ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT IV

The salary for this position is: $5,147 - $6,847 monthly

Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is recruiting for an Accounting Assistant IV for our Fiscal Division. 

As an Accounting Assistant IV, you will perform advanced technical accounting support work for the department and may act as a team lead providing leadership and mentoring to lower-level accounting assistants who are responsible for complex accounting work. This position offers a great deal of autonomy and requires the ability to think critically and make independent judgments based on budgeting and accounting principles. If you’re passionate about accuracy, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and are committed to continuous improvement, we want to hear from you!

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger adjustment activities
• Develop recommendations for procedural or policy changes in the accounting unit
• Oversee fiscal requirements of assigned grants and contracts to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements and prepare all necessary invoices and reports as needed
• Audit accounts payable (A/P), accounts receivable (A/R), and general ledger entries and documents to ensure accuracy, propriety, proper account coding, adequate explanations, and other applicable information in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations
• May prepare and present training sessions for department staff to support proper completion and documentation of purchasing, travel, reimbursements, and payroll
• Undertake independent research projects as assigned and prepare various schedules and reports for financial statements requiring the knowledge of governmental accounting principles
• Monitor assigned funds and prepare quarterly and annual reports to show the status of the fund using County formats and/or guidelines, including making projections of revenue and expenditures
• Assist with the development of the department budget for assigned funds
• Participate in fiscal year-end close activities, which will include but is not limited to, accruals, accountability reports, preparation of Schedule of Federal Awards, etc.
• Cross train with colleagues
• Participate in regular team huddles
• May participate in subrecipient monitoring activities
• Perform other work as required or assigned, including, but not limited to, a 24/7 response during public health emergency situations and disease outbreak investigations

To view the full job classification, click here: Accounting Assistant IV

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Environment - Quiet office setting in Olympia, Washington
• Schedule - Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm, with the potential option of an alternative or compressed schedule and/or remote working after completing the required probationary timeframe
• Travel Requirements - Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings or trainings
• Customer Interactions - Daily interactions with Thurston County staff and the public

WHO WE ARE:

Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) is Thurston County’s local health jurisdiction and human services department and is responsible for protecting the health and promoting the well-being of all people who live, work, and play in Thurston County. We value diversity and strive to foster a sense of belonging, honoring the unique experiences, cultures, skills, backgrounds, identities, and perspectives of our employees and community. As an agency actively working to address health equity, we aspire for everyone to have the opportunity to attain their highest level of health, regardless of their individual circumstances.

Thurston County values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Inclusion to us means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths. We are dedicated to recruiting and developing a talented workforce from various cultures, lifestyles, backgrounds, and perspectives who are committed to our vision and core values. Thurston County Racial Equity and Inclusion Webpage

WHAT WE OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES:

• Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individuals’ lifestyle.
• Plan For Your Future: As a member of our team, you will enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family. Please visit Thurston County Employee Benefit Plans for more information.
• Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn paid vacation in addition to paid holidays.
• Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage our staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
• Flexible Work Schedules: Some of the options that employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
• Deferred Compensation: The County offers 3 voluntary deferred compensation plans for employees who would like to set aside additional deferred tax dollars into a retirement savings plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Employees can take advantage of Section 125 flexible spending accounts for out-of-pocket health care and daycare expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This is a federal program which allows full-time public service employees who have made qualifying payments for certain loans, to get their student loans repaid. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Why you’ll love it here: Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington’s South Puget Sound Region. Perched in between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more. The region is also home to the state capitol city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmer’s markets, kids’ activities, history, and art events. Discover more about life in Thurston County at Experienceolympia.com.

Message to potential applicants: We understand that some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold. 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• High School Diploma or G.E.D. and two years of college level accounting courses. 
• Two years of general accounting experience, plus one year of grant accounting experience. Additional experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.
• Ability to utilize a personal computer and related software packages to perform word processing, analysis, information retrieval and tracking.
• Ability to communicate with co-workers as well as the general public.

DESIRED SKILLS: 

• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), State of Washington Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS), and Thurston County Financial Policies and Procedures
• Working financial terminology knowledge
• Experience and knowledge in Grant and Contract management
• Understanding of Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) 2 CFR 200
• Experience in identifying complex accounting issues and developing solutions to resolve those issues
• Ability to organize, analyze, interpret, and evaluate financial data
• Ability to organize data into appropriate usable formats and prepare correspondence and documents from oral and written instructions
• Skill and experience in reading and comprehending legal and non-legal documents

Respect and Organizational Culture

• Create an environment where employees and partners can safely express needs or concerns and where employees can make and correct mistakes
• Effectively interact with sensitivity while working with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, and lifestyles
• Thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization maintaining a positive work environment

Communication

• Serve the public in a timely, complete, accurate, and professional manner while ensuring that written and verbal communication is clearly understood by others
• Maintain cultural competency to support diverse perspectives in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the health of the community
• Strong oral communication for networking and interpersonal relationships
• Excellent written communication including the ability to craft correspondence, reports, and articles or web postings with minimal grammatical and syntax errors

Leadership

• Supervise, motivate, and develop employees and team to become more productive and effective in achieving desired goals and career growth while encouraging employee critical reflection; able to give direction without conflict
• Show fairness and impartiality in interactions; is interested in employee welfare, elicits staff input where feasible; respond to staff suggestions and complaints in a sincere, sensitive, and timely manner

Goal Setting and Accomplishment

• Use strategic thinking and planning for goal setting and evaluation
• Effectively plan, organize, and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure
• Create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling confidentiality, professional values, and ethics with honesty and integrity
• Operate with a high degree of flexibility, initiative, attention to detail, and commitment
• Delegate and use persuasion and negotiating skills for shared responsibility and acceptance of change

OTHER RELATED RECRUITMENT INFORMATION:

Questions about this recruitment? Please contact the hiring team at:(360) 867-2569 or PHSS_Hiring@co.thurston.wa.us or 

This position is:

• Represented by a union
• Eligible for benefits
• Eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Grant funded

Items required for consideration:

• Application
• Resume
• Letter of interest
• Please note: The candidate selected for this position is required to show proof of the following immunizations by their agreed upon start date:
  • Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR)
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap/TD)

Please note: Information in this announcement is subject to change without notice at any time during the length of the job advertisement.

THURSTON COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Thurston County is committed to provide equal opportunity to all persons seeking or having access to its employment, services and activities, which is free from restriction based on race, sex, marital status, color, creed or religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, pregnancy, status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications. Applicants with disabilities who need accommodation with the application or selection process should contact Thurston County’s Human Resources, at (360) 786-5498.  Those who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired may use the statewide relay system to reach Thurston County offices and departments to conduct their business telephonically. Relay users can simply dial 7-1-1 (or 1-800-833-6388) to connect with Washington Relay.