ACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN II DEFINITION Under general supervision, performs the highest level paraprofessional accounting support work and financial record keeping work involving the full range of District accounts; reconciles District accounts, posts receipts and expenditures and prepares financial and accounting statements and reports; and performs related work as assigned. CLASS CHARACTERISTICS This is the highest non-degreed level in the accounting support series, expected to independently perform the full range of paraprofessional processing, auditing, reconciling and reporting functions. Successful performance of the work requires both technical training and significant work experience, as well as the ability to interpret and apply a wide variety of District, State and Federal laws, rules and regulations. This class requires discretion to work with sensitive issues and ability to coordinate multiple and concurrent activities. EXAMPLES OF DUTIES Reconciles District fund accounts and various accounting records internally and with County reports on a monthly basis; and notifies the County of discrepancies. Maintains the general ledger for all accounts; prepares journal entries for the District books and County records. Answers questions from District staff, vendors, County staff, auditors and others regarding accounting records and reports; resolves issues or reports them to the supervisor as required. Prepares the trial balance and monthly reports for the Board of Education; assists in the preparation of year-end reports; prepares categorical financial reports/claims and maintains categorical files. Processes revolving cash requests. Creates entries approving all batch and transaction listings. Audits requests for expenditure transfers submitted by managers, prepares journal entries and maintains record of inter-fund billings and fund transfers. Reconciles medical insurance and other benefit provider invoices; updates rates and status into the automated payroll system. Communicates with staff to ensure that transactions and documents are completed correctly by specific deadlines. Analyzes complex and technical accounting problems by researching a variety of journals, ledgers, reports and other in-house information; prepares reports as required. Maintains and tracks medical payments to employees/retirees. Assists others with bank reconciliations, training site staff as needed. Performs technical accounting tasks as assigned. Reconciles and prepares vendor payments. QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of: Principles and practices of financial record keeping and reporting, through the preparation of journal entries and the general ledger. Fundamental principles and practices of accounting in a public agency setting. Principles and techniques of bookkeeping, accounts payable and receivable and related financial processes. Principles and practices of auditing and financial transaction reconciliation. Standard office practices, including filing and the operation of standard office equipment. Business arithmetic and statistical techniques. Computer applications related to the work, including word processing and spreadsheet applications. Skill in: Interpreting, balancing and analyzing financial statements to discover and reconcile any discrepancies. Maintaining complex journals and the general ledger through the trial balance. Analyzing, researching and preparing accurate periodic and special statement and reports. Operating a variety of office equipment, and using computer terminal to enter, access and make changes to information with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform the work. Identifying and correcting errors to a variety of computations quickly and accurately. Understanding school District accounting and MIS terminology. Effectively communicating in person, over the telephone and in writing. Organizing own work, setting priorities, multi-tasking, meeting critical deadlines and accurately handling detailed information. Page 2 Accounting Technician II Using sound independent judgment within a variety of laws, policies and procedures. Establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. Education: Equivalent to a two-year vocational program specific to the field of accounting. Experience: Four years of experience in performing technical or office accounting or bookkeeping support. Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis to a maximum of two years. Experience in a school district setting is desirable. Physical Demands: Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and to use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. N: 04/98 R: 02/03