District Accountant — Grants, Budgets & Audits

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

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.