Accountant

Helena-Public-Schools; Helena (MT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Helena Public Schools in Helena, MT, is seeking an Accountant to join the Business Office team. This position provides advanced accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, grants, procurement, and related financial support for the district.

Under the general direction of the Director of Finance, the Accountant independently performs and coordinates complex accounting, fiscal-close, audit, cash-management, financial reporting, grant, procurement, and financial-systems functions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business administration, finance, public administration, or a closely related field.
• Two years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, auditing, budgeting, financial reporting, financial systems administration, or closely related financial operations.
• Demonstrated experience applying accounting principles, internal controls, financial reporting requirements, and financial analysis practices.
• Demonstrated experience using spreadsheets, accounting, reporting, and financial information systems.
• CPA designation or other relevant professional credential (preferred).
• Experience in K-12 school district finance, public education, local government, or governmental fund accounting (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Oversee and maintain accurate general-ledger activity, fund accounting, reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, revenues, expenditures, and other assigned accounting functions.
• Establish, monitor, and recommend improvements to accounting procedures, internal controls, documentation standards, and Business Office workflows.
• Coordinate monthly, quarterly, annual, and other fiscal-close processes, including account reconciliation, financial review, and correction of discrepancies.
• Lead or coordinate annual financial statements, governmental reports, grant reports, and other required financial reporting.
• Coordinate the District's annual audit process and serve as a primary liaison with auditors.
• Monitor compliance with governmental accounting standards, grant requirements, applicable laws and regulations, Board policy, and District procedures.
• Support budget development, monitoring, forecasting, cash-flow analysis, and financial decision-making through accurate financial data and analysis.
• Oversee or support financial administration of federal, state, local, and private grants, including reimbursement requests, reporting, documentation, and compliance.
• Review and monitor purchasing-card, vendor-payment, and purchasing processes to support authorization, accountability, and internal controls.
• Provide technical oversight and support for assigned financial software, reporting tools, online payment platforms, and related business systems.
• Provide technical guidance, training, and consultation to Business Office staff, administrators, departments, auditors, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, data quality, reporting, documentation, and operational efficiency.

Skills

Accounting principles

Internal controls

Financial reporting

Financial analysis

Spreadsheets

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting, business administration, finance, public administration, or a closely related field

CPA designation (preferred)

Tools

Accounting software

Reporting tools

Online payment platforms

Job description

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Frontline Applicant Tracking - Helena Public Schools

• Location:
  Lincoln Center (Administration Offices)

Accountant

Helena Public Schools is seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Accountant to join our Business Office team. This position provides advanced professional accounting, financial reporting, internal control, financial systems, grant, procurement, and related financial support for the District.

Under the general direction of the Director of Finance, the Accountant independently performs and coordinates complex accounting, fiscal-close, audit, cash-management, financial reporting, grant, procurement, and financial-systems functions. This position plays an important role in maintaining accurate, timely, and compliant financial information while supporting sound fiscal practices and informed decision-making across the District.

Some of what you will do:

Oversee and maintain accurate general-ledger activity, fund accounting, reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, revenues, expenditures, and other assigned accounting functions.

Establish, monitor, and recommend improvements to accounting procedures, internal controls, documentation standards, and Business Office workflows.

Coordinate monthly, quarterly, annual, and other fiscal-close processes, including account reconciliation, financial review, and correction of discrepancies.

Lead or coordinate annual financial statements, governmental reports, grant reports, and other required financial reporting.

Coordinate the District's annual audit process and serve as a primary liaison with auditors.

Monitor compliance with governmental accounting standards, grant requirements, applicable laws and regulations, Board policy, and District procedures.

Support budget development, monitoring, forecasting, cash-flow analysis, and financial decision-making through accurate financial data and analysis.

Oversee or support financial administration of federal, state, local, and private grants, including reimbursement requests, reporting, documentation, and compliance.

Review and monitor purchasing-card, vendor-payment, and purchasing processes to support authorization, accountability, and internal controls.

Provide technical oversight and support for assigned financial software, reporting tools, online payment platforms, and related business systems.

Provide technical guidance, training, and consultation to Business Office staff, administrators, departments, auditors, vendors, and other stakeholders.

Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, data quality, reporting, documentation, and operational efficiency.

The duties listed above represent the general scope of the position and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities.

Who we are looking for:

Bachelor's degree in accounting, business administration, finance, public administration, or a closely related field.

Twoyears of progressively responsible experience in accounting, auditing, budgeting, financial reporting, financial systems administration, or closely related financial operations.

Demonstrated experience applying accounting principles, internal controls, financial reporting requirements, and financial analysis practices.

Demonstrated experience using spreadsheets, accounting, reporting, and financial information systems.

Preferred Qualifications

Certified Public Accountant designation or other relevant professional credential.

Experience in K�12 school district finance, public education, local government, or governmental fund accounting.

Experience with grants management, procurement, audit coordination, capital-asset accounting, cash management, or school finance reporting.

Salary placement is Grade 14, with starting pay of $64,663.56-$81,783.52per year depending on experience and in accordance with Pay Plan Rules

This recruitment may also be used to fill additional positions per business needs.

This position is overtime exempt.

The Helena School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, genetic information, sex, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ancestry, marital status, military status, citizenship status, culture, social origin or condition, use of lawful products while not at work, political affiliation or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic if otherwise able to perform the essential functions of a job with reasonable accommodations. Persons with a disability who need assistance in the application process or those needing this announcement in an alternate format may email [e-mail] or call [phone]. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Traditional Relay Service from Montana Relay.

Postings current as of 9/23/2026 12:15:36 PM CST.

Internal applicants only. STOP: If you are in a temporary position such as Substitute Support, Substitute Teacher, Temporary Support, or Athletics or Activities Stipend Employee Only, you must fill out the external on-line application.

Need Help?

We're here to help! For questions regarding position qualifications or application procedures, please contact Helena Public Schools directly. For technical questions regarding the Applicant Tracking system, please contact the Applicant Tracking help desk using the Request Technical Help link below.