FT City Accountant - Finance Dept

Beverly; Beverly (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Beverly is seeking a City Accountant to oversee the city’s financial system, payroll and vendor distributions, and internal controls. This exempt 35-hour-per-week role reports to the Director of Municipal Finance and collaborates with all departments to ensure accurate accounting practices.

Qualified candidates have a Bachelor’s in Accounting, strong Excel and Word skills, and at least three years of senior accounting experience; familiarity with MUNIS is a plus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting strongly preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Strong Excel and Word skills; experience with payroll, accounts payable, and general ledger.
• Minimum three years of progressively responsible accounting management experience.
• Excellent communication and independent work ability.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws and policies.

Responsibilities

• Supervise the Accounting office staff.
• Maintain the financial information and ensure compliance with laws and regulations.
• Prepare and audit financial reports and statements.
• Ensure GASB 34 and other regulatory compliance; manage fixed assets.
• Reconcile accounts and assist in budgeting and financial planning.

Skills

Accounting management

Excel

Word

Payroll

Accounts payable

General ledger

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting

Tools

MUNIS

Job description

Employment Opportunities

City of Beverly is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At the City of Beverly, we embrace building a more diverse workforce. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the residents we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, color, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and City of Beverly policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact City of Beverly, Human Resources Department.

Title: City Accountant (35hrs/wk)

Supervisor: Director of Municipal Finance

Grade: N/A

Union: No

Classification: Exempt

Summary

This position is the City’s senior accounting and auditing professional. Responsible for the overall integrity of the city’s financial system, this position works with all Departments throughout Beverly to ensure proper accounting procedures are in place, This position manages the Accounting Office which oversees payroll and vendor distributions, system controls, risk assessment and other accounting related operations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervise the Accounting office staff
• Responsible as the keeper of all financial information, including:

Preparation and maintenance of all financial and accounting records in accordance with Mass General Laws;

Compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations involving appropriations and expenditures;

Preparation of all financial reports

Maintaining permanent records

• Provides control and compliance with standards established by the Division of Local Services, Director of Accounts and legal requirements as prescribed by MGL.
• Review and address departmental budgets to actual differences and resolve discrepancies with journal entries and budget transfers as necessary.
• Provides control and compliance with standards established by the Director of Accounts and legal requirements as prescribed by MGL.
• Review and approve various reimbursement submission requests
• Ensure the reconciliation of accounts receivable subsidiary ledgers in the Collector’s Office to the general ledger in accounting. This includes Real Estate, Personal Property, Motor Vehicle Excise, Boat Excise, and Water and Sewer funds for all years.
• Ensure the reconciling of cash accounts in the subsidiary ledger (Quicken) and the accounting general ledger. This reconciliation will take place monthly and a quarterly report will be filed with the Department of Revenue.
• Audit the cash procedures in the City’s operating departments and the Collector’s Office at least quarterly.
• Review and audit balances for various accounts that may negatively affect the City’s financial free cash position, including grants, special revenue funds and capital projects.
• Responsible for GASB 34-Fixed Assets including infrastructure. This will include the recording and maintenance of a fixed asset software system and reporting of it to be posted to the City’s general ledger system.
• Review and audit bank statements in the Treasurer’s Office to ensure that accounting practices are followed according to Massachusetts General Law. Each bank account should be audited at least annually by the accounting office.
• Review various year-end reporting for the outside auditors. This includes outstanding purchase order encumbrances, uncompensated absences, reconciliation of abatements, deferred revenue reconciliation and all withholding accounts.
• Review and approve all payroll and accounts payable warrants prior to issue.
• Support the School Department in the preparation of the School End of Year reports needed for submission. This includes schedules 1 & 19.
• Evaluate, create and implement a variety of internal controls and procedures to support accurate and efficient operations as well as safeguard against risk of errors or fraud.
• In coordination with the City Finance Director and the Assessing Department, prepare information for the submittal of the annual Tax Rate Recap report to Department of Revenue.
• Ensure the preparation of IRS forms W-2, 1099M, 1099R and 1099-NEC. This includes various file submissions of files with the assistance of the MIS department.
• Establish and maintain system controls in MUNIS
• Provide financial assistance and guidance to all departments, committees and boards as needed.

Qualifications

• Strong technical accounting skills and knowledge
• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting is strongly preferred, an equivalent combination of higher education and experience in a senior accounting position will be considered.
• Strong Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word ability, and experience in the use of general accounting software including payroll, accounts payable, and general ledger.
• A minimum of three years progressively responsible accounting management experience.
• Demonstrated skills in communications with personnel at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgement.
• Ability to keep current with changing laws, exchange of ideas, system processes and upgrades
• Ability to interpret personnel policies and procedures and union contracts.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, flexibility, and high energy level.
• Ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms, climb or balance or stoop.

The employee must lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Category Full Time Opportunities Status Open

Salary Range: $120,000 to $140,000 annually

Posted July 14, 2026 12:00 PM

Closing Open Until Filled

Attached Files Finance FT City Accountant Sept26 (PDF)