems, and promoting accurate and effective financial management across the department.
• Additional responsibilities: conduct financial research and analysis

As our preferred candidate, you will have:

• Completion of an undergraduate degree majoring in accounting or finance. Completion of the CPA designation. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Four years performing accounting duties and providing financial analysis and advice for a large organization, preferably within a municipal engineering environment.
• Must have knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), specifically as they relate to a municipal accounting environment and procedures as applied in an integrated computer environment.
• Four years’ experience in the use of complex computerized accounting systems. Experience with JDE (accounting system) would be an asset.
• Knowledge and experience with business software such as Word and Power Point is required with advanced Excel skills.
• Demonstrable experience in applying accounting theory in conjunction with approved policies and procedures.
• Wide range of general accounting and/or audit experience.

What we offer:

In addition to the competitive hourly rate of $41.93 to $44.40 per hour, working 75 hours biweekly, we offer a great work environment with a dynamic and dedicated team of likeminded professionals. If you think this is the job for you, come build your career with The City of Red Deer. We are committed to a healthy, vibrant, and sustainable community. Our employees are the cornerstone of our organization and working with us will provide you with the opportunity to work in an ever-growing environment and to work with an awesome group of people.

We welcome applications until October 4, 2026

Applicants not contacted are thanked for their interest.