Account Technician, Grants and Programs

Tacoma Public Schools; Washington; On-site; USD 79,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits eligible

Job summary

Tacoma Public Schools seeks a Grant Accountant to support reporting, compliance, and data management for district grants across federal, state, and private programs. The role coordinates budget monitoring, forecasting, and financial integrity within multiple district systems.

You will prepare journal entries, assist with audits, develop SEFA schedules, and train grant managers on applicable rules. A strong background in governmental accounting and accuracy under deadlines is essential.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in accounting or related field with at least 15 quarter hours in accounting; three years of accounting experience required.
• Governmental accounting experience preferred; WASBO courses recommended.
• Valid Washington State driver’s license and background clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Prepare journal entries for grant expenditures and track program costs.
• Review requisitions, travel authorizations, timesheets, and other budget-related approvals for grants.
• Create monthly grant expenditure reports and state OSPI submissions as needed.
• Prepare the SEFA and coordinate audits with state and federal agencies.
• Maintain data integrity across district financial systems and train grant staff.

Skills

Grant accounting

Budget analysis

Financial reporting

Compliance

Education

Associate’s degree in accounting or related field

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Excel

Word

Job description

Tacoma Public Schools

Expected Start Date: As soon as possible

FTE: 1.0

Hours per day: 8

Salary Level: PT6 $38.36 - $54.08 DOE

Union/Work Year: Professional Technical; 12-month; 260 work days

Benefits Eligible: This job has the full range of benefits offered by Tacoma Public Schools.

SUMMARY

This position serves in a key support capacity to ensure proper reporting, compliance, quality control, and data management for District programs and federal, state, local, and private grants; coordinates, analyzes, and provides support in monitoring budget and financial information on applicable grants and programs; integrates financial information within various District internal and external systems in support of data integrity, budget forecasting, and financial accountability; provides guidance and training to grant and programmatic managers and their staff regarding compliance, integrity and budget issues.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Serves as financial point person and a resource after a District, federal, state, local government, and/or private grant is awarded; provides support to, and conducts basic due diligence with, grant managers in reviewing grant application and specifications; assists the various program managers in calculating staffing costs, budget forecasting, revisions and, if deemed necessary, meeting with the funding agencies; serves as resource to District staff and other agencies regarding accounting procedures after a grant is awarded; sets up accounting for new grant awards; prepares budget revisions and notifies the appropriate staff.
2. Compiles and analyzes financial information to prepare journal entries for tracking grant and programmatic expenditures, transactions and correcting entries; reviews and processes approval requests for accounting and fiscal compliance, including, but not limited to, requisitions, travel authorizations, substitute requests, timesheets, and claim forms; ensures compliance with specified guidelines; prepares invoices and/or claim forms for reimbursement as required by each grant;
3. Reviews and approves journal entries from departments appropriate to the applicable grant or program; analyzes grants payables and schedule of individual grants for underspend or overspend and makes appropriate adjustments.
4. Creates monthly reports for conveying grant expenditures to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI); monthly reports are applicable to those federal, state and/or private grants that require monthly claims to be submitted in the OSPI grant system; prepares monthly state apportionment report journal entry.
5. Prepares General ledger account reconciliation; performs budget analysis and comparisons for upper-level management, as directed; prepares quarterly schedule for the board reports showing grant revenues, expenditures, and balances for the year.
6. Prepares annual Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) inclusive of notes; files with the State Auditor’s Office; reviews SEFA after prepared by state auditors prior to submission to the Federal Clearing House; processes and fulfills annual re-certification of the US Federal Government’s System for Award Management (SAM).
7. Prepares for and supports federal, state, and other grantor agency audits by providing requested financial and compliance documentation, including grant and program expenditures, awards, claims, and time and effort records; coordinates preparation for annual reviews, including the State Auditor’s Office regular audit, federal single audit, and OSPI’s federal consolidated program review; accesses and maintains information in federal program systems, including those used by the U.S. Department of Education and Health and Human Services.
8. Prepares letter and chart for annual indirect cost rates; calculates year-end receivables and deferrals of revenue for all grants.
9. Supports the department in maintaining data integrity and accuracy across internal systems, records, processes, and program activities by reviewing, validating, reconciling, and updating information as needed. Identifies and communicates discrepancies and assists with corrective actions to ensure information is complete, accurate, consistent, and reliable throughout the department’s operations.

OTHER JOB DUTIES

1. Maintains and updates knowledge and skills required for success in the position by participating in professional development activities and meetings, as needed or assigned to maintain and enhance accounting skills; communicates information and changes to department staff.
2. Provides back-up to other departmental staff, as needed in order to provide adequate job coverage; performs other related duties, as assigned.
3. Serves as a District grant resource, provides training and direction to other staff, as directed.
4. Assists with presenting at workshops and conferences, including the Office Professional/Professional Technical (OP/PT) annual conference.
5. Regular, reliable, predictable attendance or physical presence is an essential job requirement and critical to the performance of the work.

CONDITIONS

Office environment; required to concentrate on detail and be precise; experiences frequent interruptions and deadline pressures; experiences prolonged visual concentration and exposure to video display; occasionally required to work with difficult and sensitive situations and/or people; occasionally required to travel to school sites; may be required to lift and carry up to 20 pounds, bend, squat, stoop, kneel, crouch, walk, twist, bend, climb, and/or be mobile.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

Associate’s degree in business administration, accounting, or related field with at least 15 quarter hours in accounting; Bachelor’s degree preferred; three years of accounting, bookkeeping, grants administration, or related work experience; governmental accounting experience, preferred; or any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work. Certification in WASBO Accounting courses preferred.

Licenses/Special Requirements

Valid Washington State driver’s license.
Fingerprints and successful WSP and FBI background clearance/sexual misconduct clearance.

Allowable Substitution

Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be evaluated by the Human Resources Department for comparability.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of bookkeeping, accounting principles, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of governmental accounting practices, procedures, rules and guidelines.
• Knowledge of private, state and federal grant reimbursement processes.
• Knowledge of budget systems practices and procedures, and their application to a variety of transactions and problems.
• Knowledge of applicable District, state and federal policies and regulations.
• Skill in keeping accurate data for a variety of programs.
• Skill in operating a personal computer with related software applications.
• Skill in keyboarding, ten-key, and data entry.
• Skill in analysis, decision-making, and problem solving.
• Skill in obtaining, clarifying, and exchanging information.
• Skill in effective oral and written communication.
• Skill in training and making presentations.
• Ability to treat information, data and records confidentially.
• Ability to objectively analyze and recommend a variety of allowable budget actions.
• Ability to maintain records and prepare reports based on the records.
• Ability to communicate financial/technical information to non-financial/technical personnel.
• Ability to interact effectively with internal and external customers.
• Ability to operate a personal computer with word processing, spreadsheet, and database software. Ability to work without direct supervision.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Ability to accurately perform arithmetical calculations.
• Ability to obtain, clarify, and exchange information.
• Ability to provide quality customer service.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively under deadline pressure.
• Ability to demonstrate reasonable, reliable and regular attendance.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people in a multicultural, diverse socio-economic setting.
• Ability to participate as a member of a team.