Staff Accountant

Wright County; Buffalo (MN); On-site; USD 40,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Wright County is seeking an intermediate accountant to administer the integrated financial system, perform accounting entries, and prepare financial reports. The role supports month-end and year-end closings and collaborates with departments to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Responsibilities include monitoring cash balances, reconciling transactions, auditing invoices, and assisting with year-end audit workpapers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field, or equivalent combination of education and one year of experience in accounting, banking, auditing, or related financial field.
• Payroll, budgetary, and/or audit support experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Administers the integrated financial system including training, account setup, user security, and month-end/year-end closing procedures.
• Prepares and analyzes financial reports and oversees modules; tests system updates and communicates impacts to end users.
• Performs accounting entries, reconciliations, and data analysis to maintain accurate financial records.
• Monitors cash balances, reviews transactions for trends, compliance, and discrepancies.
• Tracks invoices and bills with agencies, and supports year-end audit preparations.

Skills

Accounting

Budget analysis

Payroll

Data entry

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

Tools

Accounting software

Job description

Performs intermediate technical work administering, maintaining, and preparing financial records and reports, which includes the administration and maintenance of the integrated financial system. This position is responsible for performing various accounting functions. Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Accounting Manager.

Hiring pay range is $29.34/hr. - $32.86/hr. depending on qualifications and direct work experience.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Administers the integrated financial system including performing training, setting up accounts, setting up user security, performing month-end and year-end closing procedures, prepares various financial reports, oversees assigned modules, system testing, prepares user menus’ and communicates the impact of new system updates to end users.
• Performs accounting entries, transactions, and reconciliations to provide accurate and timely financial records for department operations and reporting using various mediums such as spreadsheets and databases.
• Monitors and reconcile cash balances. Performs review and analysis of transaction for trends, compliance, and irregularities. Review receipt and disbursement listing for coding errors and other discrepancies.
• Monitors contracts, audit invoicing and tracks bills to various agencies to account for accurate documentation and follow-up. Performs review and analysis of transaction for trends, compliance, and irregularities.
• Assists with year-end audit preparation, including preparing year-end audit workpapers.
• Works directly with software vendors to identify and/or seek solutions to software or user problems. Works closely with other department on their accounting and financial software questions.
• Assists in administering and monitoring department financial operations, which includes serving as liaison in financial/accounting and provides general accounting assistance to all County Departments.
• Maintain County gravel operator database, comply with reporting requirements to MN Department of Revenue and the collection of aggregate tax.
• Perform other duties and activities as assigned.

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, or related field or equivalent combination of education and one year of experience in accounting, banking, auditing, or related financial field. Payroll, budgetary, and/or audit support experience is preferred.

Special Requirements

May require possession of, or ability to obtain, specific licenses and/or certifications depending on departmental assignment. A valid driver’s license or evidence of equivalent mobility is required upon hire.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of government accounting methods, principles and practices; knowledge of County government work flows and processes; knowledge of financial and accounting systems and programs used to support departmental financial functions; knowledge of payroll programs and funding sources; knowledge of methods, procedures and principals of public and business administration; knowledge of local, State, and Federal laws, regulations, and coding to finance; knowledge of computer systems used to administer accounting and payroll systems; skill in the use of standard office equipment, including computer and software programs; verbal and written communication skills sufficient to effectively present information and respond to questions from a wide variety of audiences; reading comprehension skills sufficient to read and interpret technical financial documents; interpersonal skills sufficient to exchange and/or convey information, receive work direction, and maintain effective working relationships; ability to perform data entry into various databases; ability to analyze department budget and financial reports; ability to effectively organize time and anticipate, plan and successfully respond to changing circumstances; ability to pay attention to detail and exercise strong organizational skills; ability to perform all job duties in compliance with safety guidelines and with an ongoing awareness of safety practices; ability to communicate courteously and professionally while maintaining positive working relationships with others when carrying out all job functions.

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing and using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, reaching with hands and arms and lifting; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a quiet location (e.g. library, private offices).