Senior Accountant

City of Raleigh Municipal Government; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

13 paid holidays and generous leave

Retirement benefits and other citywide

Job summary

City of Raleigh Municipal Government is seeking a Senior Accountant to join the Finance Department, Accounting Division. The role focuses on financial statement preparation, audits, grant management, and professional guidance across City departments.

The ideal candidate will research accounting pronouncements, ensure regulatory compliance, and support ACFR preparation while maintaining strong internal controls and accurate reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or related field is required.
• 3–5 years of accounting experience is required.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and GASB.
• Experience with grant management and reporting.
• Experience with bond accounting and general ledger activities.
• Ability to provide guidance to internal/external stakeholders.
• Ability to train departments on accounting guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly journal entries and review ledgers for accuracy across City departments.
• Coordinate with AP, Procurement, Revenue, and Treasury to ensure accurate monthly records.
• Provide monthly financial support to the State for sales tax payments and reimbursements.
• Record monthly/quarterly tax records for property, occupancy, and other taxes.
• Conduct advanced reconciliations and bank-to-cash reconciliations monthly.
• Research variances and coordinate with departments to resolve them.
• Serve as SME for accounting treatments and adjustments.

Skills

Public speaking

Analyzing financial statements

Interpreting financial data

Monitoring financial statements

Guidance to stakeholders

Fiscal processes management

Preparing spreadsheets

Organizing fiscal documentation

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or related field

Tools

ERP systems

GAAP/GASB reporting tools

Job description

Are you ready to make an impact through meaningful financial work? The City of Raleigh Accounting department is seeking an experienced Senior Accountant to join its team. In this role, you will help ensure the City’s financial integrity by preparing accurate financial statements, analyzing financial data, and supporting audits and reporting processes. You will contribute to key financial publications, research new accounting pronouncements, and collaborate with departments across the City to provide expert guidance on accounting, financial reporting, and grant management. This is an opportunity to apply your accounting expertise while supporting responsible financial management and the services our community depends on.

About You

The ideal candidate is a highly competent and motivated individual ready to join the Accounting Division within the Finance Department. This role serves as a subject matter expert providing consultation on fiscal matters and will have the unique opportunity to collaborate with departments and positions throughout municipal government and external parties.

About Us

The City of Raleigh offers many benefits to the employee. We offer medical, dental, vision as well as 13 paid holidays, vacation and sick days, retirement and much more. The Accounting Division is responsible for the City’s general ledger, grants, accounting transactions/activities and financial reporting. This position ensures the City adheres to fiscal standards and requirements set by regulatory agencies as well as City policies and procedures.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

• Prepares monthly journal entries and continuously reviews financial records and ledgers for accuracy for all City departments
• Coordinates with other central internal service departments including Accounts Payable, Procurement, Revenue, and Treasury to ensure monthly records are accurate and properly recorded
• Provides monthly financial support to the State for sales tax payments and sales tax reimbursements
• Records monthly/quarterly financial records from counties for property, rental vehicle, occupancy, franchise, and other taxes
• Conducts advanced analysis, performing complex account reconciliations and bank to cash reconciliations on a monthly basis, including for the main operating checking account that involves and serves all City departments
• Conducts research on variances found in reconciliations and coordinates with departments to resolve
• Serves as a subject matter expert to all City departments for accounting treatments and necessary adjustments
• Provides suggestions on proper internal controls, policies, and procedures to all City departments
• Researches existing and newly required accounting pronouncements issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board as well as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to ensure accuracy of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)
• Coordinates with City departments and provides training on implementing the new accounting pronouncements
• Reviews and approves grant reimbursement requests for all City departments on a monthly/quarterly basis
• Monitors the budget and reporting for each grant to ensure compliance with grant award agreements with federal and state agencies
• Prepares year-end reporting of grant fund financial statements as well as reconciliations of each grant for all departments
• Conducts research on single audit requirements to ensure the City, as well as the subrecipients are in compliance with federal and state grant award agreements
• Coordinates external auditors with annual single audits on all City-wide grants as required by the federal government
• Recommends grant process improvements to all City departments and provides trainings to City departments staff regarding eligible activities, grant management and reporting, and cash management
• Prepares Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (ACFR)
• Prepares and reviews complex financial statements, schedules, notes to financial statements, and demographic and statistical information to ensure compliance with accounting standards as well as grant agreements
• Performs monthly bond drawdown eligibility determinations for the City's bonds to ensure the City is in compliance with the bond agreement under the direction of the Bond Council
• Performs related duties as required

Education and Experience

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or related field; 3 to 5 years' experience in accounting or a related field;

OR

Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be substituted

Knowledge Of

Governmental accounting and financial reporting (including GAAP and Governmental Accounting Standards Board)

Grant management and reporting and subrecipient monitoring for grant compliance

Bonds management

Account reconciliations and bank to cash reconciliations

Payroll and benefits; capital asset management and reporting; sales tax reporting

Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable

Budget management and procurement

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and any software applications relevant to the position

Modern office practices and procedures including the use of standard office equipment and computer applications such as word processing, databases, and spreadsheet applications

Skill In

Public speaking

Analyzing complex financial statements and financial trends

Interpreting, compiling and preparing analytical, financial, and administration data for reports

Monitoring and reviewing accuracy of complex financial statements

Providing technical guidance, direction, education to external and internal stakeholders

Managing fiscal processes for variety of funds

Preparing spreadsheets, reports and financial documents

Organizing and maintaining fiscal programs/process documentation, schedules, records, and files

Ability To

Initiate process improvement suggestions

Conduct new research and present conclusions

Interpret and apply procedures, regulations, and policy in preparation of financial and analytical reports

Write, edit, format and train City-wide staff on financial guidelines and policies

Exercise political acumen, tact, and diplomacy

Assist departments with complex accounting treatments

Adapt to wide variety accounting assignments

Perform tasks with a high level of accuracy

ADA and Other Requirements

Work Environment and Physical Effort

Sedentary: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, a negligible amount of force frequently, and/or constantly having to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

Work Environment

Work is typically performed in an office or similar indoor environment.

Work Exposures

Work in this position does not require frequent environmental exposures.

City of Raleigh is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are provided upon request.